SNIPPET: Beneath the shadow of the Statue of Liberty stands Ellis Island, threshold of liberty for millions of immigrants. For them and countless others whose parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents began a new American life there, Ellis Island is the symbolic shrine to freedom and opportunity. Much of the population of the United States is directly related to immigrants who passed what was the principal immigrant receiving station from 1892 to 1954. "Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/The wretched refuse of your teeming shore/Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me/I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" These lines from the poem "The New Colossus" are inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. The poem was written by Emma LAZARUS in 1883 to aid the fund-raising campaign for a pedestal for the Statue. A genteel lady of New York society and Sephardic Jew, she was deeply moved by the spirit which had inspired the creation of the Statue. Her words clearly define the American character and remind us of our common heritage - that we are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. During the peak years of immigration, from about 1900 to 1914, as many as five thousand people a day were processed at Ellis Island. This dramatic figure means that 100 million Americans can trace their ancestry back to that one tiny portal. Ellis Island reminds us in a striking way how past events influenced our lives and molded our destinies. Our ancestors' blood runs in our veins and we have inherited many traits from them. The character of the American people was shaped by a blend of values and attitudes brought to this country by immigrants. We cannot escape the roots of our being. On the contrary, our heritage and character have been transmitted from generation to generation. Even though we may lack knowledge of our ancestral history, it is possible to travel back in time and discover our immigrant heritage. The federal government passed no immigration laws until 1819, and the first law covered only the standards for steerage conditions on sailing vessels. It also made provisions that limited immigration records be kept; but not until 1882 were immigration regulations made at all uniform. Then, in 1855, Castle Garden, an old fort on the lower tip of Manhattan, was designated as an immigrant station under state supervision. When the new federal law was passed in 1882, Castle Garden continued to operate under contract to the U. S. Government. But, by 1890 its facilities had long since proved to be inadequate for the ever-increasing number of immigrant arrivals. After a government survey of potential locations, Ellis Island was the site chosen to establish an entirely new U. S. immigration station. Several Manhattan sites were previously rejected because earlier newcomers had been routinely and ruthlessly exploited as they left Castle Garden. On an island the immigrants could be screened, protected, and filtered slowly into their new culture. Ellis Island, a 27-acre parcel of land located about a mile from the tip of Manhattan, was destined to become the most-used doorway to America. When native American Indians named it Kilshk (Gull Island) after its winged inhabitants, it was little more than a three-acre sandbank of mud and clay. The Dutch purchased the island from the Indians, and established the colony of New Amsterdam. It had a succession of owners before the American Revolution when Samuel ELLIS bought and linked his name to it. New York State purchased Ellis Island in 1808 and in turn sold it to the federal government which wanted to build a fort on it. Fortified just before the outbreak of the War of 1812, Fort Gibson on Ellis Island saw little action during the war. It was used primarily as a munitions depot until it was transformed into an immigrant center in 1892. Construction of the buildings on Ellis Island began in 1890. Hundreds of workmen labored at a large three-story reception center, hospital for the ill or quarantined immigrants, laundry facility, boiler-house, and an electric generating plant. Smaller buildings included a dormitory, restaurant, and baggage station. Over the years, ballast from ships dumped near Ellis Island built it up, and the landfill and completion of sea walls brought it to a larger size. When construction was completed, Ellis Island was a self-contained city whose population, though transient, often numbered in the thousands. The Ellis Island Immigration Center was officially dedicated on New Year's Day in 1892. On that day a 15-year-old Irish girl, Annie MOORE from County Cork, was closest to the gangplank as it was lowered from the "S. S. Nevada." She was the first person processed at Ellis Island. According to a copy of the 'New York Times' for that date, "The waiting officials presented her with a ten dollar gold piece. She had never seen a United States coin and this was the largest sum of money she had ever possessed." Other records show that Annie was bringing her two younger brothers to join their parents, who had immigrated to NY four years before. Seven hundred passengers from the ships "City of Paris" and "Victoria" were also cleared that day. Passenger lists for these and hundreds of other vessels which entered NY and other American ports were preserved on microfilm for those who wished to trace their ancestor's passage to America. The life of the first station on Ellis Island was short. All the pine-frame buildings burned to the ground in a disastrous fire on June 15, 1897. Congress immediately appropriated funds to replace the structures with fire-proof buildings. During the next 2-1/2 year rebuilding phase, immigrants were processed at stations on Manhattan. The new buildings were brick and ironwork structures with limestone trimmings, and the station reopened in December 1900. The main building, 338 feet long and 168 feet wide was notable for its four cupola-style towers and spacious second floor Registry Room. The vaulted terra-cotta ceiling of the Great Hall swept sixty feet over a black tile floor which was cleaned and polished twice a day. Three bronze and glass chandeliers with hundreds of lightbulbs made the room an impressive sight. The first glimpse of this scene probably confirmed the stories immigrants had heard about the wealth in America. The Atlantic had rarely offered a smooth crossing. Frequent storms and high seas kept ships in a pitching motion, bringing miserable seasickness to all but a few. Hundreds of poorer class immigrants were jammed into the steerage section of ships where they spent much of the time in narrow bunks in an atmosphere tainted with disease and separated from family, friends, and familiar sights. The last day of the voyage and the first sighting of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island brought new anxieties. Passengers of means escaped the rigors of the "Ellis Ordeal" by being processed aboard the vessel. These privileged few were then delivered directly to Manhattan. The poorer classes, however, experienced further frustration as they often sat 3-4 days in the crowded harbor awaiting their ship's turn to disembark passengers. On days when several large ships carrying over a thousand passengers in steerage docked concurrently, the capacity of the station was woefully inadequate. Finally, with babes in arms and children in hand, laden with bundles and baggage containing all their worldly possessions, this diverse assemblage of Old World humanity would stream down the plank and on to Ellis Island. -- Excerpts, "Ellis Island, Gateway to America" pamphlet (1986).

