Elite Passengers Aboard the SS Anchoria – Saloon-Class Voyage from Glasgow to New York, 5 September 1884

Front Cover, SS Anchoria Saloon Passenger List, Departing 5 September 1884 from Glasgow to New York via Moville, Commanded by Captain John J. Small. | GGA Image ID # 2295dcda9a

🚢 Review and Historical Context

The SS Anchoria, operated by the Anchor Line, embarked on its Saloon-Class voyage from Glasgow to New York via Moville on 5 September 1884 under the command of Captain John J. Small. This passenger list offers a fascinating glimpse into transatlantic travel in the late Victorian era, revealing the mix of business, leisure, religious, and immigrant travel that characterized the age.

This crossing would have taken place during a time of high transatlantic migration, yet saloon (first-class) accommodations were reserved for affluent travelers—industrialists, ministers, professionals, and socially prominent families.

Catalog Card: SS Anchoria Passenger List – 5 September 1884

🗺 Route & Voyage Details

• Departure Port: Glasgow, Scotland
• Intermediate Stop: Moville, Ireland
• Destination: New York, USA
• Date of Departure: 5 September 1884
• Ship Operator: Anchor Line
• Class Featured: Saloon (First-Class) Passengers
• Voyage Significance: Reflects elite and middle-upper class travel during a period of strong Scottish, Irish, and English emigration to North America.

⚓ Ship Profile: SS Anchoria

• Launched: 1872 (built by Robert Napier & Sons, Glasgow)
• Operator: Anchor Line
• Tonnage: ~4,000 gross tons
• Propulsion: Compound steam engines
• Transatlantic Service: Glasgow/Liverpool to New York
• Typical Route: Glasgow – Moville – New York
• Class Configuration: Saloon (First-Class), Steerage
• Known For: Mid-range comfort, good speed, and frequent use by missionaries, educators, and families. Known for steady service, catering to both emigrants in steerage and wealthier travelers in saloon class.
• Notable Fact: One of the earliest Anchor Line ships to cater specifically to the growing saloon-class market—bridging the elite and working-class divide of ocean travel.
• Historical Note: Anchor Line ships like the Anchoria were central to Scottish emigration and the movement of goods and culture between Britain and the US.

Senior Officers and Staff

1. Commander: Captain John J. Small
2. Surgeon: J. M. Robertson
3. Purser: David Bruce
4. Stewardess: Mrs. Farlane

Saloon Passengers

1. Mr. W. J. Adamson | Dollar
2. Mrs. B. F. Beals | London
3. Miss L. a. Bell | Lonaconing, MD
4. Miss M. V. Bell | Lonaconing, MD
5. Mr. F. M. Bixly | New York
6. Mr. W. L. Boswell | New York
7. Mr. P. T. Brady | Letterkenny
8. Miss T. M. Brady | Letterkenny
9. Miss B. C. Brown |
10. Mr. John Brown | Glasgow
11. Mr. a. T. Bruce | Edinburgh
12. Mr. G. B. Bryant | Boston
13. Miss L. B. Calkins | Santa Barbara, Ca
14. Mr. L. a. Chase | New York
15. Mr. T. F. Clarke |
16. Mr. Wm. Colhoun | Londonderry
17. Mrs. Burns Cowan and Two Children | Glasgow
18. Mr. John Craig | Glasgow
19. Miss C. J. Davis | New York
20. Mrs. L. W. Day | New York
21. Mr. William Ewan | Glasgow
22. Mrs. Ewan | Glasgow
23. Miss Ewan | Glasgow
24. Miss a. Ewan | Glasgow
25. Mr. C. M. Ewart | London
26. Mrs. J. Ewing |
27. Mr. Wm. Falconer | Kansas City
28. Mrs. Falconer | Kansas City
29. Miss L. J. Gilmore |
30. Mr. H. B. Gilmore |
31. Mr. M. B. Gilmore |
32. Mr. E. F. Goodrich | Chicago
33. Mrs. Goodrich and Child | Chicago
34. Miss a. Gould | New York
35. Mr. John Harris |
36. Mr. Stephen Harris |
37. Mr. G. B. Hawes |
38. Mr. M. M. Heath | Boston
39. Mrs. Heath | Boston
40. Miss J. B. Hill |
41. Rev. W. H. Hinkley | Brookline, MA
42. Mr. H. M. Hoke |
43. Mrs. E. W. Holt |
44. Mr. Alexander Hunter | Glasgow
45. Rev. D. Irwing | New York
46. Rev. D. O. Irwing | New York
47. Mr. L. T. Jefts | New York
48. Mrs. Jefts | New York
49. Mr. a. L. Kidder | Manchester, Nh
50. Miss Lang | Glasgow
51. Miss Christina Lawrie | Glasgow
52. Dr. C. Lowly | New York
53. Miss Rebecca S. Long | Coleraine
54. Mr. John Macfarlane | Glasgow
55. Mr. J. C. Mathis | New York
56. Mrs. Mathis | New York
57. Miss E. Miller | New York
58. Mr. J. M. Miller | London
59. Mr. J. G. Obermeyer | New York
60. Mr. C. B. Philpot | Glasgow
61. Mr. D. Reid | New York
62. Mrs. Reid | New York
63. Miss Reid | New York
64. Mr. R. Sclanders | Glasgow
65. Mr. Jno. H. Shearer | New York
66. Mrs. Simpson | Inverness
67. Miss M. Taylor | New York
68. Mr. Wm. Tod | Glasgow
69. Mr. E. F. Torrey | London
70. Mr. W. Rollo Vost | Montrose
71. Mr. W. Williams | New York
72. Mrs. Williams | New York
73. Rev. L. S. Woodworth | E. Providence, Ri
74. Mrs. Woodworth | E. Providence, Ri
75. Mr. John Young | New York
76. Mrs. Young | New York

