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Guide to the Records of the Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau (Galveston, Tex.). Galveston immigration plan records,
undated, 1901-1920

I-90

Processed by Rachel A. Wise

American Jewish Historical Society

Center for Jewish History

15 West 16th Street

New York, NY 10011


Phone: (212) 294-6160

Fax: (212) 294-6161

Email: info@ajhs.org


URL: http://www.ajhs.org

© November 2001 American Jewish Historical Society, Newton Centre, MA and New York, NY. All rights reserved.
Center for Jewish History, Publisher.
Machine-readable finding aid created by Rachel A. Wise as MS Word document, July 1999. Electronic finding aid converted to EAD 1.0 by Dianne Ritchey Oummia, November 2001. April 2005. Finding aid updated to EAD 2002 by Tanya Elder; removed boilerplate entities, removed deprecated elements and attributes, updated repository codes, added language codes, changed doctype declaration, etc. Description is in English.

Descriptive summary
Creator: Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau (Galveston, Tex.)
Title: Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau (Galveston, Tex.). Galveston Immigration Plan Records
Dates undated, 1901-1920
Abstract: The Galveston immigration records document the attempt of the Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau, working in cooperation with several other Jewish organizations, to receive Jewish immgrants through the port of Galveston, Texas rather than New York City. The papers further describe the JIIB's efforts to resettle the immigrants in communities throughout the United States. Papers include ship passenger lists, correspondence, and statistical reports, as well as papers dealing with individual immigration cases.
Languages: The collection is in English, German, Russian, and Yiddish.
Quantity: 2.5 linear feet and 2 oversized folders
Identification: I-90
Repository: American Jewish Historical Society
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Historical Note

In 1907, Jacob H. Schiff established the Galveston Immigration Plan. Schiff coordinated the Industrial Removal Office (IRO) in New York City, and the Jewish Territorial Organization (ITO) in Great Britain, to send Jewish immigrants to the port of Galveston, Texas. The Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau (JIIB) was formed in 1907 as the branch of the IRO to receive these immigrants in Galveston and send them to communities throughout the United States.

The IRO was established in 1901 by the United Hebrew Charities of New York, the B'nai B'rith, the Baron de Hirsch Fund, and other Jewish immigrant aid agencies. "Its central purpose was the systematic diversion of Jewish immigrants, on an individual basis, to smaller Jewish communities throughout the United States."1 The IRO aimed to unburden the charity organizations in New York City by sending Jewish immigrants to other communities.

The JIIB, ITO, and the Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Relief Organization of German Jews) worked together to bring Jews to Galveston. The JIIB advocated the use of the port at Galveston and sent pamphlets to Europe to convince Russian Jews to come to the United States through the port of Galveston instead of New York City. The ITO helped the Jewish emigrants get from Russia to Bremen, Germany, and from there, the Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden cared for the Jewish emigrants and put them on ships for Galveston. Once the Jews got to Texas, the JIIB cared for them, gave them money, and dispersed them throughout communities in the United States. 2

The ITO was established in 1905 and was headed by Israel Zangwill. At first Zangwill resisted working with Schiff because he did not want to send Jews to countries in which they would be assimilated. 3 The Jewish Colonization Society (ICA) was financed by Baron de Hirsch to help Jews emigrate from Europe. Schiff had hoped that the ITO would work in conjunction with the ICA to help brings Jews to Galveston but, "Zangwill was unwilling to cooperate with non-territorialists like the ICA." 4

In 1910, United States immigration officials were wary about the work of the JIIB and about the immigrants who were entering through Galveston. On June 23, 1910, thirty immigrants were refused entry on the grounds that they had been, "induced or solicited to migrate to this country by offers of promise of employment." 5Through political and legal pressure the JIIB was able to convince the government officials to allow these immigrants into the country, and for the JIIB to continue its work.

