| 1837 - 1849 | 1850 -1862 |
The following vessels can be seen to have been involved in the emigrant-trade in this decade:
| Vessel's name | Owner's name |
| Amelia | P.M. Petersen, Porsgrunn |
| Sjofna | P.M. Petersen, Porsgrunn |
| Laurdal | P.M. Petersen, Porsgrunn |
| Maple Leaf | H.E. Møller, Porsgrunn |
| Colombus | H.E. Møller, Porsgrunn |
| Immanuel | Chr. Flørenæs, Porsgrunn |
| Salvator | Chr. Flørenæs, Porsgrunn |
| Industrie | I & E.M. Flood, Porsgrunn |
| Franklin | H. Houen & Chr. Paus, Skien |
| Neptunus | H. Houen & Chr. Paus, Skien |
| Johan | A. Houen, Skien |
| Tamworth | A. Houen, Skien |
| Skien | A. Houen, Skien |
| Rjukan | Th. Offenberg & Ludvigsen, Skien |
| Ganger Rolv | Th. Thomesen, Kragerø |
| Inga | Th. Thomesen, Kragerø |
| Gladstone | Th. Thomesen, Kragerø |
| Canada | Lars Larsen, Kragerø |
| Kong Sverre | Lars Larsen, Kragerø |
| Søstrene | Lars Larsen, Kragerø |
| Ocean | Lars Larsen, Kragerø |
| Hektor | S. Wiborg, Kragerø |
| Freya | S. Wiborg, Kragerø |
| Urda | S. Wiborg, Kragerø |
| Lady Peel | N. Backer, Stathelle |
| Vesta | O. Cock, Langesund |
| Helvetia | N. W. Cock, Langesund |
| Guatemala | Chr. Schøning |
| Medosa | Hans Linnaae |
| Espindola | H. E. Møller, Porsgrunn |
| Andover | N.J. Pedersen |
| Catherine | J & E.M. Flood / M.T. Ludvigsen's widow |
| Bolivar | J.J.L. Schaaning, Porsgrunn |
"Colon" sailed from Kragerø with captain B. Hassel with 153 passengers. Arrived New York August 12th.
"Alert" left Kragerø. Arrived in New York July 15th.
"Pauline" arrived in New York from Kragerø August 1st.
"Washington" with captain Tillisch sailed from Porsgrunn to New York where she arrived July 15th.
On the night between August 19th and 20th the vessels "Atlantic" and "Ogdensburg" collided on Lake Erie. "Atlantic" sank and 300 out of the 600 passengers drowned. Onboard were 138 Norwegians. 68 were rescued; the rest of them died.
The brig "Washington" departed Porsgrunn with 90 passengers to New York. This is the last time we hear of "Washington" in the emigrant-trade.
"Herman Roosen" departed May 17th from Kragerø with 250 passengers, most of them from Tanum in Vestfold.
"Sjofna" of Porsgrunn sailed to New York with 265 emigrants.
"Johanne Marie" of 239 kommerselester sailed to Quebec with 260 passengers.
In the paper "Correspondenten" one could read on August 24th that the vessel "Actif" would sail during next month to Australia, where "skilled craftsmen of all trades would be able to achieve success".
This year ordinary compulsory military service was introduced in Norway. Young men under the age of 21 could emigrate freely, unless they had aleady met before the medical board.
"Bolivar" of Porsgrunn was wrecked.
"Johanne Marie" with captain Arweschoug sailed to Quebec with 156 passengers
"Espindola" of 388 kommerselester, owned by H.E. Møller, sailed to Quebec. She departed in April with up to 550 passengers. The captain was Edvard Funnemark.
??
1857
"Edvina" of Porsgrunn only used 36 days on the passage to Quebec. The normal time was 40-50 days.
"Sjofna" sailed from Skien to Quebec. Owner was P.J. Poulsen of Skien.
Gjerpen's most prominent emigrant, Hans Gasmann, died in Wisconsin.
"Catherine" with captain Funnemark sailed to Quebec. Funnemark saved on this trip on September 14th 22 passengers from a German emigrant-steamer "Austria", which had caught fire in the Atlantic.
1859
??
1860
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1861
"Præciosa" departed from Tvedestrand with 95 passengers from Fyresdal.
"Amelia" sailed from Porsgrunn
The merchant ship "Maple Leaf" (Norway's largest) with captain Funnemark of Porsgrunn departed April 17th for Quebec, where she arrived June 11th with 598 passengers. Nearly all of them came from Telemark. On this voyage the passengers were ravaged by dysentery, and 19 children and 3 adults died at sea. 198 people were completely broke when they arrived in Quebec; Their supply of food had run out, and they had been forced to buy food from others. All of them had to wait for 8 days in Quebec. Those with no means got free transportation on the railway to Toronto. After a lot of trouble (they were among other things cheated by a Norwegian interpreter), they arrived in Stoughton, Madison and La Crosse in Wisconsin, where they got in touch with people they knew.
In April one could read in "Morgenbladet" that not less than 4 emigrant-vessels sailed from Porsgrunn with 1500 people, most of them from Telemark. Only from Vrådal, with not more than 500 inhabitants, there came 120 people.
1862
In the paper "Correspondenten" one could read on February 22nd:
There seems to be a large emigration this year. It would probably be even larger if everybody would manage to sell off their property. The reason is lack of work and the growing tax-burden and also the many years with bad harvesting. It seems the Civil War in North-America does not influence the emigrant-flow, even though the monetary-conditions over there are rapidly changing.
"Colonist" with captain Laagard from Skien is wrecked off the coast of Holland, but both passengers and crew were rescued.
"Amelia" sailed from Porsgrunn April 16th to Quebec. 49 passengers died during the voyage. 170 had to be put in hospital in Quebec, and 30 of these died in the middle of August.
"Lady Peel" departed Skien April 15th (captain Becker) for Quebec with 266 emigrants, all of them from the Skien area.
"Sjofna" sailed from Porsgrunn to Quebec April 16th with 220 passengers.
"Maple Leaf" sailed to Quebec with 260 passengers.
© - 1997 - Skien Genealogical Page - by Jan Christensen