A: Without knowing the name of the ship, it would be impossible to tell whether your father actually came over on a "cattle ship," or it just felt like the passengers were herded onto the ship like cattle. Some vessels were not originally designed to carry passengers, but cargo, such as iron, anvils, salt, coal, and even cattle. Ships' masters installed temporary rough pine berths that were dismantled when it was necessary to carry cargo instead of humans.

If you know the name of the ship, you may be able to find out specific information about it in these reference sources:

• Ships of Our Ancestors by Michael J. Anuta (Genealogical Publishing Co., $34.95)
• Great Passenger Ships of the World (5 volumes) by Arnold Kludas (Stephens, out of print)
• Passenger Ships of the World Past and Present by Eugene W. Smith (George H. Dean Co., $31)

As for the manifest, or passenger list, regardless of what else was transported, all human passengers were to be recorded on the immigration passenger lists before the ship left its port of departure. The immigration passenger lists were in use between about 1891 and 1954, the time period when Ellis Island was processing newcomers. Upon arrival, the lists were turned over to the authorities on Ellis Island. Check the new Ellis Island database at www.ellisislandrecords.org. Remember, spelling doesn't count when searching the database. If you don't find your father under the spelling you expect, be creative and try several variations.