My Grandfather: A Saga of a Ship Jumper, an Alien and an American Immigrant.

Part 2

A Ship Jumper: An Occupational Hazard

I often wonder how Grandfather managed to get on a ship to New York. A lascar seaman from the Asian Continent located in the Asiatic Barred Zone. Vivek Bald’s Bengali Harlem, he describes, “they had often spent…weeks, months, or years…working at sea… ports cities across the globe…to break maritime trade and break immigration laws of the United States…encourage by other seamen…about moving on and off ships as they docked in different places.”

 Lascars on the merchant ship SS Chyebassa of the British India Line, 1917. © IWM Q9460.7

 The challenge for grandfather was, no seamen was allowed to enter United States ports and indenture by the lascar agreement under the British Colonial Shipping Merchant Industry. Coupled with the fact he was not able to receive his pay until the end of his term, it meant two or three years out after the ship had circumnavigated designed ports. Would he received his 1/3 wages. 

 

Our Stories Book Club

    In the United States, as the heated debates and fear of entering a war, coupled with the xenophobia of aliens and immigrants, were detrimental to the purity and nativism ideals of the country. Pressure among politicians, activists, labor unions, social leaders of the day gave way to President Woodrow Wilson in February 1917 in signing The Immigration Act of 1917 or “Asiatic Barred Zone Act.” 

displayed gridded latitudes and longitude lines of the geographic areas of. “Natives who were excluded from entering United State, with certain exceptions." South Asian American Digital Archive. Asiatic Zone of Barred Citizenship

U.S. Statutes at Large, Volume 39 (1915-1916), 64th Congress. See here

    Although these laws were severe, many of the Bengali men managed to enter the United States. Ships were docked into ports in New York City, Brooklyn Navy Yard ports, or the New Jersey ports. The men would simply leave or wait until evening to make their way to escape, hence grandfather a ship jumper. I could not comprehend such a feat, wading in cold and unsanitary waters at night.

Two Important points:

·       The creation of the “barred zone” prohibits any immigrants from all of Asia.

·       Any employed seamen from Asia were barred to come ashore as merchant ships entered United States.

Immigration laws. Act of February 5, 1917

Lascar's Britain Forgotten Stories

A middle man waiting with a boat to catch the lascars from the water and ferry them to the nearest port. They would communicate with another individual, whether it was someone from their country, a friend or a relative from the Bengali community. Grandfather was able to find shelter, clothing, food and a job. This spider web network allow grandfather access to the New York City, Harlem, upstate New York and other regions to start his as an illegal alien and later as an immigrant.

Abdul Goni (second from bottom) recorded as deserted seamen. This was one of several times, grandfather jumped ship of SS Holly Park in New York City. October 3, 1925.

    At the age of 30 years old grandfather signed a "Lascar Agreement" was for seven years as a trimmer. The ship sailed from Newport, Wales, UK. on September 7, 1925. As a trimmer he would hammered away at coal into pieces, then were wheeled into fire fuel furnaces. I imagine the life threatening conditions he faced. The SS Holly Park last port was September 27, 1925 in Cienfuegos, Cuba. c 1890-1901. Three weeks and five days later, grandfather ceremoniously jumped ship!

 Line 22. Abdul Goni, Seamen #24317.

    Grandfather Abdul Goni made it! Perhaps it would have been more important to his mind. Now, to begin to survive within the vast navigational network in this strange, new and yet dissimilar country.

    In my next blog, I examine grandfather's experience as illegal alien immigrant within the context of historical events in United States, stay tune!

Citations:

https://www.maritimefoundation.uk/

https://www.saada.org/tides/article/shadows-of-the-past

https://www.saada.org/explore/videos

Bald, V. (2013). Bengali Harlem and the Lost Histories of South Asian America. Harvard University Press.

Index to Alien Crewmen Who Were Discharged or Who Deserted at New York, New York, May 1917-Nov. 1957; Microfilm Publication A3417; NAID: 4497925; Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Services, Record Group 85; National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Leonard, K. (2013). [Review of Bengali Harlem and the Lost Histories of South Asian America, by V. Bald]. African American Review, 46(2/3), 548–549. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23784113.

The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957; Microfilm Serial or NAID: T715; RG Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; RG: 85

U.S. Congress. (1915) U.S. Statues at Large, Volume 39 – 1916, 64^th Congress. United States – 1916. [Periodical] Retrieved from the Library of Congress. Statues at Large.

United States & United States Bureau of Immigration. (1922) Immigration laws, Act of February 5, 1917; and acts approved; October 19, 1918; May 10. 1920; June 5, 1920; December 26, 1920, and May 19, 1921, as amended, and Act May 26, 1922. Rules of May 1, 1917. Washington, Govt. print. off. [pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress,  Immigration Laws.