Alaska, U.S., Masters and Owners of Vessels Oaths, 1893-1997

General collection information

This series of collections contains oaths and licenses filed by shipmasters and ship owners with the Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Customs, in Alaska between 1893 and 1997. The content and time spans of the collections vary, but records typically include the names of shipmasters and owners, and identification information about their vessels, such as dates and places where ships were built, ship names, home ports, and cargo capacity. Shipmasters also had to verify that they were natural-born or naturalized citizens of the United States. The name of the court and the shipmaster's naturalization date may also be in these records.

Using this collection

These records may contain details about a vessel including:

You can use these collections to search for information about ancestors who worked in the Alaskan shipping industry from the mid-18th to the late 20th century. Knowing when your ancestor was born and when they became a naturalized citizen can lead to birth certificates and citizenship documents. Ports names and residence information will geographically focus your search.

Collection in Context

These records were created by the Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Customs, at various ports in Alaska. They are primary sources digitally reproduced in their original form. The original documents are stored at the National Archives in Seattle, Washington.

Shipmasters and owners signed many types of oaths to comply with customs regulations. When they entered a port, they had to verify that their cargo manifests accurately recorded the ship's cargo. Oaths also confirmed that the vessels were owned by U.S. citizens. If a ship owner lost a vessel and its cargo in a shipwreck, they signed an oath that could be used to file an insurance claim.

Bibliography

National Archives and Records Administration. "Copies of Oaths, 1903-1910." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/29914967.

---. "Master's Oaths for Renewal of License of Vessel, 1922-1940." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5024047.

---. "Master's Oaths on License of Enrolled Vessels, 1930-1940." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5674431.

---. "Master's Oaths on License of Merchant Vessel or Yacht, 1929-1938." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5674390.

---. "Masters' Oaths on Registry and Licenses of Vessels Under 20 Tons, 1904-1936.” Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/31491335.

---. "Oaths and Declarations, 1928-1963." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5674603.

---. "Oaths for License of Vessel Under 20 Tons, 1899-1936." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5665319.

---. "Oaths of Masters of Enrolled Vessels, 1930-1934." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/29914966.

---. "Oaths of Masters for Vessels Under 20 Tons, 1907-1945." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/29914964.

---. "Oaths of New or Alternate Masters of Vessels, 1948-1982." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5674543.

---. "Oaths on Documentation, 1/1/1936-12/31/1950." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/29904530.

---. "Oaths on Enrollment of Vessel, 1899-1934." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5665332.

---. "Oaths on Registry, License, or Enrollment and License of Vessels, 1945-1961." Accessed February 25, 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5667416.

Stein, Douglas L. "Oaths and Affirmations: American Maritime Documents 1776-1860." Mystic Seaport Museum. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://research.mysticseaport.org/item/l006405/l006405-c032/#.

University of Southern California. "Research Guides: Evaluating Primary Sources." Accessed January 24, 2022. https://libguides.usc.edu/primarysources/evaluate.