👤 Notable Individuals – People of Influence, Faith, and Intellectual Merit

This voyage reflects the upwardly mobile, well-educated professional class of the 1880s—including ministers, physicians, businesspeople, and educators. Here's a breakdown of the most interesting and historically relevant passengers:

✝️ Religious Figures

Rev. W. H. Hinkley, Brookline, MA
Likely affiliated with the Congregationalist or Unitarian communities of Massachusetts—Brookline was a hub of liberal theology during this period.

Rev. D. O. Irwing and Rev. D. Irwing, New York
Possibly brothers or father and son. The dual listing suggests participation in ecclesiastical missions, religious conferences, or educational tours in Scotland.

Rev. L. S. Woodworth, East Providence, RI
An American Baptist or Methodist minister—Rhode Island was a hotbed of religious liberalism and early abolitionism, suggesting Rev. Woodworth may have been involved in social reform.

🕯️ The presence of three ministers and their spouses shows how the transatlantic voyage served as a corridor for religious and educational diplomacy during the late 19th century.

🎓 Academic, Medical & Intellectuals

Dr. C. Lowly, New York
Likely a physician or academic. The inclusion of a titled doctor in first class reflects the growing prestige of medical professionals post-Civil War.

Mr. F. M. Bixly and Mr. W. L. Boswell, New York
Common names in law, finance, or publishing. Given the first-class status and New York address, these individuals may have been part of the Gilded Age merchant or media elite.

Mr. C. M. Ewart, London
Possibly tied to British law or politics. The name is associated with administrative civil service positions in late Victorian England.

🧳 Family & Social Group Highlights

Mrs. Burns Cowan and Two Children, Glasgow
A widow or wife traveling independently—provides genealogical evidence of matrilineal migration patterns.

Mr. and Mrs. Falconer, Kansas City
Their journey from the American Midwest to Glasgow and back suggests either family roots or a European business/trade connection—reflecting the expanding reach of American commerce.

Mrs. Goodrich and Child, Chicago
A solo mother traveling with a child is unusual for first-class and indicates wealth or social independence. May be connected to the influential Goodrich family in Chicago's legal and commercial sectors.

Mr. John Macfarlane, Glasgow
A key surname in Scottish industrial history—Macfarlane may have been involved in shipping, textiles, or ironworks.

🎓 Relevance for Educators, Genealogists & Historians

For Teachers & Students:

Excellent source material for exploring transatlantic immigration, Gilded Age travel, and gender roles in family migration.

Perfect primary source for unit studies on Victorian clergy, maritime commerce, and social history.

For Genealogists:

Family names appear with locations—ideal for tracing origins and connections between Scotland, Ireland, England, and the northeastern U.S.

Distinguishes adult travelers from children and records solo female travelers—useful for constructing family migration timelines.

For Historians:

Reflects the rise of faith-based diplomacy, commercial transatlanticism, and female-led family units.

Documented evidence of New York and Boston's cultural influence in Britain during the post-industrial boom of the 1880s.

💡 Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger List Matters

The 5 September 1884 SS Anchoria Saloon Passenger List is a window into an era when transatlantic travel was both a necessity and a luxury. It preserves the names of individuals who shaped their communities—ministers, doctors, industrialists—and reflects the human side of global mobility during the Victorian period. The document also provides rich material for maritime historians, genealogists, and educators, making it a significant archival asset.

Title Page with Passengers, Part 1, SS Anchoria Saloon Passenger List, 5 September 1884. | GGA Image ID # 2296709c1f

Passengers, Part 2, SS Anchoria Saloon Passenger List, 5 September 1884. | GGA Image ID # 229677e65e

Back Cover: Anchor Line Track Chart of the Atlantic Ocean with Memorandum of Log (Unused). An Unused Navigational Memorandum Over a Map of the Atlantic, a Pedagogical Treasure for Educators Explaining 19th-Century Sea Routes 🌊🗺️ SS Anchoria Saloon Passenger List, 5 September 1884. | GGA Image ID # 2296ae009e