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Ready To leave
Ireland is great and all but the land is running short and we aren’t doing too well finically but we heard about all of our neighbors migrating towards America. People say there’s land and hope there so we take all we have and move. -
Ready to Go
After we have arrived at Ellis Island’s shipping place we have been screened and tested. We stay in bunks with all the other immigrants and eat new and exciting food. I do like it here but Papa has been separated at one of our health tests. They thought he had a limp. I wonder if he will ever come back to us. -
On the ship
Papa’s alright and he was returned to our family a few hours after. After the checked our records we were allowed on the boat. Mom said her last name now was “Smith”. I think she changed it to sound American. It is much squished on this boat but I think I’ll manage. -
In America
After the gruesome 3 week ride we’ve made it to America! Here it is very hard to get a job. My sister and I sew for a living. We sew for very long hours and making many articles clothing. Yet it is very hard to make money in America but I met a man named Stewart who helps me along the way. He already has a home and he lets me stay in it. He is a very kind man. I do like him very much. -
Wanting to Move West
My husband Stewart and I hear of moving west. We heard tales of how there’s opening up of the territories, cheap or even free land for farming and ranching. Escape from overcrowded poverty in big eastern cities. What pushes us to move there even more is the gold rushes happening. My husband is miner and that job over there seems to make more money. We’re trying to get over there but first we have to get enough money for the travel. -
Black Codes
One of my good friends had married a wonderful man named Johnny who happened to be African American/ Colored. She already got horrible names called about her and him and judgment/racism towards them but once the black codes were passed and it said that white women cannot live with men of color they had to leave each other. I let her stay with the kid’s and Stewart and I for a while until she could earn enough to live on her own. -
We're moving west
As I pack up the kids into the wagon and I see Stewart get a hold of my horses I brace myself for the long adventure towards the West. I know it won’t be easy but the outcome will be worth it. -
We made it to the West!
As we enter it’s not like the cities of New York at all. You see cowboys and horses everywhere. Stewart has been a miner for a while but we’ve thought long and hard and thought that we should aim to get the land and start a farm here. The cattle industry has been booming lately. -
Now that we're here
It’s been a year here in the West and things couldn’t be better. As we predicted the beginning of the farming demand has grown and our income has grown to huge extents. Stewart has won the land for us 8 months ago and we’ve been happily living on it ever since. It’s nice to get away from the city life.
