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Background Life
I was born in Ireland on September 25, 1844. My mother was killed when I was four years old by my father. Nobody in the town believed my brother, who was six at the time, or I that it was my father who had killed her. All through my childhood I was abused by my father. That is one of the reasons that I wanted to go to America, because I wanted to get away from the bad memories of Ireland. -
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Immigration
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Finally In America
My brother and I escaped from our father. We headed to America on a crowded ship, with only a few silver coins for money and a small bag with one change of clothes. We were with many other immigrants, and there were many different languages that were spoken.
We got off of the boat and saw the Statue of Liberty, showing us that we were finally in America. We made it through security, for my brother and I were very young and fit. -
Finally in America Continued
I saw one old lady with a cough put in isolation, with her son crying, trying to go with her. This pained me to see families being torn apart. I decided that America might not be as great as we thought. -
Factory Life
My brother and I have worked in a clothing factory for the last 8 months. If I didn’t have my older brother in America, I would be dead. I have no idea how life functions here, and it is not an easy life. The factory pays low and we have long hours. On one horrible day, an angry native-born American came in to the factory and shot randomly in the factory. I was in the back, so I was not hurt, but my brother was shot in the leg. -
Factory Life Continued
He would live, but we had to stay in America almost a year later than we wanted to for him to heal. I wanted to have my own farm so bad. I wanted my own crops and to get away from the horrible city that reminded me about Ireland. -
Journey to the West
We began our long journey to the west. It was a hard life to live. We joined a wagon train and were walking along other families that have come from all around the world. It was so inspirational to hear their life stories, and what they had to sacrifice to get here. One man had to leave his family to try to get land, and then was going to send them a letter. I realized that I was not the only one with a dream to own land in America. -
The Black Codes
The Black Codes were passed. Not only were we competing against other immigrants for land, but now we were competing for land with African Americans. The land would be much harder to get now. I am willing to fight for the land because I have only lasted through my life thinking about my farm. We have seen African Americans with the same look that I think that I have, the look that says I have lived a hard life and I want a better one. -
Land!
We got our land! My brother befriended the man that was in charge of selling the land. We got a beautiful piece of land that has lush grasses and plenty of room for many crops. I have lived through many hardships and this one beautiful piece of land has made those hardships worth it. I have seen the price that people have had to pay for their dreams to come true in America, and I am proud that I left Ireland and became an American.
