Irish Immigrants

I've gotten way off track with our story; the research process gets so interesting and the hunt for "real" records is tantalizing -- but let me get back to our timeline.

Anne arrives in New York City, alone, in 1847. The time period is pre-American Civil War and -- (while Nan's story nods to the Irish Potato Famine) - pre-famine. Anne left her family and her father just as the Irish were starting to leave Ireland; each year after Anne left, more Irish left their homes.

Irish Leaving Ireland - estimates per year (from R.F. Foster Modern Ireland: 1600-1972)

• 1825: 7,000
• 1830: 55,000
• 1837: 18,000
• 1844: 85,000
• 1847: 170,000
• 1853: 250,000

Most of these departing Irish ended up in America; the next largest group landed in England (as John Willy Gagan's family seemed to - his parents were born in Ireland but he was born in England). As I mentioned in an earlier post, 1/2 of the Irish arriving in America landed in New York City. Initially, immigrants were processed through Castle Garden (as Anne would have been) and later, immigrants went through Ellis Island --(so far this is the only mistake I've found in Nan's story- she refers to Anne as spending a few days at Ellis Island)

Edward Robb Ellis, in The Epic of New York City, explains that the Irish arriving in New York were not well received. He explains "The Irish, arriving in droves, lacked money and education and skills. They were met with contempt by Native New Yorkers". (p. 231)

Irish initially settled in Five Points - the intersection of the following streets of New York - Anthony, Orange, Cross, Little Water, and Mulberry. Today Mulberry remains - the other streets are renamed Worth (Anthony), Baxter (Orange), Park (Cross) and Little Water is gone. This part of New York, in the 1850s opened onto a triangular park -- called Paradise Square.
The visuals from Gangs of New York seem to be accurate - as heart breaking as that is to hear.

Ellis explains that New York, well before the famine immigrants arrived, was already home to many, many Irish. Life for these people was hard; poverty was rampant - 1 in seven citizens of New York lived in poverty in 1846. Many Irish were in prison. The area was violent - but remember, Ireland (according to Kerby Miller) was also a violent place. Gangs did exist and were predominantly men; however, I am reading that the famous Civil War/ draft riots included participation from the ladies as well.

Anne arrives in New York into this culture; while Ireland may have been violent, somehow I think the world that Anne left in Kilcumnin Point Parish was not. John, from Wexford (south-eastern Ireland) may have been a bit more of an urban-leaning lad - but he is consistently listed as a farm laborer so I wonder if he, too, was a rural, small town person.

Anne and John seemed to have missed much of the drama and despair we see depicted in most narratives about Irish New York City. Anne did not live in Five Point's, but rather landed in Hell's Kitchen.

Anne arrived early enough that descriptions of the Hell's Kitchen she would have known sound rural "an enclave of rural peace and solitude; its green meadows... hospitable to lowing herds, barefoot boys, and strolling lovers. " Hells' Kitchen: The Riotous Days of New York's West Side by Richard O'Connor It is in 1855 that the area becomes commercial (with slaughter houses and the corresponding boarding houses to house workers -- being built). A few years later, in 1860, we see the Nolan's elsewhere, living on the East side of New York City (in the 18th Ward) - likely in a tenement given the volume of neighbors surrounding them. So, as Anne arrived pre-Civil War, pre-massive influx of Irish, she also arrived pre-Hell's Kitchen!

I will do some more research. But, what I have deduced today, is that to see Anne and John as famine immigrants misses part of their story. While they certainly left Ireland when it was clear their way of life was dwindling, and the potato blight had begun, their reasons for coming to America were probably many -- and opportunity was likely a driving factor.

Anne seems to have found a secure place and was not subject to much of the horror we read about other Irish women suffering - given her early marriage to John and the rapid child bearing, she probably spent much of her 20s and 30s in the house, raising babies and managing growing children.

I feel relief; and perhaps, I am projecting my need to know Anne was not a victim of horrible poverty and driven to horrific deeds is driving this post. But, I think on some points, I stand on solid (albeit muddy) ground.

The Epic of New York City: A Narrative History by Edward Robb Ellis
Hell's Kitchen: the Riotous Days of New York's West Side by Richard O'Connor
Modern Ireland: 1600-1972 by R. F. Foster

What happened to Anne's Aunt - Anne Edwards?

I have ALWAYS wondered what happened to the Aunt -- who sent for Anne to live with her! My grandmother's story says it took a few years to sort things out and get letters sent back; being that Anne was illiterate, as nearly 85% of Catholics in County Mayo were, and remained so - she had to have someone write a letter for her and these services were evidently available.

So, Anne Hoey set off for America to join her Aunt Anne - but seemingly never saw her again! What Aunt Anne did was fairly common; Irish women who had immigrated to America often sent money back to Ireland to pay for another family member's travel. Anne (both Anne's actually) coming to America alone was also not uncommon; women - many of whom traveled alone - made of 52% of the Irish immigrants -- dramatically more than any other immigrant group; in contrast the percentage of Croatian immigrant who were women - 13%!

My grandmother's story says that Anne left Ireland and married John Edwards. I decided to approach this research as if Anne McConnel traveled single. After plowing through all the Ann(e) McConnel(l) entries I could find -- I am not sure which one she is. Not sure how to tell - any suggestions? I've built a spreadsheet of what I've found thus far and will update it as time permits. I made a few assumptions - like Anne was in Ireland in 1835 (to be at Anne Hoey's baptism) and that she arrived in America before 1847 (hence, was able to invite Anne Hoey over).

Since the Anne McConnell left before the famine, it is logical to place her into the group of immigrants to America seeking new opportunities. Scholars feel the pre-famine Irish immigrants, were, on average more employable - often having a trade or skill of some kind. These people may have left Ireland because it was growing more violent; from 1820-1840 Ireland saw an increase in the number or reported assaults. I don't know if John was already on her mind as she left her home (and part of the reason for her trip to America) or if she met him here.

It is suggested, however, that even Irish leaving for better opportunities were reluctant immigrants; emigrating from their homes with heavy hearts. Kerby Miller points out that the Irish language has no direct translation for the word emigrant. Those who left Ireland would be know as:

• "deorai": in exile
• "dibeartach": suffering banishment
• "dithreabhach": homeless

Clearly, the family story suggests that Anne McConnell Edwards felt a connection with Anne and wanted her to come live in America - and as Anne Edwards had no children of her own, she probably felt she could give Anne a great deal of opportunities here in America. While I am sure the desire to provide a solid future for Anne Hoey was on her aunt's mind, I can't help but think that Anne McConnell also wanted a bit of her home land with her in New Orleans, and sent for Anne to bring her that connection. How sad that they seemingly never met again. I hope that Anne McConnell -- who reached out as she did -- found some comfort and connection to home in other areas of her life.


If you are interested, more on the Irish community in New Orleans is on this web site. This thread is one I will try to come back to; I would love to some day find any descendants of Anne and John!

Kerby Miller
-- you dazzle me
-- your book is nearly always in my hand when I think about this project