New York, Northern Arrival Manifests - FamilySearch Historical Records/Known Issues

Note
NOTE: Soundex is a phonetic index that groups together names that sound alike but are spelled differently, for example, Stewart and Stuart. This helps searchers find names that are spelled differently than originally expected, a relatively common genealogical research problem. For more information, read the Soundex wiki article.

NOTE: For a way to determine what digital records are likely to be found within a collection or how to find missing images elsewhere, see Article 56000, Using Film Notes in the Catalog to determine the content of a final waypoint in Historical Records.

Question 1
Question 1: There are gaps in the Soundex Ranges for the Arrival Location of Buffalo, Lewiston, Niagara Falls and Rochester. Where can I find these records? Answer 1: To find the missing Soundex Ranges, go to the Catalog section for “Manifests of alien arrivals at Buffalo, Lewiston, Niagara Falls, and Rochester, New York, 1902-1954 : NARA Record Group 85, M1480” (search by Film Number: 1973279) and search for the Soundex Ranges you are interested in that are not online. They will start with Film Number “1973xxx”. These records on microfilm can also be viewed at the Family History Library or some FamilySearch Centers. Call ahead to check if the film is available at your local center.

Question 2
Question 2: The records in some of these waypoints seem to be out of order. Can you explain this? Answer 2: There may be instances in this collection where some of the waypoints were filmed in reverse order. The Soundex numbers will be reversed as well as the alphabetical listing within the Soundex numbers. You can tell this by scrolling forward and backward noting the Soundex numbers in the upper left hand corner of the card. And example would be the waypoint Buffalo, Lewiston, Niagara Falls, and Rochester &gt; Soundex: S-135 to S-160 Hersch.


 * Go to the New York, Northern Arrival Manifests - FamilySearch Historical Records wiki article
 * Go to the New York, Northern Arrival Manifests, 1902-1956 collection at FamilySearch.org