🌊 Prominent Passengers Aboard RMS Servia: Transatlantic Voyage from Liverpool to New York – 8 July 1882
Front Cover of a Saloon Passenger List from the RMS Servia of the Cunard Line, Departing 8 July 1882 from Liverpool to New York, Commanded by Captain Cook. GGA Image ID # 17511573ef
🛳️ Ship Overview: RMS Servia
🌍 RMS Servia Passenger List – 8 July 1882: A Transatlantic Journey in the Age of Steam
Operator: Cunard Line
Launched: 1 March 1881 at J & G Thomson shipyard, Clydebank, Scotland
Claim to Fame: First major ocean liner built of steel rather than iron, and first Cunard vessel equipped with electric lighting
Route: Liverpool → Queenstown (now Cobh) → New York
Voyage Date: 8 July 1882
Master of the Vessel: Captain Cook
The RMS Servia marked a turning point in maritime innovation, bridging the Victorian era and the age of modern transatlantic travel. She was a technological marvel and a symbol of status, attracting affluent and prominent travelers.
🗺️ Voyage Context
This 1882 journey from Liverpool to New York came at the height of transatlantic migration and elite leisure travel. The Servia, being a luxury liner, catered mainly to wealthy passengers, academics, government officials, religious figures, and European aristocrats.
Senior Officers and Staff
- Commander: Captain Cook
Saloon Passengers
- Mr. R. Adone
- Mr. G. W. Alexander
- Miss Arnold
- Mr. J. Backie
- Mr. A. T. Barney
- Mrs. Barney
- Mrs. R. A. Barnum
- Mr. A. Baudomine
- Mrs. Baudomine
- Mr. E. R. Beard
- Mrs. Beard
- Mr. William Beattle
- Mrs. Beattle
- Mr. F. H. Beebe
- Mrs. J. M. Beebe
- Miss E. B. Beebe
- Miss M. L. Beebe
- Madame Bertinatti
- Mr. Codrington Billings
- Miss E. K. Boles
- Col. Bonaparte
- Madame Bonaparte, Two Children, and Governess
- Miss M. Brancker
- Mr. S. S. Brittain
- Mr. Wilkins Bruce
- Mrs. Bruce
- Miss Buckley
- Dr. W. H. Byford
- Mrs. Byford
- Miss Byford
- Mr. Callender
- Miss Callender
- Mr. D. Carruthers
- Mr. Rold. Carter
- Rev. John Cebul
- Mr. E. Chaplin
- Mrs. Chaplin and Maid
- Mr. F. H. Childs
- Mrs. M. A. Childs
- Mr. J. M. Clapp
- Mrs. S. A. Clark
- Miss Mary L. Clark
- Miss L. de Wolf Colt
- Mr. J. S. Cowles
- Mr. W. Creighton
- Mr. Croft
- Mr. H. M. Crookenden
- Mr. J. W. Currier
- Mr. F. C. Davis
- Mr. Otto Dresel
- Mr. Dresel, Jr.
- Mr. G. S. Douglas
- Mr. J. T. Dutcher
- Mr. Newbold Edgar
- Mr. H. M. Ehringer
- Mr. Alexander Elliott
- Miss Fairbanks
- Mr. H. S. Farwell
- Mr. H. W. Fell
- Mr. J. W. Field
- Miss E. L. Fiske
- Mr. E. Fowler
- Mr. T. H. French
- Miss A. Frotscher
- Mr. R. H. Galbreath
- Mrs. Galbreath
- Mr. W. Gibson
- Mrs. Gibson
- Mr. W. Gibson, Jr.
