Immigration to America

Steamship were similar during the time period, but I was able to locate technical specification, as well as a blurry deck plan, for the Noordland.

The S/S Noordland was built for Red Star Line in 1883 by Laird Bros, Birkenhead. Her details were - 5,212 gross tons, length 400ft x beam 47ft, one funnel, four masts, single screw and a speed of 13 knots. There was accommodation for 63-1st, 56-2nd and 500-3rd class passengers. Launched on 1st Nov.1883, she started her maiden voyage on 29th Mar. 1884 when she sailed from Antwerp for New York.

She commenced her last sailing on this service on 9th Mar. 1901 and was then chartered to the American Line who altered her accommodation to carry 160-2nd and 500-3rd class. She commenced sailings in April 1901 from Liverpool to Philadelphia, but on 28th Mar. 1906 resumed Antwerp - New York for two round voyages and then went back to the Liverpool - Philadelphia route. She made her last voyage on this service in 1908 and was scrapped later the same year. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2, p.852].

Passenger Lists Related to Our Ancestors

1885: Germany to USA [Searching for Records]
Ferdinand Bals

Based on the 1900 US Census and family history, we believe Ferdinand first immigrated in 1885. The 1910, 1920, & 1932 US Census records list the immigration date as 1887, which is when he retrieved Henrietta and Bertha and brought them over.
Generally, the immigrant male would migrate alone in order to setup a home before returning for his family. In Ferdinand’s case, this would mean arable land with a house [most likely rented], as well as some farming implements and sources for livestock and a horse.
Anyone old enough to remember the door to door census data collection process will understand how the family might just pick one immigration date to avoid a list of questions - especially if you’re on a homestead where wasting time isn’t a comfortable option.
If 1885 is the accurate timeline, I have yet to find a passenger list. Members of the Seidhoff family from Schmerlecke were already in Nebraska, so it is possible that a support system was in place and they came over in 1887 as a family, I’ve just found no evidence of that either.


10 October 1887: Antwerp, Belgium to New York, USA - S/S Noorland [AmericanLine]
Ferd Bals - Slide 6 | Line 194
Kasimir Köhler, Henrietta Köhler & Bertha Köhler - Slide 7 | Line 252-254

It took me 10+ years to find this document because I was searching with too much detail. For example, searching for Ferdinand Bals with a spouse of Henrietta Bals, and daughter Bertha Bals made it too specific. Even Bertha Bals and Henrietta Köhler as individuals came up empty. It wasn’t until I searched Bertha Köhler that I made the discovery. Ferdinand and Henrietta married in the USA in November 1887, but I just assumed there were married prior in Germany and Bertha’s last name would therefore be Bals.
The passenger list shows Henrietta traveling with a Casimir Köhler and Bertha. Casimir and Henrietta’s ages aren’t accurate, but Bertha’s is and “Ferd Bals” appears on the previous page.
Additional research revealed that Kasimir was Henrietta’s younger brother [a family tree on Ancestry.com and his FindaGrave memorial]. Newspaper announcements of his death also record that he immigrated to America in 1887 and has a surviving sister by the name of Mrs. Ferdinand Bals.
I don’t know why there were traveling separately or are at least were cataloged separately. Perhaps it made sense logistically or perhaps there are some boarding logistics I have yet to understand.


20 March 1888: Liverpool, England to New York, USA - S/S City of London
Henry Balls - Slide 6 | Line 229

This passenger list is currently unconfirmed, but it’s a plausible candidate for Henry’s initial immigration which family history records as occurring in 1888. I’m searching for family history which might corroborate the date.


1890-1891: Germany to USA [Searching for Records]
Henry Bals & Elisabeth Rickert

Based on the 1900, 1910, and 1930 US Census records and family history, we believe Henry brought Elisabeth over in 1890 or 1891.
I speculate that the process would’ve been smoother for Henry since Ferdinand was already established and he’d have a support system in place.
As with Ferdinand, I have yet to locate a record of this initial immigration.


28 September 1894: Pennsylvania, USA to Liverpool, England - S/S Indiana [American Line/Red Star Line]
Henry Bals, Mrs. H, Theodore Bals, Henry - Slide 1 | Lines 21, 22, 23, & 24

Family history via Delmer Patz states, “Elizabeth agreed to marry Henry if she could return to Germany at least one time.  He kept his promise and they returned in 1894 with sons Theodore and Henry.  On their return they brought Elizabeth's sister Lena with them.”
This passenger list shows Henry, Elizabeth, and their two young children traveling on a ship from Pennsylvania to Liverpool. I’m unsure how they got from there to Schmerlecke, but it would include extensive train travel.


21 December 1894: Liverpool, England to Pennsylvania, USA - S/S Southwark [American Line/Red Star Line]
Henry Bals & Elizabeth - Slide 11 | Line 7&8
Theodor Bals, Heinrich, Anton Rickert, Lina Rickert - Slide 13 | Lines 2, 3, 4, & 21

Just as Delmer’s account details, Henry, Elizabeth, and the two children appear on a passenger list returning to Pennsylvania with Lina Rickert, as well as an Anton Rickert.
Henry’s ticket [last slide of the linked passenger list] tells us tickets for himself accompanied by four (I guess Anton was on his own dime), cost $50.00, which would be $1880-1900 in 2025.


22 December 1924: Bremen, Germany to New York, USA - S/S Columbus [Norddeutscher Lloyd]
Franz Bals - Slides 1 & 2 | Line 4

I believe Franz to be the third son of Anton Theodor Bals - age 20 at this time. Column 19 states he’s joining ‘Uncle Ferdinand Bals, Pierce Nebraska’. I haven’t found a passenger list of Franz returning to Germany, so I wonder if this was a one way trip and if so, what his future held


12 March 1928: Hamburg, Germany to Halifax, Nova Scotia - S/S Thuringia [Hamburg American Line]
Anton Bals - Slide 2 | Line 7

I believe Anton to be the fifth son of Franz Ferdinand Joseph Bals - age 25 at this time. Column 20 states he’s joining ‘Dr. Schneider, Society Farm St. Andrews, Winnipeg, Manitoba’.

"Society Farm" was a location within the Rural Municipality of St. Andrews, Manitoba, that served as a settlement area for a small group of 100 Catholic German immigrants from Southwestern Germany starting in March of 1927. The settlement, which became informally known as "Little Britain," faced significant challenges almost immediately. The newcomers were often ill-suited for the rigorous demands of prairie farming, many having backgrounds as teachers, watchmakers, and pastry chefs, not farmers. Disagreements about finances and a general revolt against the leader, Fritz Schneider, quickly developed. The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 exacerbated their economic hardships.

Family records show that Anton married Johanna Berglar-Plaß in 1939 in Ostinghausen, Germany, but I’ve found no other passenger lists, so It’s unknown when he left Canada.