Adolph Schlatter's
Travel Document
1890, Switzerland to U.S.
My mother was our family historian and she had several boxes, albums, envelopes, and folders of "stuff." After her death, I started organizing this stuff and am now (March 2010) examining some of the items that I had not looked at before. This is one of those documents -- it's a travel document issued by a Swiss travel agency to my grandfather, Adolph Schlatter, in August 1890. He traveled from Basel, Switzerland, to Havre, France, then to the U. S. on the ship Bourgoyne.
Here's a photo of one page.
Reise – Vertrag -- “Travel Contract” -- issued to Adolph (Adolf) Schlatter 11 August 1890 for travel to New York on the ship Bourgoyne.
This page is titled ZWILCHENBART, Swiss Corporation for Travel – a travel agency.
Listed on this page is personal information for Adolph Schlatter.
| Heading | Entry | Translation |
| Geburtsjahr | 1866 | Born: 1866 |
| Geschlechtsname | Schlatter | Family name: Schlatter |
| Vorname | Adolf | Given name: Adolf |
| Alter | 27 | Age: 27 |
| Civilstand (ledig, verheirathet, vermittmet, geschieben) | ledig | Martial status (single, married, widowed, divorced): Single |
| Heimatort | Oberglatt, Canton Zurich | Family home: Oberglatt, Canton Zurich |
| Lester Wohnort | Umach | Last residence: Urnach |
| Beruf | Baker | Occupation: Baker |
His itinerary is listed below the personal information:
Depart Basel 14 August 1890
Depart Havre 16 August 1890 for New York on the ship Bourgoyne
Entries on this page indicate he paid 160 Francs to the travel agency. I can't determine if this was the total cost of his travel, or, if this was a partial payment.
An entry on this page indicates the document was issued at St. Gallen, 11 August 1890. Also, another entry on this page contains personal information about Adolf Schlatter.
German: “Ausweis: Heimatschein Nr 380 ausgestelt in
Oberglatt ben 9/6 1880.”
Translation: “ Identification: Household register Number 380 issued in
Oberglatt (town) 6 August 1880. ”
Each household in Switzerland is registered with the federal government and each household member is issued a “Heimatschein” – household registration certificate. The certificate must be shown when necessary to prove citizenship or residence.
Information on this document is the same as entries made by Adolph Schlatter on his application for U.S. citizenship that he completed 27 March 1923. He stated that he first entered the U.S. on 24 August 1890 on the ship “Bourgoine,” from Basel, Switzerland, by way of Havre, France.