- Miss C. T. Gilman
- Col. R. H. J. Goddard
- Mrs. Goddard, Child, and Three Servants
- Miss M. Goddard
- Mrs. M. B. J. Goddard
- Mr. J. C. Goodsell
- Miss Gould
- Mr. S. C. Griggs, Jr. and Manservant
- Mrs. Griggs
- Mr. N. J. Haines
- Mr. F. W. Haines
- Mr. A. S. Hallidie
- Mr. R. L. Hargons
- Mr. T. H. Harper
- Dr. Charles Harris
- Mr. Wm. Harris
- Rev. J. W. Hatton
- Mrs. J. R. Haxall
- Mr. Meredith Hayes
- Mrs. J. C. Haxen
- Mrs. A. S. Hewitt
- Miss S. C. Hewitt
- Miss E. G. Hewitt
- Mr. P. Cooper Hewitt
- Mr. J. Hicks
- Mr. J. D. Higgins
- Col. J. H. Hildreth
- Miss M. A. Hogan
- Miss L. Holman
- Miss J. Holman
- Miss Mary E. Howell
- Mr. John P. Huggins
- Mrs. Huggins
- Miss Retta Huggins
- Mrs. L. S. Hunt
- Master S. Hunt
- Mr. W. F. Hurlbut
- Mrs. Hurlbut
- Miss Alice G. Hurlbut
- Mr. H. B. Inman
- Mr. D. M. Irwin
- Mrs. M. E. Jennings
- Mr. Oscar Kaufmann
- Mr. J. H. Keller
- Mr. Justin P. Kellogg
- Mr. L. E. Kellogg
- Mr. P. Kibble
- Mr. W. J. King, Jr. and Manservant
- Mrs. King
- Mr. Lamb
- Mr. Chas A. Lamb
- Miss Learoyd
- Mr. Adam Leigh
- Mrs. Adam Leigh
- Mr. J. E. Lewis
- Mr. H. W. Linford
- Mr. R. B. MacLea
- Mr. William Love
- Mr. Freeman D. Marckwald
- Mrs. Marckwald
- Mr. E. Marcus
- Col. H. P. Martin
- Mr. S. C. Martine
- Mr. William Mason
- Mrs. Mason
- Mr. D. Mathesion
- Mr. C. S. McCall
- Mr. C. A. McMaster
- Mr. J. F. Medinn
- Mr. E. Merrill
- Mr. A. C. Miller
- Mrs. A. D. A. Miller
- Mrs. A. J. Mitchell and Child
- Mr. W. T. Moore
- Mrs. More-Lewis
- Mrs. J. Morton
- Mr. J. Mucklestone
- Mr. J. J. Mueller
- Mr. C. A. Munn
- Miss Munn
- Mr. A. J. Neale
- Mrs. Neale
- Mr. E. Nordlinger
- Mr. J. Olmstead
- Mr. C. J. Oppenheimer
- Mr. James Ousey
- Mr. G. Pardo
- Mr. F. H. Peabody
- Mrs. Peabody
- Miss F. Peabody
- Miss L. Peabody
- Mr. Thomas Perkins
- Mrs. C. L. Perkins and Maid
- Miss Perkins
- Miss F. Perkins
- Miss M. Perkins
- Mr. George Perkins
- Mr. Joseph Plan
- Miss More Price-Roberts
- Mr. B. F. Quinby
- Mr. Walden Ramsay
- Miss Alice Redmond
- Mr. Henry Rice
- Mr. John M. Richards
- Mrs. Richards
- Miss P. Richards
- Mr. James Richards
- Mr. F. Robinson
- Mr. H. Robertson
- Mrs. Robertson
- Mr. T. B. Rogers
- Mr. Henry Robland
- Dr. J. D. Rushmore
- Mrs. Rushmore
- Mr. A. Rumsey
- Mrs. Rumsey
- Mr. W. H. Rutter
- Miss F. C. Salmon
- Mr. G. C. Schleier
- Mr. Paul Schwarz
- Mr. L. Seligsberger
- Mr. J. Seron
- Miss F. Shellabarger
- Mr. A. H. Smith
- Mrs. J. T. Smith
- Miss Ida Southworth
- Mr. J. L. Soutter
- Mr. W. G. Stoner
- Mrs. Sturckow, Two Children, and Maid
- Capt. Sunrez
- Mr. H. K. Sutton
- Mr. Siskind Swan
- Mrs. Swan
- Dr. Szabo
- Mr. Augusins Taber
- Mrs. Taber
- Miss Cornelia Taber
- Mr. W. F. Temple, Jr.
