The Arizona was built by John Elder & Co., Glasgow, Scotland in 1879 and owned by the Guion line. Its burthen was 5,147 tons, with dimensions of 450' x 45' and an iron hull. It had two funnels and four masts and used a single-screw powered by compound engines, with a speed of 16 knots.

It could carry 140 passengers in first class, 70 in second and 140 in third. It was the first Atlantic liner with a compound 3-crank engine broke the trans-Atlantic speed record in July 1879. The original funnels were replaced by a large single funnel in 1898, and also triple expansion engines installed.

It made news in November 1879 by running at full speed into a huge iceberg and miraculously was able to make the port of St. John's, Newfoundland, where temporary repairs were completed. No loss of life, and no one was injured by the mishap.

In 1898 it was taken over by United States Government and renamed: Hancock. It served as a receiving ship at Brooklyn Navy yard 1903-1914 and a troopship during 1917-18. It was scrapped in California in 1926.

The image below shows a part of the passenger list of journey begun in Liverpool and ending on 8 February, 1882 in New York.

Passengers # 23-26 are Isaac Loveday, Mary his wife, Isaac and Mary their children. Passengers # 27-30 are Althera Loveday Blacker, her children Edward, Sarah and Mary. She also had her son Thomas with her but he is not listed on the manifest.