United States, Vessels Arriving at Various Ports in Louisiana and Texas - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains an index of vessels arriving at ports in Brownsville, Beaumont, Houston, and Port Arthur, Texas, and Lake Charles, Louisiana from 1908-1955. It corresponds with National Archives Microfilm Publication M1514. The records are part of Record Group 85 Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

 * Name of Vessel
 * Country of Origin
 * Date of arrival

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The full name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of immigration

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information found in the record to find other records such as emigrations, port records, and ship’s manifests
 * Use the record to learn the place of origin and find vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage
 * Use the information found in the record to find land and probate records
 * Use the record to see if other family members who may have immigrated with the person you are looking for are listed and have additional information or leads; you may also find additional information on new family members in census records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names
 * Look for the Declaration of Intent soon after the immigrant arrived. Then look for the Naturalization Petition five years later, when the residency requirement would have been met. Look for naturalization records in federal courts, then in state, county, or city courts. An individual may have filed the first and final papers in different courts and sometimes in a different state if the person moved. Immigrants who were younger than 18 when they arrived did not need to file a Declaration of Intent as part of the process
 * Check other possible ports of entry

Research Helps
Beginning Research in United States Immigration and Emigration Records

The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Louisiana. The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Texas.
 * Louisiana Guided Research
 * Louisiana Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research
 * Texas Guided Research
 * Texas Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.