The Bremen bark PENNSYLVANIA was built at Vegesack/Grohn by Johann Lange, and launched on 20 March 1838. 127 Commerzlasten; 31,4 x 8 x 4,8 meters (length x beam x depth of hold). The PENNSYLVANIA was owned in equal shares by the Bremen firms of H. F. Weinhagen and A. F. Schaer Wwe. Her master was Cord Hohorst, from Vegesack. The vessel arrived at Bremerhaven from Vegesack on 4 April 1838. She sailed for Baltimore, on her maiden voyage, on 19 April, but returned two days later "mit Verlust der Vorstenge, sonst Alles wohl". She sailed again for Baltimore on 24 April 1838. The PENNSYLVANIA had a very short career: on 18 January 1840, bound from North America, with a full cargo, she grounded at the mouth of the Weser, with the loss of her entire crew. Part of the cargo of tobacco and other goods was later recovered, but at least one item, the vessel's chronometer (by Charles Frodsham, London, No. 1669) was stolen.

Source: Peter-Michael Pawlik, Von der Weser in die Welt; Die Geschichte der Segelschiffe von Weser und Lesum und ihrer Bauwerften 1770 bis 1893, Schriften des Deutschen Schiffahrtsmuseums, Bd. 33 (Hamburg: Kabel, c1993), p. 193, no. 146.

According to Lloyd's Register of Shipping for 1776, the ship PENNSYLVANIA FARMER, 120 tons, was built in Bermuda in 1769, and owned in New York, with a 12-foot draught when fully loaded, rated E 1. At the time the Register for 1776 was compiled - most probably in 1775 - the master was Jn. Hodge, the port of survey was Bristol, and her destined voyage was Philadelphia. No copies of Lloyd's Register survive for 1777-1785; the Register for 1786 contains no reference to her.

The Hamburg ship, later bark, PETER GODDEFROY was built at Stockholm by Joh. Weilbach, for the Hamburg firm of Joh. Ces. Goddefroy & Sohn, and launched on 7 August 1851 [Bielbrief]. 352 Commerzlasten; 137,1 x 35,8 x 19.8 Hamburg Fuß (1 Hamburg Fuß = .28657 meter), length x breadth x depth of hold, im Kiel; rigged originally as a ship, later as a bark.

Masters:
     1851-1855 - H. E. Decker
     1855-1857 - S. Johannsen

Voyages:
     1851/52   - Bremen/New Orleans
     1852-1855 - Sunderland/intermediate ports/Antwerp
     1855/56   - Melbourne/Adelaide/Chincha Islands, Peru/Callao

4 April 1857, sold to HAPAG (Hamburg-America Line) and renamed WESER. Re-rigged as a ship and readmeasured at 742 tons register; 155,1 x 36,9 x 22,1 Hamburg Fuß (length x breadth x depth of hold), zwischen den Steven / 44,3 x 10,5 meters (length x breadth); accommodation for approximately 40 in 1st and 2nd cabin, and 250 in steerage; crew of 20. Master: C. F. C. Fischer. 16 April 1857, first voyage for HAPAG, Hamburg-New York. 1858, stranded and lost on the west coast of Ireland.

Sources: Walter Kresse, ed., Seeschiffs-Verzeichnis der Hamburger Reedereien, 1824-1888, Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte, N. F., Bd. 5 (Hamburg: Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte, 1969), vol. 1, pp. 166 and 189; Arnold Kludas and Herbert Bischoff, Die Schiffe der Hamburg-Amerika Linie, Bd. 1: 1847-1906 (Herford: Koehler, 1979), pp. 22 and 23 (picture).

The steamship PETROPOLIS was built for the Hamburg-Brasilische Dampfschiffahrt-Gesellschaft by Caird & Co, Greenock, Scotland, and was launched on 30 October 1856. 2,405 tons; 301 x 37.8 x 27.9 feet (length x breadth x depth of hold); clipper bow, 1 funnel, 3 masts; iron construction, screw propulsion, service speed 10 knots; accommodation for 54 passengers in 1st class, 136 in 2nd class, and 310 in steerage; crew of 80.

30 January 1857, trials. 20 February 1857, maiden voyage, Hamburg - Southampton - Lisbon - Pernambuco - Bahia - Rio de Janeiro. 20 November 1857, last voyage, Hamburg - Southampton - Lisbon - Pernambuco - Bahia - Rio de Janeiro (4 roundtrip voyages). 21 October 1858, purchased by the Hamburg-America Line; renamed BAVARIA. 1 November 1858, first voyage, Hamburg - Southampton - New York. October 1867, inaugurated Hamburg-America Line service to New Orleans. 1871, compound engines by C A Day, Southampton; service speed 12 knots. 25 October 1873, last voyage, Hamburg-New York; subsequently ran in the Hamburg-West Indies service. 1 November 1876, sold to the Dominion Line, Liverpool. 7 December 1876, first voyage, Liverpool-New Orleans. 2 February 1877, on return voyage, New Orleans-Liverpool, destroyed by fire at sea with no loss of life.

Captains:
     1857      - L. Göde
     1857-1858 - T. Paulsen
     1858-1859 - G. T. H. Taube
     1860      - F. G. Hensen
     1860-1863 - J. E. Meier
     1863-1866 - G. T. H. Taube
     1867      - J. E. Meier
     1867-1868 - J. Meyer
     1868-1869 - C. Hebich
     1869-1870 - N. C. Franzen
     1870      - C. Hebich
     1871      - W. Kühlewein
     1871      - W. L. Stahl
     1871-1873 - F. G. Keyn
     1874      - C. F. A. Frobös
     1876      - E. V. C. Bardenhausen
     1876      - C. Bendix

Voyages:
     1857 - Brazil (4x)
     1858 - New York
     1859 - New York (4x)
     1860 - New York (4x)
     1860 - Grimsby (2x)
     1861 - New York (5x)
     1862 - New York (6x)
     1862 - Grimsby
     1863 - New York (5x)
     1863 - Grimsby
     1864 - New York (4x)
     1865 - New York (5x)
     1865 - Southampton
     1866 - New York (7x)
     1866 - Grimsby
     1867 - New York (2x)
     1867 - Leith
     1867 - New Orleans
     1868 - New York (2x)
     1868 - New Orleans/Havana (2x)
     1868 - Bremen
     1869 - New Orleans/Havana (2x)
     1869 - New York (2x)
     1869 - Bremerhaven
     1870 - Havana/New Orleans
     1870 - New York
     1870 - Southampton
     1871 - West Indies (3x)
     1872 - West Indies (3x)
     1873 - West Indies (2x)
     1873 - New York
     1874 - West Indies (3x)
     1875 - laid up in Hamburg
     1876 - West Indies (2x)

Sources: Walter Kresse, ed., Seeschiffs-Verzeichnis der Hamburger Reedereien, 1824-1888, Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte, N. F., Bd. 5. (Hamburg: Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte, 1969), vol. 1, pp. 201 and 189-190; Arnold Kludas and Herbert Bischoff, Die Schiffe der Hamburg-Amerika Linie, Bd. 1: 1847-1906 (Herford: Koehler, 1979), p. 26; Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 1 (1975), p. 388; Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, South Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Lines and Liners from Europe to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina (Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications, c1983), p. 54.