- Mr. Frederick Tendron
- Mr. Charles Thackara
- Mrs. Thackara
- Miss M. W. Townsend
- Miss Triplett
- Mr. J. C. Trumplett
- Mrs. Trumplett
- Mr. R. D. Tucker
- Miss M. Vail
- Mr. Van Der Bergh
- Mr. F. A. Wailes
- Mr. Walker
- Mrs. Walker
- Mr. M. Ward
- Mrs. Ward
- Mr. C. C. Warren
- Mrs. Warren
- Mr. E. Wheelwright
- Mrs. Wheelwright
- Mr. John H. White
- Mrs. White
- Miss L. D. White
- Mr. Frank H. Williams
- Mr. E. M. Winslow
- Mrs. Winslow and Child
- Mr. S. H. Wilson
- Miss Tenie Wolfe
- Mr. A. Yates
- Mr. A. Zott
- Mrs. Zott, Four Children, and Maid
👤 Noteworthy Individuals Onboard
🏛️ Military & Nobility
Colonel Bonaparte 🇫🇷 or 🇮🇹
Likely a descendant or relative of the Bonaparte family, traveling with Madame Bonaparte, two children, and a governess. The name evokes immediate association with Napoleon Bonaparte, offering intrigue for genealogists and historians alike.
Col. R. H. J. Goddard 🇬🇧
Likely British or American high-ranking officer, traveling with a large entourage: wife, child, and three servants. This suggests aristocratic status and possible involvement in the British Empire's military administration.
Col. J. H. Hildreth 🇺🇸
Likely a senior officer in the U.S. Army or state militia. The presence of multiple colonels reflects the upper-class composition of Servia’s saloon class.
👨⚕️ Medical Figures
Dr. W. H. Byford – Professor of Gynecology at Northwestern University Medical School 🩺
A major figure in the professionalization of American gynecology. He was accompanied by his wife and daughter. Byford helped establish the Woman’s Medical College of Chicago, making him a figure of historical and educational importance.
Dr. Charles Harris 🧬
Likely another member of the medical elite, potentially contributing to public health initiatives during the post-Civil War era.
Dr. J. D. Rushmore
A respected physician of the era, perhaps connected to the development of modern American hospital systems.
✝️ Religious Leaders
Rev. John Cebul
Likely Catholic clergy, traveling alone. The surname suggests Eastern European origins, possibly connecting immigrant pastoral work in America with the Catholic diaspora.
Rev. J. W. Hatton – Protestant Minister
May have served in the American Episcopal or Methodist Church, common among travelers of English-speaking descent in the 1880s.
🎼 Cultural & Notable Travelers
Mr. Otto Dresel 🎹
A German-American composer and music educator. Dresel was prominent in Boston’s classical music scene and advocated for German Lieder. His presence marks a cultural exchange between Europe and America.
Mr. S. C. Griggs, Jr. – Publishing and Printing Magnate 📚
Likely connected with S. C. Griggs & Co., a prominent Chicago-based publisher specializing in academic and architectural texts. Traveled with a manservant, suggesting wealth and status.
📚 Educational Relevance
This document offers a snapshot of transatlantic elite travel just before mass immigration would redefine the Atlantic route. It provides:
Genealogical leads for descendants of high-profile individuals and European émigrés
Sociological insight into class, gender, and wealth in Gilded Age transatlantic travel
Military and cultural history, via prominent figures like Col. Bonaparte and Otto Dresel
Medical history, especially with Dr. Byford's influence in women's health
✨ Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger List Matters
The 1882 voyage of the RMS Servia stands as a testament to:
- The technological progress in steamship design
- The social stratification of international travel
- The movement of influential individuals who shaped public life in America and Europe
For researchers, the list is a rich primary source, illustrating the flow of expertise, culture, and affluence in the pre-immigration wave era.
Curator’s Note
For over 25 years, I've been dedicated to a unique mission: tracking down, curating, preserving, scanning, and transcribing historical materials. These materials, carefully researched, organized, and enriched with context, live on here at the GG Archives. Each passenger list isn't just posted — it's a testament to our commitment to helping you see the people and stories behind the names.
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