Jean, Thank you so very much for taking the time to copy (SNIPPET) and send to the list. I have printed it out and put a copy in front of my paternal Irish ancestry and maternal German ancestor's books. My direct Irish great great grandfather,Edward O'MALEY and wife,Catherine WHALEN came to USA in Nov 26, 1850 via New Orleans Port. My maternal grandfather, Henrich Gottlieb BJICK 1893 and maternal grandmother, Emma Augusta BOROWSKI 1894 from Germany and married in Jan 5, 1895 in Champaign,Champaign Co.,IL via Ellis Island as did their older siblings, who helped save and pay their way to the USA. ALL Petition for Naturalization and signed Oath of Allegiance to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Regards ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jean R." <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 11:18 AM Subject: [IRISH-AMER] Ellis Island - Gateway to America > SNIPPET: Beneath the shadow of the Statue of Liberty stands Ellis Island, threshold of liberty for millions of immigrants. For them and countless others whose parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents began a new American life there, Ellis Island is the symbolic shrine to freedom and opportunity. Much of the population of the United States is directly related to immigrants who passed what was the principal immigrant receiving station from 1892 to 1954. "Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/The wretched refuse of your teeming shore/Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me/I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" These lines from the poem "The New Colossus" are inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. The poem was written by Emma LAZARUS in 1883 to aid the fund-raising campaign for a pedestal for the Statue. A genteel lady of New York society and Sephardic Jew, she was deeply moved by the spirit which had inspired the! > creation of the Statue. Her words clearly define the American character and remind us of our common heritage - that we are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. During the peak years of immigration, from about 1900 to 1914, as many as five thousand people a day were processed at Ellis Island. This dramatic figure means that 100 million Americans can trace their ancestry back to that one tiny portal. > > Ellis Island reminds us in a striking way how past events influenced our lives and molded our destinies. Our ancestors' blood runs in our veins and we have inherited many traits from them. The character of the American people was shaped by a blend of values and attitudes brought to this country by immigrants. We cannot escape the roots of our being. On the contrary, our heritage and character have been transmitted from generation to generation. Even though we may lack knowledge of our ancestral history, it is possible to travel back in time and discover our immigrant heritage. > > The federal government passed no immigration laws until 1819, and the first law covered only the standards for steerage conditions on sailing vessels. It also made provisions that limited immigration records be kept; but not until 1882 were immigration regulations made at all uniform. Then, in 1855, Castle Garden, an old fort on the lower tip of Manhattan, was designated as an immigrant station under state supervision. When the new federal law was passed in 1882, Castle Garden continued to operate under contract to the U. S. Government. But, by 1890 its facilities had long since proved to be inadequate for the ever-increasing number of immigrant arrivals. > > After a government survey of potential locations, Ellis Island was the site chosen to establish an entirely new U. S. immigration station. Several Manhattan sites were previously rejected because earlier newcomers had been routinely and ruthlessly exploited as they left Castle Garden. On an island the immigrants could be screened, protected, and filtered slowly into their new culture. > > Ellis Island, a 27-acre parcel of land located about a mile from the tip of Manhattan, was destined to become the most-used doorway to America. When native American Indians named it Kilshk (Gull Island) after its winged inhabitants, it was little more than a three-acre sandbank of mud and clay. The Dutch purchased the island from the Indians, and established the colony of New Amsterdam. It had a succession of owners before the American Revolution when Samuel ELLIS bought and linked his name to it. New York State purchased Ellis Island in 1808 and in turn sold it to the federal government which wanted to build a fort on it. Fortified just before the outbreak of the War of 1812, Fort Gibson on Ellis Island saw little action during the war. It was used primarily as a munitions depot until it was transformed into an immigrant center in 1892. > > Construction of the buildings on Ellis Island began in 1890. Hundreds of workmen labored at a large three-story reception center, hospital for the ill or quarantined immigrants, laundry facility, boiler-house, and an electric generating plant. Smaller buildings included a dormitory, restaurant, and baggage station. Over the years, ballast from ships dumped near Ellis Island built it up, and the landfill and completion of sea walls brought it to a larger size. When construction was completed, Ellis Island was a self-contained city whose population, though transient, often numbered in the thousands. The Ellis Island Immigration Center was officially dedicated on New Year's Day in 1892. > > On that day a 15-year-old Irish girl, Annie MOORE from County Cork, was closest to the gangplank as it was lowered from the "S. S. Nevada." She was the first person processed at Ellis Island. According to a copy of the 'New