World Archives Project: Seamen's Protection Certificates

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About this project

This collection is comprised of various Proofs of Citizenship used by Seamen to apply for Protection Certificates at the ports of Bath, Maine; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; New Orleans, Louisiana and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the period 1792 through 1868. This project has an advanced difficulty rating because the handwriting can be hard to read. Please do not key information recorded on the backside of certificates. Please select the form type for these images as "Cover page, Section header, etc."

Project Sponsor

New England Historical and Genealogical Society

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Project-specific sample images and form field help:

Choose a sample image from below to see the corresponding form field examples.
General Data Form

General Data Form

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All documents to index in this project will be some sort of official document. They will be either in handwritten paragraph form, or a typed form where information was filled in by hand. Choose this form type for all documents that have at least have the name of a seaman. Official documents covering some other sort of information (such as a governor declaring an individual as a notary) should be classified as a Cover Page. Also, images of the back of a document, where there is nothing more than a name and perhaps a date written on a section of the page, should be classified as a Cover Page.

Declaration Day

Enter the Day from the date that the document was created or signed, whichever is most recent. Please use only numbers.
See Example

Declaration Month

Enter the full name of the Month from the date that the document was created or signed, whichever is most recent.
See Example

Declaration Year

Enter the four-digit Year from the date that the document was created or signed, whichever is most recent. Expand two-digit years to four digits only if you can determine the century based on information on either side of the document. If you cannot determine the century, key as a two-digit year.
See Example

Seaman Prefix

Key any titles before the name, such as "Dr" or "Rev" in the Prefix field. Sometimes the first person named on the document is the Witness. Please try not to confuse the Seaman with the Witness or Notary Public. Please do not include periods or expand abbreviations. Refer to all occurrences of the seaman's name on the document to help determine the name in full.
See Example

Seaman Given Names

Key the first name, middle name, or initials of the Seaman applying for the certificate. Often the first person named on the document is the Witness. Please do not include periods or expand abbreviations. Refer to all occurrences of the seaman's name on the document to help determine the name in full. Please note that some applicants signed by mark (X). Do not confuse this mark as part of the seaman's name.
See Example

Seaman Surname

Key the Surname of the Seaman applying for the certificate, using the dropdown list to assist. Often the first person named on the document is the Witness. Please do not include periods or expand abbreviations. Refer to all occurrences of the seaman's name on the document to help determine the name in full. Please note that some applicants signed by mark (X). Do not confuse this mark as part of the seaman's name.
See Example

Seaman Suffix

Key all titles following the surname, such as "Jr" or "III." Sometimes the first person named on the document is the Witness. Do not confuse the witness name with the applicant name. Please do not include periods or expand abbreviations.
See Example

Age

Key the age of the seaman, in full years. Do not record months or fractions. The age may appear anywhere on the form including written sideways after the word "Age".
See Example

Place of Birth - City

Enter the City or Town of the Seaman's birth, using the drop-down list to assist you. The Place of Birth will most likely be located after the phrase "was born in" or "is a native of." In cases where the word "of" is used without the word "native" before it, the following place should be keyed as a Residence rather than a Place of Birth. If the seaman renounces allegiance to "the King of Spain, and the French Republic," this is not a claim of nativity, and should not be keyed in any Place of Birth field.
See Example

Place of Birth - County

Enter the County of the Seaman's birth, using the drop-down list to assist you. The Place of Birth will most likely be located after the phrase "was born in" or "is a native of." In cases where the word "of" is used without the word "native" before it, the following place should be keyed as a Residence rather than a Place of Birth. If the seaman renounces allegiance to "the King of Spain, and the French Republic," this is not a claim of nativity, and should not be keyed in any Place of Birth field.
See Example

Place of Birth - State

Enter the State or Territory of the Seaman's birth, using the drop-down list to assist you. The Place of Birth will most likely be located after the phrase "was born in" or "is a native of." In cases where the word "of" is used without the word "native" before it, the following place should be keyed as a Residence rather than a Place of Birth. If the seaman renounces allegiance to "the King of Spain, and the French Republic," this is not a claim of nativity, and should not be keyed in any Place of Birth field.
See Example

Residence - City/Location

Key the name of the City/Town from the seaman's residence as it appears on the record, using the drop-down list to help. In cases where the word "of" is used without the word "native" before it, the following place should be keyed as a Residence rather than a Place of Birth. If the Residence location cannot be identified on the image, then leave it blank.
See Example

Residence - County

Key the name of the County from the seaman's residence as appears on the record, using the drop-down list to help. In cases where the word "of" is used without the word "native" before it, the following place should be keyed as a Residence rather than a Place of Birth. If the Residence location cannot be indentified on the image, then leave it blank.
See Example

Residence - State

Enter the State name of the seaman's last known residence. In cases where the word "of" is used without the word "native" before it, the following place should be keyed as a Residence rather than a Place of Birth. If the Residence location cannot be indentified on the image, then leave it blank.
See Example

Witness Given Name

Key the Given Name of any witness named on the document as it appears on the image, using the drop-down menu to help. Ignore prefix and suffix titles. On many documents, the witness is the first one named in the certificate. If no signature of a witness can be found, enter any unidentified signature on the document as the name of a witness. If more than one witness is named, enter the name of only the first witness. Do not enter the name of the Notary Public or Collector as a witness.
See Example

Witness Surname

Key the Surname of any witness named on the document as it appears on the image, using the drop-down menu to help. Ignore prefix and suffix titles. Do not expand abbreviations or include periods. On many documents, the witness is the first one named in the certificate. If no signature of a witness can be found, enter any unidentified signature on the document as the name of a witness. If more than one witness is named, enter the name of only the first witness. Do not enter the name of the Notary Public or Collector as a witness.
See Example