You can view original records for Ellis Island here :-
http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/
Signup is free, a donation is suggested.
I have used this database a lot for the Liverpool to NY run.
The nice thing is you get to know colour of eyes etc for your 'relies'.
I found care was required as a 'full' record is often a combination of two separate pages, or images. So you have to working out whether you need to go forward or backwards to get the other image. It's a bit like joining up wallpaper strips, if that makes sense.
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Of course
http://www.cyndislist.com/ships.htm has a many links to passenger lists to other ports in different countries around the world.
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Nola Briggs was my interpretation of the handwriting. It would seem that Viola Briggs would fit the bill.
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Atarah you are very fortunate to have a copy of Martha's diary for the trip. Are you related in some way to the Briggs, I wonder ???