RG 36 - U.S. Customs Service - Crew Lists - Charleston, South Carolina

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Crew Lists, 1811-1899

National Archives Identifier 2292427

This series consists of crew lists, which usually contain the following information: the names of the vessel and the ship's captain (listed as "master" in the series), the vessel's home port, the destination to which the vessel was bound, the names and positions (such as master, mate, seaman, cook) of the crew, their places of birth and residence, their ages, and physical descriptions including height, complexion, identifying scars, or tattoos. Sometimes included are certified notes, usually signed by a U.S. consular official or notary public, documenting the hiring of new crew members or the absence of crew members because of sickness, discharge, or desertion, in order to legally account for all sailors (also known as "seamen") during the voyage.

Sheet 1 provides information about the vessel and the voyage. Sheet 2 provides information about the crew aboard each vessel.