52 Ancestors Week 5 (Jan. 29-Feb. 4): Oops

Oops, I almost didn't write this week's blog, then I accidentally found the passenger list and family group that I couldn't find for 20 years.  

Yes, I'm almost a week behind on writing. Oops. I'd intended to write about a research mix-up with my grand-uncle not being the correct person on a certain New York passenger list that I found on the Ellis Island website years ago. I'll write about Willi Bernau's arrival in New Orleans in December 1921 another time.

26 Dec 1921 • New Orleans, Louisiana

How many mistakes have I made in research of the last 20 years or so? How many mistakes were with the wrong search technique, the wrong assumptions, the wrong variable? Oops. 

This evening, Friday, February 3 at 8:45pm, after wandering around Ancestry and FamilySearch, I re-did some searches. Then the most amazing thing happened that I can only call it serendipity. I actually got chills. 

Just tonight, I have FINALLY discovered the passenger list with my long-sought-after Buchter family! I'm still in shock. I have so many questions. 

Why didn't I try this alternate surname spelling before? 

Why didn't I try all of the possible ports again? 

How long was this record available and waiting for me to discover it? 

Why did I just find it now? 

Name: George Puchta 

Arrival Date: 14 Dec 1852 

Age: 35 

Gender: Male 

Port of Departure: Bremen 

Occupation: Weaver 

Ship: Harvest 

Ship Type: Ship 

Port of Arrival: Baltimore 

Place of Origin: Bavaria

   

Oops, I wasn't even seriously looking, but found them. Did they want me to find them? I need some time for this to all sink in.