By 1914, the relationship among the different organizations had deteriorated and Jewish immigrants were no longer sent through Galveston. As well, it had been difficult to convince immigrants to come through Texas instead of New York. In the end, over 10,000 Jews came through Galveston and were helped by the JIIB.6 After 1914, the office in Galveston still functioned as a branch of the IRO to help Jewish immigrants who had already been brought over to America through the Galveston Immigration Plan.

Footnotes

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Scope and Content Note

The Galveston Immigration Plan records comprise material from the office of the Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau (JIIB) in Galveston, Texas. The bulk of the material is correspondence between members of the Bureau, national Jewish organizations, and international Jewish organizations. Correspondents include Jacob H. Schiff, Rabbi Henry Cohen, Morris D. Waldman, David Bressler, L. Greenberg, Max Kohler, Cyrus Sulzberger, William S. Bennett, Oscar S. Strauss, American Jewish Committee, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, the Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany), the Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain), and the Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia). The records also consist of ship passenger lists to Galveston from Germany. These lists include a wealth of names of Russian immigrants as well as statistical reports. Additional material includes business cards, newspaper clippings, reports, papers, telegrams and minutes.

The collection was previously processed; original folder titles have been maintained whenever possible.

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Arrangement

Series II, III and Series I, Subseries A are arranged alphabetically. Subseries B and C of Series I are arranged chronologically.

The records are organized into the following series:

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Executive Director of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility.

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Executive Director of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection.
American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011.

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Access Points

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Related Material

For further information on the Industrial Removal Office, the Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau, and the Galveston Immigration Plan, see:

Best, Gary Dean. "Jacob H. Schiff's Galveston Movement: An Experiment in Immigration Deflection, 1907-1914."American Jewish Archives (April 1978): 79

Rockaway, Robert A. Words of the Uprooted Jewish Immigrants in Early Twentieth-Century America. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998.

For archival records related to the Industrial Removal Office and the Galveston Immigration Plan, see:

Max J. Kohler Papers, P-7
Industrial Removal Office, I-91
American Jewish Historical Society, Newton Centre, MA and New York, NY.

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Provenance

For information consult the Archivist.

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Description of item, date of item, Jewish Immigrant Information Bureau. Galveston Immigration Plan Records, I-90, Box number/Folder number, Collection of the American Jewish Historical Society, Newton Centre, MA and New York, NY.

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Container List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

 

Series I: Internal Correspondence, 1906-1920.

Languages in the series include English, German, Russian and Yiddish.
1 linear ft.
Scope and Content:

This series comprises correspondence that was written among members of the JIIB describing JIIB work and discussing individual immigrant cases.

Subseries A: Executive Committee,  1910-1913.

Subseries languages include English and Russian.
Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically by correspondence and chronologically within folders.

Scope and Content:

The bulk of these letters were written to and from Jacob H. Schiff (Schiff, Jacob H., 1914-1918; Box 1, Folders 7-10). Additional correspondence from the members of the Executive Committee can also be found in Subseries B: General Correspondence.

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Bijur, Nathan 1910-1913
1 2 Cohen, Henry 1908-1916
1 3 Cohen, Henry 1917-1920
1 4 Elkus, Abram 1911-1913
1 5 Kohler, Max J. 1910-1911
1 6 Kohler, Max J. 1912-1914
1 7 Schiff, Jacob H. March - June 1914
1 8 Schiff, Jacob H. July - November 1914
1 9 Schiff, Jacob H. 1915-1916
1 10 Schiff, Jacob H. 1917-1918
1 11 Sulzberger, Cyrus L. 1907-1915
1 12 Warburg, Felix M. 1913

Subseries B: General Correspondence,  1906-1917.

