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  • Destination USA

    My Gt.Aunt Alice Dietrich emigrated to New York arriving in 1894. She was followed later by brother Bertram in 1911 who resided with her, obviously until settled.

    When Alice embarked on this venture, alone in 1894, would she have just decided one day she wanted to go to america or would it be more feasible to assume that she already knew someone in the states. When she arrived the Manifest stated the address where she would be heading. Obviously this was arranged in advance so unless she knew someone already in residence how did these things work?

    dreen22
    Last edited by dreen22; 21-01-11, 07:39. Reason: spelling

  • #2
    Hi - have you found anything on the address that she gave, or do you know her occupation? Sometimes they can both give a clue. Where were the family from originally? It could be that some relatives went direct to the US for example and she joined them...some of mine went from their place of origin to the UK, US or South America.

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    • #3
      You will find that most emigrants were going to family and friends initially, but you can often check this out on the Census for both USA and Canada as all census for years of your interest are online through Ancestry Worldwide sub. I have many Irish Emigrants to New York and they all went to family. I have found cousins living near each other on census. Sometimes a husband would go first and maybe stay with a relatve or friend and then send for his wife and children later when he could afford to pay for their passages. This hapened a lot to my own family.

      There was a Savings Bank of New York used by emmigrants when they got to New York and obtained work and they would save through this bank, regularly sending money back home. The records of savers are recorded and at one time were online but then taken off a few years ago!! I searched these records at Albany New York State Library.

      As far as Ireland was concerned a relative would embark on the journey to the USA, stay with other relatives/friends and would write letters home stating what a wonderful life they were having which would entice even more young folk to seek their fortunes. Sadly the facts did not always measure up to what was written, but having gone to the USA, the person was not going to write back to say what a terrible time he/she was having so many porkies were told which enticed even more out. There is a famous painting of the letter arriving at an Irish homestead with all extended family members listening to the reading of the letter and oohing and ahhing over the wonderful opportunities that America offered! But many were disillusioned but never came back. I am lucky enough to be in possession of several copies of such letters.

      Janet

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      • #4
        Dreen....I've got somebody (admittedly a young man) who emigrated to Apalachicola...a small town in California ...in 1840. I wondered why he had gone straight there instead of to one of the big cities. I then discovered that, for a brief few years while he was there, it was the leading centre for the exportation of sponges & then I found a death notice for his father/stepfather (not sure which) in England which said that he had been a sponge dealer. Even later on, I found that the man controlling the sponge trade in Apalachicola was named Henry Brash,....& then later I discovered that this was the name of the neighbours of my relative's family in England.

        Sometimes you come across something while not really looking that makes the whole thing "click"

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        • #5
          destination usa

          Thank-you so much for your interesting replies.

          I have made many searches within Ancestry for possible relatives, but unless they had the same surname I no of no others who might have gone before. If it was a neighbour or friends the same thing would apply. Her younger brother Bertram followed in 1911 and, of course, stayed with Alice in Newark initially as did his fiancee 2 yrs later. Alice did marry 2 yrs after her arrival so there may have been a connection with her husband's family. Her husband was born in New Jersey but the parents in England

          The Bank records I have never heard of but they sound like a very good source. I live in the UK so I must find some way of getting the information.

          Thank-you.

          dreen22

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