Trivia Related to the James Roger Family

Trivia Related to the James Roger Family

By Kim Black, December 2022


While researching James and Hamish Roger, I stumbled upon a very interesting factoid.  The steamship SS State of Nebraska had carried some significant passengers by the time the Roger family made their way to America in 1897.


Before we get to that, though, you might be interested in the origins and specs of the ship.  It was built in 1880 at Glasgow by London & Glasgow Co. for the State Line.  In 1891, it was taken over by the Allan Line of Liverpool, England.  The ship was 385.2 ft. from stem to stern and 43.3 ft. wide.  James and family boarded in Glasgow, picked up additional passengers in Moville, Ireland and disembarked at the Port of New York.  The State of Nebraska made many Trans-Atlantic trips before being decommissioned.


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SS State of Nebraska


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James Family on the Passenger List of the SS State of Nebraska


Below is an image of the deck of the SS State of Nebraska.  This image gives a sense of how small the ship was compared to today's vessels.  More important...take a close look at the passengers!  


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Do you notice anything unusual?  Besides suits and bowler hats, long dresses and bonnets, do you see passengers with long hair and blankets wrapped around their bodies to keep warm?  Can you make out several passengers with cowboy hats?


Here is the blurb found online relating to the State of Nebraska's special passengers on March 31, 1887...ten years prior to the Roger family's sailing trip.


_______________________


Chiefs on the State of Nebraska


"On March 31, 1887, Blue Horse, American Horse and Red Shirt and their families boarded the S.S. State of Nebraska in New York City, and began a new journey for the Lakota people when they crossed the sea to England with Buffalo Bill to perform at the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria.


The show's entourage crossed the Atlantic in the SS State of Nebraska, and included 297 passengers (97 of them Natives), 18 Buffalo, 181 horses, 10 elk, 4 donkeys, 5 longhorns (Texas steers), 2 deer and 10 mules".

Wow!  What an amazing coincidence!  


Below are photos of the Chiefs mentioned in the news clipping as well as links providing further information on Native Americans of the late 1800s.


Blue Horse in 1872 by Alexander Gardner

Chief Blue Horse ca. 1872


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Chief American Horse


Red Shirt by Charles M. Bell

Chief Red Shirt ca. 1880



References:

Norway Heritage

Chiefs on the State of Nebraska

American Tribes.com

Chief Red Shirt Bio

Chief American Horse


Location: England, UK

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