Who is the most recent immigrant in your family tree?
- Thread starter gohawks50
- Start date
1892 great great grandfather Ferdinand from Belgium, my great grandfather was on the boat as a small child with his mom, sister and 3 brothers. They made it all the way to Clinton Iowa in the covered wagon and built a farm. Great grandfather moved to Tama at 18 to build his own farm where my dad was born years later.
Mom, why do we spell Gonzalez with an umlaut over the O?
Paternal grandfather emigrated from Norway in 1907. Came with his sister when he was 19. Paternal grandmother emigrated from Norway as a 5 year old with her family in 1900. Both settled in northcentral North Dakota.
Not as much info on my mom’s side, but both grandparents were Germans from Russia. There was a pretty big wave of emigration from there at the end of the 19th century, so I think they both came around that time as young children. Settled in far northern South Dakota.
Not as much info on my mom’s side, but both grandparents were Germans from Russia. There was a pretty big wave of emigration from there at the end of the 19th century, so I think they both came around that time as young children. Settled in far northern South Dakota.
My mother and her parents seem to have been in Iowa since pre-civil war and always claimed Scottish and Irish lineage.
My father was born in Glasgow, and as far as I know never was in the United States. I did uncover an interesting fact relating to his lineage. A fellow with the same name from Dumfries (where his parents were from) fought in the Battle of Bothwell Bridge** in June of 1679 and was taken prisoner. He was sentenced to "Transportation" and put on board the "Crown of London" which set sail for Australia. The ship was ordered to sail around the Northern end of Scotland the ensuing Winter. The ship was blown into rocks in Northeast Scotland and everyone aboard save 50-60 prisoners perished.
My namesake would-be ancestor was listed as one of the survivors and subsequently returned to Dumfries and continued to farm, along with the others.
**A Covenanter (Presbyterian activists) v. the Crown of England battle.
There are a few more clues out there that he was an ancestor but nothing definitive.
My father was born in Glasgow, and as far as I know never was in the United States. I did uncover an interesting fact relating to his lineage. A fellow with the same name from Dumfries (where his parents were from) fought in the Battle of Bothwell Bridge** in June of 1679 and was taken prisoner. He was sentenced to "Transportation" and put on board the "Crown of London" which set sail for Australia. The ship was ordered to sail around the Northern end of Scotland the ensuing Winter. The ship was blown into rocks in Northeast Scotland and everyone aboard save 50-60 prisoners perished.
My namesake would-be ancestor was listed as one of the survivors and subsequently returned to Dumfries and continued to farm, along with the others.
**A Covenanter (Presbyterian activists) v. the Crown of England battle.
There are a few more clues out there that he was an ancestor but nothing definitive.
My mom's grandparents were rich in Poland when the nazis came through and wiped them out. My mom's sister and brother successfully sued the German Government for damages in the 80s and kept every penny. 5 other brothers and sisters including my mom didn't get shit. Oh and no pics.
My paternal grandfather came from Norway to Ellis Island in 1902.
He was 19 years old and was a baker. My paternal grandmother
came in 1903 from Norway to Ellis Island and was 18 years old.
So they got married in 1903 in Davenport, Iowa. They had dated
In Norway and had planned for him to get a job as a baker before
she came to America. They had 6 children and lived in Davenport
their entire lives.
He was 19 years old and was a baker. My paternal grandmother
came in 1903 from Norway to Ellis Island and was 18 years old.
So they got married in 1903 in Davenport, Iowa. They had dated
In Norway and had planned for him to get a job as a baker before
she came to America. They had 6 children and lived in Davenport
their entire lives.
I agree. We were just there a couple months ago and it was amazing. Lots of different languages being spoken and people of all colors. Not that I wasn’t expecting that, but it really hit me while I was there that we are ALL immigrants in this country and it’s disgusting how some people treat current immigrants who are doing the exact same thing our ancestors were doing. Looking for a better life.
I don’t know the specifics but I’m also a mutt.
Paternal side mainly English and Native American. Mom doesn’t really talk about her dad’s side which is unfortunate, he was a quarter Native American and not sure what else. Her mom’s side was mostly English I believe, not sure how long they have been here.
Fraternal side is a little more clear. Grandma was 100 Irish I believe just a generation or two removed, still had family in New York.
Grandpa’s family was a little more mixed, but mostly Western European. 23 and me says most likely French and German.
Nice thread OP.
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My paternal namesake great-great-great-great-great grandfather was born in Meyersedale, PA in 1763. His dad was born in England in 1740 and died in Ohio in 1812, but not sure when he came over.
A few years ago I stumbled upon a self made genealogy website for my last name, which is fairly unique. It goes all the way back to Switzerland in the 1500s.
A few years ago I stumbled upon a self made genealogy website for my last name, which is fairly unique. It goes all the way back to Switzerland in the 1500s.
My great grandfather immigrated from Denmark in 1906. He met my grandmother in SW Iowa working on her father's farm is what I was told. They married in 1910 in Weston, IA. Her family also came from Denmark although she was born in Iowa. Everyone else came over about the time the Civil War ended it appears.
My dad's side was all from the Netherlands in the late 1800s, maybe one in the early 1900s.
Someone on my mom's side has done a lot of research. Some ancestors on maternal grandmother's side from Germany were in Lancaster County, PA by the late 1600s. That side also has a line that goes back to Henry VI. There's an ancestor on my maternal grandfather who was from a family of wealth/nobility in Switzerland who knocked up some poor girl so they immigrated to America and got married.