York Times' for that date, "The waiting officials presented her with a ten dollar gold piece. She had never seen a United States coin and this was the largest sum of money she had ever possessed." Other records show that Annie was bringing her two younger brothers to join their parents, who had immigrated to NY four years before. Seven hundred passengers from the ships "City of Paris" and "Victoria" were also cleared that day. Passenger lists for these and hundreds of other vessels which entered NY and other American ports were preserved on microfilm for those who wished to trace their ancestor's passage to America. > > The life of the first station on Ellis Island was short. All the pine-frame buildings burned to the ground in a disastrous fire on June 15, 1897. Congress immediately appropriated funds to replace the structures with fire-proof buildings. During the next 2-1/2 year rebuilding phase, immigrants were processed at stations on Manhattan. The new buildings were brick and ironwork structures with limestone trimmings, and the station reopened in December 1900. The main building, 338 feet long and 168 feet wide was notable for its four cupola-style towers and spacious second floor Registry Room. The vaulted terra-cotta ceiling of the Great Hall swept sixty feet over a black tile floor which was cleaned and polished twice a day. Three bronze and glass chandeliers with hundreds of lightbulbs made the room an impressive sight. The first glimpse of this scene probably confirmed the stories immigrants had heard about the wealth in America. > > The Atlantic had rarely offered a smooth crossing. Frequent storms and high seas kept ships in a pitching motion, bringing miserable seasickness to all but a few. Hundreds of poorer class immigrants were jammed into the steerage section of ships where they spent much of the time in narrow bunks in an atmosphere tainted with disease and separated from family, friends, and familiar sights. The last day of the voyage and the first sighting of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island brought new anxieties. Passengers of means escaped the rigors of the "Ellis Ordeal" by being processed aboard the vessel. These privileged few were then delivered directly to Manhattan. The poorer classes, however, experienced further frustration as they often sat 3-4 days in the crowded harbor awaiting their ship's turn to disembark passengers. On days when several large ships carrying over a thousand passengers in steerage docked concurrently, the capacity of the station was woefully inadequa! > te. Finally, with babes in arms and children in hand, laden with bundles and baggage containing all their worldly possessions, this diverse assemblage of Old World humanity would stream down the plank and on to Ellis Island. > > -- Excerpts, "Ellis Island, Gateway to America" pamphlet (1986). > > ====Irish American Mailing List===== > Add/check your surname to the Irish-American mailing list Surname Registry at: http://www.connorsgenealogy.com/IrishAmerican/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.4.0/760 - Release Date: 4/13/07 8:04 PM > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.4.0/760 - Release Date: 4/13/07 8:04 PM

IMMIGRANT EYES Oh, Ellis Island was swarming Like a scene from a costume ball, Decked out in the colors of Europe, And on fire with the hope of it all. There my father's own father stood huddled With the tired and hungry and scared, Turn of the century pilgrims, Bound by the dream that they shared. They were standing in lines just like cattle, Poked and sorted and shoved. Some were one desk away from sweet freedom. Some were torn from someone they loved, Through this sprawling tower of Babel Came a young man confused and alone, Determined and bound for America, And carryin' everything that he owned. Sometimes, when I look in my grandfather's immigrant eyes, I see that day reflected and I can't hold my feelings inside. I see starting with nothing and working hard all of his life, So, "Don't take it for granted." Say grandfather's immigrant eyes. Now he rocks and he stares out the window, But his eyes are still just as clear, As the day he sailed through the harbor And come ashore on the island of tears. My grandfather's days are numbered, But I won't let his memory die, 'Cause he gave me the gift of sweet freedom, And the look in his immigrant eyes. Sometimes, when I look in my grandfather's immigrant eyes, I see that day reflected and I can't hold my feelings inside. I see starting with nothing and working hard all of his life, So, "Don't take it for granted." Say grandfather's immigrant eyes. -- Lyrics Guy Clark & Roger Murrah ----- Original Message ----- From: "Curtis" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 3:03 PM Subject: Re: [IRISH-AMER] Ellis Island - Gateway to America > Jean, > Thank you so very much for taking the time to copy (SNIPPET) and send to > the > list. > I have printed it out and put a copy in front of my paternal Irish > ancestry > and maternal German ancestor's books. > My direct Irish great great grandfather,Edward O'MALEY and wife,Catherine > WHALEN came to USA in Nov 26, 1850 via New Orleans Port. > My maternal grandfather, Henrich Gottlieb BJICK 1893 and maternal > grandmother, Emma Augusta BOROWSKI 1894 from Germany and married in Jan 5, > 1895 in Champaign,Champaign Co.,IL via Ellis Island as did their older > siblings, who helped save and pay their way to the USA. > ALL Petition for Naturalization and signed Oath of Allegiance to the > UNITED > STATES OF AMERICA. > Regards > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jean R." <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 11:18 AM > Subject: [IRISH-AMER] Ellis Island - Gateway to America <snip>