Subseries languages include English, German and Yiddish.
Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content:

This subseries contains monthly immigration statistics that were sent between the office of the IRO in New York City and the JIIB. Included with these statistics are copies of ship passenger lists of immigrants who came through Galveston from Germany. The bulk of the ship passenger lists in this collection, however, are found in Series II: External Correspondence Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden, Germany (Boxes 3-4, Folders 67-76, and OSF2). The term "Group Number" used in Subseries B: General Correspondence represents numbers given to different ships that brought Jewish immigrants to Galveston.

Box Folder Title Date
1 13 Correspondence December 1906 - March 1907
1 14 Correspondence April - June 1907
1 15 Correspondence July - December 1907
1 16 Correspondence June - July 1908
1 17 Correspondence August - September 1908
1 18 Correspondence October 1908
1 19 Correspondence November - December 1908
1 20 Correspondence January - February 1909
1 21 Correspondence March - April 1909
1 22 Correspondence May 1909
1 23 Correspondence June 1909
Box Folder Title Date
2 24 Correspondence July 1909
2 25 Correspondence August 1909
2 26 Correspondence September 1909
2 27 Correspondence October 1909
2 28 Correspondence November - December 1909
2 29 Correspondence 1910
2 30 Correspondence 1911-1917

Subseries C: Waldman - Bressler Correspondence,  1906-1914.

Subseries languages include English, German and Yiddish.
Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically and consists of correspondence between the two men.

Scope and Content:

Among the issues discussed are engaging more territory, situations in communities currently employing immigrants and problems transporting immigrants by rail. The subseries includes some ship passenger lists, statistics and budgets.

Box Folder Title Date
2 31 Correspondence 1906
2 32 Correspondence January 1907
2 33 Correspondence February 1907
2 34 Correspondence March 1907
2 35 Correspondence April 1907
2 36 Correspondence May 1907
2 37 Correspondence June 1907
2 38-40 Correspondence July 1907
2 41 Correspondence August 1907
2 42 Correspondence September 1907
2 43-44 Correspondence October 1907
Box Folder Title Date
3 45-47 Correspondence November 1907
3 48-51 Correspondence December 1907
3 52-54 Correspondence January 1908
3 55 Correspondence February 1908
3 56 Correspondence March 1908
3 57 Correspondence April - December 1908
3 58 Correspondence 1912-1914
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Series II: External Correspondence, undated, 1905-1917.

Languages included in the series are: English, Russian, German and Yiddish.
1.25 linear ft. and 2 oversized folders
Arrangement:

The series is arranged alphabetically by folder and chronologically within folders.

Scope and Content:

This series comprises correspondence between the JIIB and national and international organizations and individuals who did not work directly for the JIIB and reflects work on behalf of the JIIB to bring Jewish immigrants from Russia, through Germany, to the United States. The ship passenger lists in Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden, Germany (Box 3, Folder 67; Box 4, Folders 68-76, OSF2) provide a wealth of names of immigrants who came to America through the port of Galveston. Discussion of the fate of specific individuals can be found in General Correspondence (Box 3, Folders 62-66) and in Jewish Charity Organizations (Box 4, Folders 77-83). State Mental Hospitals (Box 5, Folder 108-109) contains information on two Jewish immigrants who became wards of the state in mental hospitals.

Series II: External Correspondence also contains correspondence between the JIIB and the ITO in Great Britain. (See Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain), Box 4, Folders 84-95). The ITO correspondence includes letters from Israel Zangwill regarding work with the IRO the JIIB, and the ITO.

