František and Františka Vybíral (JÍROVSKÝ)

Definition:

“One who took out/selected”

František Vybíral and his wife Františka (JÍROVSKÝ) immigrated to the United States on May 16, 1882. They arrived at Castle Garden (pre-Ellis Island immigration entry/location), the British Sailing Ship, the Vandalia, with 5 children: Katerina, Josef, Jan, František, and Marie. Marie was only 3 years old. Katerina was the oldest at 19. This was part steamship and part sailing ship. She often depended on the wind for more speed.

Vybiral Passenger List 1882

Passenger list for May 16th, 1882. It arrived in New York at Castle Garden after having departed from Hamburg, Germany. I didn’t find these when I first searched, because they were indexed with the last name of “Wybyral“. Looking at the text above, you can see why.

British Sailing Ship SS Vandalia

SS Vandalia

The “Vandalia” was built in 1871 by Caird & Co, Greenock for the Hamburg America Line. She was a 2,810 gross ton ship, length 330ft x beam 39ft, one funnel, two masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw, and a speed of 11 knots. There was accommodation for 150-1st, 70-2nd, and 150-3rd class passengers. Launched on 4/22/1871 and meant for the New Orleans service, but started her maiden voyage on 6/28/1871 when she left Hamburg for New York. She made 27 North Atlantic crossings, starting the last 2/12/1883, and was then sold to British owners. In 1884, she was purchased by the Hamburg Hansa Line, renamed “Kehrwieder,” and on 4/12/1885, commenced Hamburg – Montreal sailings. She made her last voyage on this service on 10/17/1891, and on 3/15/1892, she made a single-round voyage between Hamburg and Boston. She was taken over by the Hamburg America Line, together with the rest of the Hamburg Hansa Line fleet, and resumed sailings between Hamburg and Boston on 8/10/1892. In 1895, she was renamed “Polonia,” and in 1897, she was sold and scrapped at Spezia.

Like so many ships of the past, the British Sailing Shipp SS Vandalia had a sad ending. From the Wreck Report for ‘Vandalia’ and ‘Duke of Buccleugh’, 1889.

The Court, having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending the
above-mentioned shipping casualty, finds, for the reasons stated in the
annex hereto, that the abandonment of the "Vandalia" by the master, Mr. 
George Alfred Coonan, was, under the circumstances, justifiable; and that 
the cause of the loss of life on the "Vandalia" was that the force of the 
collision threw the starboard anchor over the rail, it falling on the 
look-out man, who was at his post, and who was killed on the spot. Dated 
this Eleventh day of April 1889. 

Sucks for that "Look-out man".

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