rmayeriii
Member
I recently acquired this 1895 magic lantern slide which shows Purser H. W. Kibbe of the American Line's S.S. Paris, formerly the Inman Line's S.S. City of Paris. Through period newspaper articles, I have confirmed that there was indeed a “Purser H.W. Kibbe” who worked aboard American Line vessels in the early 1890s. Unfortunately, I have been able to find relatively little information on Kibbe himself, including his first & middle names, with the following information being all I have uncovered on him at the time of this being posted.
I believe Kibbe was American by birth and the earliest mention I found of him is from late October 1893, when he was aboard the Clyde Steamship Company's S.S. Cherokee as its purser during a voyage from NYC to Jacksonville, Florida. By early October 1894, Kibbe was working aboard the American Line’s S.S. Paris as its purser. After arriving in London aboard this vessel on 3 October 1894, according to London’s The Era, Kibbe helped organize “the first matinee benefit for the Seamen's Orphanages of America and England given on any Atlantic liner for years… [and] Thanks to the good support of Captain Watkin's and purser Kibbe, a goodly sum was netted for the little homeless wanderers.” In Fall 1895, Kibbe was still working aboard the Paris as purser, with newspapers from this time referring to him as such, and indicating that he was in New York City & Norfolk, Virginia, around this time. One such news clipping stated that “H. W. Kibbe, purser of the steamer City of Paris, who is the guest of Mr. Logan Carlisle, was an interested visitor at the [U.S.] Patent Office [in Washington, D.C.] yesterday afternoon. He was escorted through the building by Acting Chief Clerk Delacy."
*Also attached to this post is a photo of the Paris with where I believe the photograph of Kibbe was taken aboard the vessel being circled and pointed out in red. However, I do believe the image was taken on the starboard side of the Paris as opposed to the port side as shown in the photograph of the ship.
I believe Kibbe was American by birth and the earliest mention I found of him is from late October 1893, when he was aboard the Clyde Steamship Company's S.S. Cherokee as its purser during a voyage from NYC to Jacksonville, Florida. By early October 1894, Kibbe was working aboard the American Line’s S.S. Paris as its purser. After arriving in London aboard this vessel on 3 October 1894, according to London’s The Era, Kibbe helped organize “the first matinee benefit for the Seamen's Orphanages of America and England given on any Atlantic liner for years… [and] Thanks to the good support of Captain Watkin's and purser Kibbe, a goodly sum was netted for the little homeless wanderers.” In Fall 1895, Kibbe was still working aboard the Paris as purser, with newspapers from this time referring to him as such, and indicating that he was in New York City & Norfolk, Virginia, around this time. One such news clipping stated that “H. W. Kibbe, purser of the steamer City of Paris, who is the guest of Mr. Logan Carlisle, was an interested visitor at the [U.S.] Patent Office [in Washington, D.C.] yesterday afternoon. He was escorted through the building by Acting Chief Clerk Delacy."
*Also attached to this post is a photo of the Paris with where I believe the photograph of Kibbe was taken aboard the vessel being circled and pointed out in red. However, I do believe the image was taken on the starboard side of the Paris as opposed to the port side as shown in the photograph of the ship.
