Emigrants from Aalten to the US
In 1854, a large group of emigrants from Aalten emigrated to the United States by ship. They were part of a broader emigration stream from the Achterhoek in the 19th century. One of the ships on which these emigrants traveled to America was the sailing ship Leila, which departed from Rotterdam in that year.
The ship sailed at the end of August 1854 and had 234 passengers on board. The captain of the ship was W.J. Stafford.
According to the passenger list, more than half – about 120 passengers – came from Aalten and more than 50 from other parts of the Netherlands. The majority of the remaining passengers came from Bavaria.
On September 30, 1854, the Leila arrived in New York City.
Three passengers died during the journey, two of whom were from Aalten:
- Anna te Gantvoort, 34 years old, as a result of tubercoluse (1 September)
- Jan Hondorp, 2 years old, as a result of ‘stomach complaints’ (September 26)
Apart from the information in the passenger list, no further technical or historical information has yet been found about the ship itself.
