Immigration of Peter Gilchrist

Peter Gilchrist arrived in New York on Thursday, May 19th, 1870 aboard
the Ship Wm. F. Storer, James Bryant captain.  The Wm. F. Storer was a
sailing ship, not a steamship, so the Atlantic crossing was very slow
compared with what was possible in that day.  The passengers boarded
at Liverpool and left port April 3.  In contrast, a steamship arriving
in NY that same day required only 12 days from Liverpool, including a
stop in Ireland for more passengers.

The Wm. F. Storer was delayed for 22 days west of the Banks by light
westerly winds, calm, and fog.  On board were 324 passengers, and
merchandise for C.H. Mallory & Co.  The following Gilchrist family
members are in the passenger log as steerage passengers:

	Peter Gilchrist     46	Male	Laborer Scotland
	Andrew Gilchrist    22   ""      ""        ""   
	Jane Gilchrist      12  Female  Spinster   ""   
	David Gilchrist     10  Male               ""
	Peter Gilchrist      7  ""                 ""
	John Gilchrist      20	Male	Laborer    ""
	James Gilchrist     17   ""       ""       ""   
	Margaret Gilchrist  15  Female  Spinster   ""   
	Andrew Phillips     15 	Male	Laborer    ""

My great-great-grandmother Jane (Mary Jane) spent her 13th birthday
at sea on this voyage.   Andrew Philips is the son of Peter's sister,
Janet Bell Gilchrist.

They arrived to pleasant spring weather, clear with a high of 65
degrees.  Tuesday of their arrival week had been election day in NYC,
with the democratic Tammany hall candidates sweeping virtually all the
posts.  In the midwest, corn was trading at about 94 cents/bushel.
The US congress was passing laws for the enforcement of the 15th 
amendment (giving blacks the right to vote) which had been passed
earlier in 1870.  U.S. Grant was president.

References: "Passenger lists of vessels arriving at New York.  May 18
to May 28, 1870." National Archive catalog microfilm #M237 roll 328.
State Historical Society of Wisconsin library catalog microfilm
#P77-1133.

New York Times, May 19-20, 1870. Arrivals: "Ship Wm. F. Storer, Bryant,
Liverpool April 3 with mdsc. and 324 passengers to C.H. Mallory & Co.
Has been 22 D. W. of the Banks, with light westerly winds, calms and fog."