Posted by Bob G. on August 14, 19102 at 10:02:45:
In Reply to: Lady Elgin posted by Gerald Wright on August 13, 19102 at 18:31:28:
I doubt if you will find a formal list, since they didn't keep formal passenger lists at that time. There were a few notable people aboard, the names escape me at the moment. But many were Milwaukee Irish and Germans, both members of several militia groups of the time. Brendon Baillod, the keeper of this site, has an excellent capsule history on display on the web.
If I find anything in my spare time, I'll post another reply. Places to look, in the meantime, are microfilm of the newspapers of the time, especially in Chicago and Milwaukee, as well as the libraries and historical museums.
Complicating things a little bit are the reports that the Elgin had a number of unauthorized passengers aboard on its fatal trip between Chicago and Milwaukee, because there was a party going on when the captain abruptly steamed away, and some Chicago revelers didn't have time to disembark.
It might help a bit if you gave the names of the ancestors and where they lived.