SS Exeter Passenger Lists 1932-1936
American Export Lines SS Exeter (1931). GGA Image ID # 1d1939f538
Exeter (1931) American Export Line.
Built by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N. J. Tonnage: 9,360.
Dimensions: 450' x 61'. Single-screw, 16 knots. Two masts and one funnel.
Renamed: Edward Rutledge.
Note: Torpedoed by submarine off coast of Morocco November 12, 1942, during North African invasion.
Sister ships: Excambion, Exochorde and Excalibur.
All Digitized Passenger Lists For the SS Exeter Available at the GG Archives. Listing Includes Date Voyage Began, Steamship Line, Vessel, Passenger Class and Route. See also the SS Exeter Ship Ephemera

1932-06-28 SS Exeter Passenger List
- Steamship Line: American Export Lines
- Class of Passengers: One
- Date of Departure: 28 June 1932
- Route: New York to Alexandria via Gibraltar, Marseilles, Jaffa, Haifa, Beirut, and Naples
- Commander: Captain C.C. Decker

1936-03-24 SS Exeter Passenger List
- Steamship Line: American Export Lines
- Class of Passengers: One
- Date of Departure: 13 April 1936
- Route: Beirut for Boston and New York
- Commander: Captain S. F. Ransone
Passenger Lists contained in the GG Archives collection represent the souvenir list provided to the passengers of each cabin class (and other classes). Many of these souvenir passenger lists have disappeared over the years. Our collection contains a sampling of what was originally produced and printed by the steamship lines.
American Export Lines New "4 Aces" -- SS Excambion, SS Exochorda, SS Exeter, and SS Excalibur, 1930. GGA Image ID # 1d1a79f38f
⚠️ About Accuracy in Historical Records Research Tip
Context. The GG Archives presents passenger lists as faithfully as possible to the original documents. While OCR is generally accurate, portions of these collections—especially image captions and some transcriptions—are typed by hand and may include typographical or spelling variations. The original manifests themselves also contained clerical inconsistencies (names recorded phonetically, mid-voyage corrections, etc.).
What this means for your research:
- Search variant spellings of names (e.g., “Schmidt/Schmitt/Smith,” “Giuseppe/Joseph”).
- Cross-reference with immigration cards, passport applications, naturalization files, city directories, and newspapers.
- Treat manifests as primary sources with historical quirks—use them alongside corroborating records.
- For place names, consider historical borders and language variants (e.g., Danzig/Gdańsk, Trieste/Trst).
How to cite. When quoting a name from a manifest, consider adding [sic] for obvious misspellings and include a note such as “spelling as printed in original passenger list.”
Need help? If you spot a likely transcription error in captions, feel free to contact us with the page URL and a brief note—we love community input. 🙏
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.
It hasn't always been easy. In the early years, I wasn't sure the site would survive, and I often paid the hosting bills out of my own pocket. But I never built this site for the money — I built it because I love history and believe it's worth preserving. It's a labor of love that I've dedicated myself to, and I'm committed to keeping it going.
If you've found something here that helped your research, sparked a family story, or just made you smile, I'd love to hear about it. Your experiences and stories are the real reward for me. And if you'd like to help keep this labor of love going, there's a "Contribute to the Website" link tucked away on our About page.
📜 History is worth keeping. Thanks for visiting and keeping it alive with me.