Finding a sailor ancestor who jumped ship in Antwerp in 1878

[Joanne Rasmussen]

Hello. I am looking for some genealogical help finding my ancestor, Jacob Zachariasen Hervig, who was a sailor on the Seaman’s roll in the 1870s. My family does not know much about him, other than that he was my great great grandfather Ole’s brother. Links to Jacob’s information below:

 

Jacob Zachariasen Hervig was born March 30, 1848, at Hervig farm in Tysvaer parish, Rogaland county, Norway. His parents were Zakarias Hansen Hervig and Guri Olsdatter Hunsnes:

https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/1705/11

 

Jacob’s family in the 1865 census. Location is Lillesund udenfor Haugesund, Rogaland county, Norway:

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/census/person/pf01038220002828

 

*I didn’t even find Jacob in the 1875 Norwegian census right before he was enrolled in the Seaman’s roll. The seaman’s roll listed his address in 1876 as Stavanger, Row 12, and his brother Ole was working in Stavanger in 1875 as a shoemaker’s apprentice, but I still didn’t find Jacob.

 

Jacob Zakariassen Hervig in the Seaman's roll. This is a transcribed record that gives ID #4734 for Jakob but does not give a date. Jacob’s name, birthdate, and birthplace match:

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/view/91/pc00000000411856

 

Stavanger seaman's office, name register to the main roll. See row #14 on the right side. This gives his ID numbers to find him in the main rolls. Jacob Zachariassen Hervig, #2977/4734:

https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/39400/120 

 

Stavanger sjømannskontor, Annotasjonsrulle nr. 5, 1872-1900, patentnr. 1786-3585 (del 2).

ID #2977, 2^nd entry on lefthand page. Record date starts 26 Feb 1876:

https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/39441/243

 

Annotation roll duplicate:

https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/39445/239

 

Stavanger sjømannskontor, Sjøfartshovedrulle, patentnr. 3605-4804.

Record date starts on 8 Jun 1878. States Permitted to emigrate to America 17? Feb 1881. The day is hard to read. There is a note on the righthand page that he escaped in Antwerp in 1878.

https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/39412/656

 

Duplicate roll here also. The date here says permitted to emigrate 12 February 1881:

https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/39423/570

 

Given that Jacob was listed on the annotasjon’s roll as “escaped in Antwerp”, my main question is where do I go from here to keep looking for him? I read an article on Norwayheritage.com that stated the seaman’s roll was also a way of keeping a list of sailors for possible military use, but I’m not sure I understand what I’m reading in the seaman’s roll.

 

1.       If Jacob’s contract was for a certain period, like 5 years, and he escaped in 1878, why was his information transferred to the main roll even though he was no longer in Norway? Was this common?

2.       If Jacob was found after escaping, it appears he didn’t sail on any further ships for the remainder of his contract?

3.       Why would the seaman’s roll say “allowed to emigrate to America” in February 1881 if he escaped in Belgium? Was emigrating to America something that was a stated condition of his enrollment? Do records of the actual seaman’s contracts exist?

4.       How hard was it to jump ship and disappear back then? Would Jacob possibly have changed his name when he escaped in Antwerp?

 

I didn’t find Jacob in either Norway or America after his records in the seaman’s rolls. I’m aware that the Stavanger emigration records for that time period were lost in a fire, and also that a large amount of immigration records to America are not scanned and available online yet.

 

I’d much appreciate any further education about this topic or suggestions about where to direct my research. Thank you!

 

Joanne

 

 

[Richard Olsen]

Joanne

 

Jacob escaped in 1878, and according to the Seamen Record, he returned to Norway, applied for emigration in 1881.

 

It states emigration to America, which could mean USA or Canada. If you can not locate him in USA, then search for him in Canada. As you know, he could have changed his name, which would make it almost impossible to locate him in USA.

 

Jacob could have died young.

 

If you can find his parents' death notice(s), it might reveal more information on Jacob.

Edited September 14, 2024 by Richard Olsen

[Joanne Rasmussen]

Thanks, Richard! Those are some really good ideas. 
 

Joanne