Someone on my mom's side has done a lot of research. Some ancestors on maternal grandmother's side from Germany were in Lancaster County, PA by the late 1600s. That side also has a line that goes back to Henry VI. There's an ancestor on my maternal grandfather who was from a family of wealth/nobility in Switzerland who knocked up some poor girl so they immigrated to America and got married.
I'll have to dig up the family tree my sister worked on when she was in school many years ago. I'm pretty sure it would be on my dad's side - can't remember if his grandparents moved here shortly before or shortly after his father's birth (they came from Ireland). Then again, it could have been on his mom's side...they were mostly French-Canadian, don't remember when they snuck across the border & into Boston.
On my father's side, my great grandmother travelled to the US from Germany at the age of 14 in 1910. She was sponsored by a family in the Lutheran church. She travelled alone and no one from her family came to live here. She was required to work for this family for 6 years to pay off her debt of being sponsored. Her responsibilities were to cook all meals, wash the laundry, clean the house and take care of any other needs for the 6 children in the family. She was a tall, sturdy woman (as they said back then).
On my mother's side, there are less details, but the heritage is French, German, Welsh, and Scottish. Several arrived here in the early to mid 1700s.
On my mother's side, there are less details, but the heritage is French, German, Welsh, and Scottish. Several arrived here in the early to mid 1700s.
I imagine all your fore-fathers immigrated legally to America vs the current mass illegal immigrants who are rightfully being “demonized”. Do you see the difference?
Okay, you confused me. They left Ohio in 1880, were they Native Americans?
We don't know that. And there are immigrants today being called illegal that have legal status to be here.
I couldn't say if they had or not, but I am familiar with your imagination, it frequently goes wild on bull shit. Besides, I was talking about the Haitian immigrants in Springfield that are here legally, you know the ones that you imagined are eating pets? Do you see the difference?
My dad was big into genealogy after he retired. Our family came from Austria in the 1700s. I'm not sure of my mom's family.
Both sides of my family have been in America since the 1700's. They came from the UK.
They landed in Virginia and Tennessee or settled there.
My maternal side had a relative who died in the Revolutionary War and he died in his brother's arms. My Uncle still has the letter the brother wrote describing it.
I also have relatives that were on both sides of the Civil War. I had a relative from Virginia who survived Pickett's Charge by hiding in a ditch. He eventually had 7 kids.
I'm 7th or 8th generation Washingtonian on my maternal side. That's Washington D.C.
My maternal Grandfather was a doctor and Woodrow Wilson's kids were his patients for a time.
That's rare because there are so many transplants here.
CSB.
They landed in Virginia and Tennessee or settled there.
My maternal side had a relative who died in the Revolutionary War and he died in his brother's arms. My Uncle still has the letter the brother wrote describing it.
I also have relatives that were on both sides of the Civil War. I had a relative from Virginia who survived Pickett's Charge by hiding in a ditch. He eventually had 7 kids.
I'm 7th or 8th generation Washingtonian on my maternal side. That's Washington D.C.
My maternal Grandfather was a doctor and Woodrow Wilson's kids were his patients for a time.
That's rare because there are so many transplants here.
CSB.
My paternal grandparents came here legally from Ireland. Turn of the last century.
My Mom’s family tree goes back to the 1700’s as French Protestants who came to the Carolinas - Huguenots.
My Mom’s family tree goes back to the 1700’s as French Protestants who came to the Carolinas - Huguenots.
Great grandparents on mother’s side is all I know. Not sure what year but one hundo percent german, pre nazi. And they’re Bavarian. The best kind.
Not trying to start an argument, but how do you know your father's grandparents came to America legally? Are there documents a person can research for their ancestors' legal immigration status?
Grandpa came here and landed in Boston and was sponsored by cousins who came earlier. He finished high school there and then struck out on his own for a few years. He came on the train to Florida and was working in the kitchen of a hotel in St. Augustine when WWI broke out.
Grandma and one of her sisters came to Philadelphia and was sponsored by their older sister and her husband; they had a “rooming house” on North Broad Street.
The requirements at the time made arrivals have a “sponsor” who would vouch for you and give you a place to live. Employers could do the same in place of a family or friend from what I understand.
Immigrants had a very different path back then.
And the southern border was just a formality. People went back and forth for a job every day and the practice continues today in many Texas border cities.
And you know about the sponsors from family history or are there documents that say that?
I know that my great grandfather from Denmark came through Ellis Island. We were able to look it up I think on their website. The remaining family members on both my mother and father's side were largely from Scotland/UK. No idea if they were legal or not. If Scotland had a go to America or go to jail program I would believe that several of my ancestors took advantage. Unfortunately my lineage is littered with alcoholism and abuse and abject poverty. So whether or not they followed a legal path to immigration I certainly am not going to claim superiority to those coming today who may or may not have legal paperwork.
No intent to hijack.
I think if many of them were coming thru Ellis Island we'd have a lot less issue with it. Make sense?
I'm for immigration. Of non criminals that want a better life in America or need a new start and who want to learn English and be Americans. With quotas etc.
That is NOT what we have now. Lets let people in that meet the criteria we are looking for and don't have a backpack full of fentanyl or a backpack full of criminal charges from their country of origin. That's all many of us are asking.
I’m honestly surprised it took this long for someone like you to mention that. I’m not going to argue with you because this is a great non-political thread and I’d like to keep it that way.
Just judging from this thread, I'm guessing there are a lot of white folks in Iowa.
Father’s parental side arrived in 1666 from Ipswich England. Mother’s maternal side arrived on the Mayflower. In March, I will be in England and going to the medieval church there where my 8x great grandfather was baptized . My 8x great grandmother has the oldest known gravestone in Delaware.
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