Where can I find immigration records for relatives who immigrated through Pennsylvania, around 1780-1820?

Question

I am looking for the parents of my three-times great-grandfather, David Wilhelm (1816-1905).  I have a lead that his mother may have been Elizabeth Wilhelm, who is listed in the 1850 Pennsylvania census as living with a Jacob Wilhelm(possible David's younger brother), but I need to find some more sources to confirm this and hopefully find David's father.  I think that immigration records would be key, but I am unsure where to find such records.  I have checked Ancestry.com and FamilySearch, but I have been unable to find any Elizabeth Wilhelm on any of the passenger lists that these websites have access to.  According to her age in the 1850 census, she would have been born around 1782, although this is a guess, in Germany.  If anyone has any ideas about where I could find some more Pennsylvania immigration records or passenger lists, I would really appreciate it!

Thanks!

Answer 1

Try FamilySearch.Org.  I have noticed some immigration records among their information.

I will take a look for you now and be back.

Here is a link to an Elizabeth who immigrated in 1829

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR3-T9GM

And another   https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27PW-X9P

Here is a link to some immigration records.  You may find what you want.

https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3AElizabeth%7E%20%2Bsurname%3AWilhelm%7E%20%2Bany_year%3A1890-1910%7E&collection_id=1368704

Explore the Family Search site.

Comments

Thanks for checking on that for me.  I have looked through a lot of records on FamilySearch, but I'm pretty sure none of those are the correct Elizabeth Wilhelm. The 1829 one would be closest in date, but the age is not close.  Based on the fact that her son David was born in 1816-1817 and it seems that they came over when he was little, I do think they may have immigrated between 1820-1830.  I just think Elizabeth was a litle older, between 38-48.  But I reallly appreciate your help and advice!

Answer 2

I don't know if this will help you or not, but here is a possible source for immigrants through the port of Philadelphia 1727 - 1808:

Strassburger, Ralph Beaver, LL.D., "Pennsylvania German Pioneers, A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals In the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808," edited by William John Hinke, Ph.D., D.D., Volume 1, 1727 - 1775, Pennsylvania German Society, Norristown, PA, 1934. (Online at <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000007109121;view=1up;seq=15>, Public Domain, Google-digitized..)

Comments

I was going to suggest that resource as well.

Answer 3

I found some great articles if you search for the Penn Welcome Ships and go from there.  The Welcome was the ship and ships that came over when William Penn first came to the Pennsylvania Colony.  If you search also search for books in google books because I found some great books that are totally free online and they collected and deciphered all the available data as they could from the records they could find about the earliest settlers of the Pennsylvania Colonies.