1 Reply Latest reply on Sep 24, 2020 1:23 PM by Cara Jensen

    Seeking records of John Barker who worked on East River Bridge

    Douglas Robin Barker Newbie
    Douglas Robin Barker Sep 19, 2020 6:55 PM

      Does anyone know of available records of the immigration of English / European 'visitors' who arrived in New York City specifically to work on the East River Bridge / Brooklyn Bridge's essential underwater caissons; which created the tower foundations under the river? My great-grandfather John Barker (aka: Gentleman John; due to his "always wearing a velvet jacket") arrived at the central immigration site at the Battery, called:  Castle Garden, during c.1872. After his job / contract he was offered additional work and sailed back to England to his family which consisted of 8 children. I respectfully seek any kind assistance which can be afforded to me in this 'family tree' research project. Thank you very much indeed.

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        • Re: Seeking records of John Barker who worked on East River Bridge
          Cara Jensen Tracker
          Cara Jensen Expert Sep 24, 2020 1:23 PM (in response to Douglas Robin Barker)

          Dear Mr. Barker,

           

          Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

           

          We searched the National Archives Catalog and located the series Passenger Lists, 1820 - 1897 (M237) in the Records of the U.S. Customs Service (Record Group 36) that may contain immigration information for John Barker. For access to these records, please contact the National Archives at New York (RE-NY) via email at newyork.archives@nara.gov.

           

          Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of NARA staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgement as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RE-NY. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.

           

          M237 is available and searchable on Ancestry.com. There may be a fee for using Ancestry. M237 also is available using FamilySearch. Or, check for access at your local library as many library systems subscribe to these sites, making them free for their patrons.

           

          Lastly, we suggest that you review the NARA web pages on Immigration Records for more resources.

           

          We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!