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Ellis Island

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PAUL161

PAUL161

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1954 on this day Ellis Island closed it's doors. My wife's grandparents came through there from Holland in the late 1800s. Interesting place, everyone should visit there at least once in their lifetime. PJ
 
My maternal grandfather came thru in 1915. His youngest daughter, my auntie, found his name written on a wall there later, after it had been opened to tours. Amazing place.
 
My grandparents also came through Ellis Island.
 
We found my wife's grandparents names on a brass plaque in the park area, funny thing was, their names were not together, unusual way of listing married couples. They were married in Holland. I understand that back then, registration of people was very erratic due to a language barrier and possibly how their names got separated, but they are listed.
 
My mother and my father both came through Ellis Island as children in 1923, just one week apart. Of course, they were with my grand parents...as they would later become.
 
There was no Ellis Island when my forebears arrived here!

curmudgeon.jpeg
 
Basil said:
I'm not sure there was an Ellis Island when YOU arrived, Tom! :angel2:
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Yer darn tootin' there wasn't. We had to wait for the lava to cool before we could row the raft ashore.


You young whipsnappers!
 
Actually it was owned by a farmer I think, until NYC bought it.
 
Is there a list on line anywhere of the names on Ellis Island?

I have an Great Uncle that we can not find. The last trace of him is in the wages book that the company my Grand father and Grand Uncle worked for in 1919. Of course there was the Flu epidemic in 1919 so that may have taken him.

David
 
My dad came through in 1939. He figured that he'd see the Statue of Liberty first, but he said the "Wrigley's Gum" sign was first up. :wink-new:
 
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PAUL161 said:
We found my wife's grandparents names on a brass plaque in the park area, funny thing was, their names were not together, unusual way of listing married couples. They were married in Holland. I understand that back then, registration of people was very erratic due to a language barrier and possibly how their names got separated, but they are listed.
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DavidApp said:
Is there a list on line anywhere of the names on Ellis Island? I have an Great Uncle that we can not find. The last trace of him is in the wages book that the company my Grand father and Grand Uncle worked for in 1919. Of course there was the Flu epidemic in 1919 so that may have taken him.
David
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The plaques with names on Ellis Island are there because someone made a donation towards the restoration. That adds another possibility for why one family member may appear and another not be shown at all or possible be separated from the first.

To search for your ancestor on Ellis Island's records you can start with their website (link below). I do not know if you can search their records for free but it is certainly worth a try.
https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/

Not all the records have been transcribed so you may not find records of your ancestors' immigration online. Also keep in mind that not everyone came through Ellis Island when they entered the U.S. A few other large points of entry included Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, and Castle Garden (NY).

My wife is an amateur genealogist. David, if you get stuck, send me a PM and I'll forward what information you have to my wife.
 
dklawson said:
The plaques with names on Ellis Island are there because someone made a donation towards the restoration. That adds another possibility for why one family member may appear and another not be shown at all or possible be separated from the first.

To search for your ancestor on Ellis Island's records you can start with their website (link below). I do not know if you can search their records for free but it is certainly worth a try.
https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/

Not all the records have been transcribed so you may not find records of your ancestors' immigration online. Also keep in mind that not everyone came through Ellis Island when they entered the U.S. A few other large points of entry included Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, and Castle Garden (NY).

My wife is an amateur genealogist. David, if you get stuck, send me a PM and I'll forward what information you have to my wife.
Click to expand...

We made a couple donations to the foundation, even have a couple plaques with with the wife's great grand parents on them and one from the foundation.
When my ancestors came here from England, it was in the 1600s.
 
Where and when did your British ancestors settle Paul?

I have probable ties to Jamestown, VA and ties to coastal Maryland that go back to the 1600s.
 
dklawson said:
Where and when did your British ancestors settle Paul?

I have probable ties to Jamestown, VA and ties to coastal Maryland that go back to the 1600s.
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Doug, They came by ship up the Delaware river to Burlington New Jersey. Somewhere I have the name of the ship in a box full of files. One became the governor of West New Jersey, the rest I think became land owners and farmers! My great, great, grandfather, John Jennings, 10 times removed, or something like that was an Admiral in the Royal Navy. Connections go back as far as the Crusades and York, or so I've been told. Hard to tell what I actually am, as we have relatives in England, Ireland and possibly in Scotland? :rolleyes2:

Oh yeah, I do have a picture of the old boy.
View attachment 61234
 
That's great that you have been able to collect that much detail on your ancestors ! While I can trace a couple of lines back to the 1600s, on my Lawson line I run into a wall after my 3rd-great-grandfather.
 
I did find my Great Grand Father's name on that Ellis Island Web Site.
 
This discussion had me rummaging around in a bunch of old papers my late uncle Robert (Bob) sent me a few years ago, just before he died. He was really big into our family history. A few tidbits:

My Great Great Gand Father, John Staunton: My Great Great Grand Father, John Staunton, landed at Ellis Island in 1852 or 1853 (I've seen different accounts). He can from Ireland, Country Galway, Parish of Kiltormer (a very tiny place from looking on Google Earth). From New York, he made his way to Connecticut were he worked as a shoe maker for 3 years. Then, he migrated to Grafton West Virginia (not far from where I grew up) and later (1857) to Randolph County West Virginia in the "Roaring Creek " district where he purchased 350 acres of land and farmed and also continued to work as a shoe maker. He also taught school at some point and, during Grant's second administration, 1873, he was appointed Post Master at the Middle Fork Post Office where he served until 1884 until he was removed by Grover Cleveland, but was reinstated under William McKinley and served the remainder of his life (died in 1895). He is buried in St Vincent's Cemetery, Kingsville, Wva (also a very tiny place). He had 5 or six children. I am a descendant of his son, George Staunton (who later changed his name to Stanton, I think to make it should more English and less Irish for business purposes).

From a newspaper clipping, regarding my Great Grandmother's untimely death, my Great Grandfather (George Staunton/Stanton) and Great Grand Mother, Honora (nee Joyce) were on their way home from Church services (in Elkins West Virginia) to their home in Coalville. When they reached the James T. O'Connor Hill, two miles west of Coalton, the tug on the buggy shaft broke, letting the weight of the buggy come on the horse. --- Long story short - the horse bolted, the buggy tipped over and both were tossed from the buggy. He was beat up pretty bad but able to go to a nearby home and get help. She was taken to that home and two ladies rode into nearby Coalton to get a doctor. She died in that home later that evening (8:30PM) on Sept 15th 1909. She is also interred at St Vincent's Cemetery in Kingsville.

One of these days, I'd like to visit that area and maybe see if I can find their grave sites.
 
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