Box Folder Title Date
3 59 Bennett, William S. 1908-1911
3 60 Department of Commerce and Labor 1910-1916
3 61 Department of Commerce and Labor, Oscar S. Strauss 1907-1908
3 62 General undated, 1907
3 63 General undated, 1908
3 64 General undated, 1909
3 65 General undated, 1910
3 66 General undated, 1911-1917
3 67 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) December 1906 - April 1907
Box Folder Title Date
4 68 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) May - June 1907
4 69 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) July 1907
4 70 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) August - December 1907
4 71 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) 1908
Box Folder Title Date
OSF2 124 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) 1908
4 72 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) January - June 1909
4 73 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) July - December 1909
4 74 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) 1910
4 75 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) January - June 1911
4 76 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) July 1911 - September 1914
4 77 Jewish Charity Organizations: A-Z 1907-1914
4 78 Jewish Charity Organizations: American Jewish Committee 1910-1914
4 79 Jewish Charity Organizations: Association for the Protection of Jewish Immigrants 1911-1914
4 80 Jewish Charity Organizations: Federation of Jewish Charities of Kansas City, MO 1914
4 81 Jewish Charity Organizations: Hebrew Benevolent Society of Baltimore 1909-1910
4 82 Jewish Charity Organizations: Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society 1909-1916
4 83 Jewish Charity Organizations: Rock Island County Humane Society 1911
4 84 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) December 1907
4 85 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) January - April 1908
4 86 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) May - October 1908
4 87 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) November - December 1908
4 88 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) January - June 1909
4 89 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) July - December 1909
4 90 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) January - May 1910
4 91 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) June - August 1910
4 92 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) September - December 1910
4 93 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) January - March 1911
4 94 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) April - June 1911
4 95 Jewish Territorial Organization (Great Britain) July - October 1911
4 96 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) 1907-1908
4 97 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) January - April 1909
Box Folder Title Date
5 98 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) May - August 1909
5 99 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) September - December 1909
Box Folder Title Date
OSF1 123 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) 1909
5 100 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) 1910
OSF1 123 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) 1910
5 101 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) January - April 1911
5 102 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) May - August 1911
5 103 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) September - December 1911
5 104 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) 1913-1915
OSF1 123 Juedische Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) 1913-1915
5 105 Newspapers: A-Z 1907-1910
5 106 Railroads 1910-1911
5 107 Railroads, "Immigrant Fares" 1905
5 108 State Mental Hospitals, Iowa 1915-1917
5 109 State Mental Hospitals, New York 1916
5 110 Wolf, Simon, 1910-1914
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Series III: Subject Files, undated, 1901-1912.

The language of the series is English.
.25 linear ft.
Arrangement:

It is arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Scope and Content:

This series includes minutes, newspaper clippings, business cards, papers, reports and statistics. Within this series are minutes and reports of organizations that members of the JIIB were involved with such as the Ellis Island Committee (Box 5, Folders 114-115), the Galveston Committee (Box 5, Folders 116-117), and the National Jewish Immigration Council (Box 5, Folder 119). Also included in this series are papers written in response to the deportation of Jews from the port of Galveston, Texas in 1910 (Deportation Appeal, Box 5, Folder 113). This series also contains important statistics, compiled by the JIIB, of the number of Jews that came through Galveston during the first year of the Galveston Plan (Removal Statistics, Box 5, Folders 121-122). There are no names associated with these statistics, and no names of Jewish immigrants in this series.

Box Folder Title Date
5 111 Business Cards undated
5 112 City Analysis undated, 1901
5 113 Deportation Appeal 1910
5 114-115 Ellis Island Committee: Reports and Minutes undated, 1909
5 116 Galveston Committee: Minutes 1907-1910
5 117 Galveston Committee: Minutes 1911-1914
5 118 Galveston Immigration Movement: Papers undated, 1908
5 119 National Jewish Immigration Council: Minutes 1912
5 120 Newspaper Clippings undated, 1910
5 121-122 Removal Statistics undated, 1907-1908
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Oversized Materials, 1908-1915.

Arrangement:

Arranged by size of material.
Scope and Content:

The materials here represent large items removed from the collection and placed in large-materials storage.

Box Folder Title Date
OSF1 123 Judisch Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) 1909
OSF1 123 Judisch Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) 1910
OSF1 123 Judisch Emigrations-Gesellschaft (Russia) 1913-1915
Box Folder Title Date
OSF2 124 Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden (Germany) 1908
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