The Passengers

On this part of the web page you will learn about what the passengers....

Location of Stay After the Boat Sank	Pay
Clothes	Sinking-On Board

    There were about 130 passengers on the last trip of the Arabia including the crew. About 100 of these where passengers and the rest was the crew. 

The Missouri River used to be a dangerous river to travel on and still is!  The people who traveled on this river were very brave men, women, and children.  Some people chose to travel on land, but many decided to travel by river.  For those people it was a big adventure to start a new life in a whole different world by traveling to the west and building new homes.  The frontier communities were growing.  The Arabia had also carried Mormons to the West.  Many passengers on the Arabia were moving west because they wanted more freedom and space.

On April 1, 1856 the St. Louis Missouri Republican had the following ad in their newspaper:

      “The good and staunch steamer Arabia, Captain Terrill on deck and Mr. Boyd in office will leave for St. Joseph this morning at 10 o’clock.

      The Arabia has an excellent accommodation for passengers and the officers are the right sorts of men.  Go Aboard the Arabia and be at Home!”

    In late August right after returning from a great trip to Sioux City, Iowa Captain Terrill began loading the Arabia for a trip to this distant frontier town.  The following ad was in the St. Louis Republican newspaper on August 30, 1856:

    “Captain Terrill will leave for all points on the Missouri between St. Joseph and Sioux City today at 4 o’clock PM. Mr. Boyd is clerk on the Arabia.  Passengers will find everything to their liking on board.”

    For the Captain and crew it was just another ride up the river, but none of them knew what would wait for them just another mile below Parkville.