Looking for crew lists prior to 1900. Did the ports keep those kinds of records? My great-grandfather worked out of New Orleans. Do not have a ship name or exact year but know it was prior to 1897. Great-grandfather was John William Wright. Have a letter dated 6-15 but no year from Liverpool. He later worked for Texas & Pacific Railroad, then Missouri Pacific and I have another letter dated 2-20-1897 on Texas & Pacific stationary.