Author Topic: emigration from Scotland to the U.S.A  (Read 2503 times)

Offline Birkenhead

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emigration from Scotland to the U.S.A
« on: Thursday 10 May 12 21:33 BST (UK) »
does anyone know the process and documents required to emigrate to the U.S.A in the early part of the last century? My greataunt, Agnes McIntyre emigrated in 1912 from Dumbarton and I wondered if she had to have a sponsor. As far as I'm aware, we didn't have relatives over there, so assume she would have needed a sponsor. All help appreciated.
Jeanette

Offline MonicaL

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Re: emigration from Scotland to the U.S.A
« Reply #1 on: Friday 11 May 12 09:06 BST (UK) »
Hi Jeanette

Have you been able to find the relevant shipping manifest to see what was recorded for her?

Monica  :)
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Offline aghadowey

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Re: emigration from Scotland to the U.S.A
« Reply #2 on: Friday 11 May 12 09:12 BST (UK) »
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline Birkenhead

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Re: emigration from Scotland to the U.S.A
« Reply #3 on: Friday 11 May 12 15:35 BST (UK) »
Agnes crossed the Atlantic, from Liverpool, on the S.S.Merion in December 1912, heading for Philadephia. Elizabeth Exley is listed as a friend as far as I could see.
That's as far as I could get.
Jeanette McIntyre


Offline *Sandra*

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Re: emigration from Scotland to the U.S.A
« Reply #4 on: Friday 11 May 12 20:58 BST (UK) »
Hi Jeanette,

The transcription of the passenger list says:- Friend - Elizabeth Exley.

If you look at the image on the second page of the manifest it says Agnes was going to :- Aunt Mrs Elizabeth Oxley (622 Vanhook Street, Phila was crossed out) and 2009 Filmore Street. Camden. NJ was written underneath.

The USA does not have BMD records as does the UK. What is available varies State to State and County to County - www.familysearch.org has a variety of census and some other records, including marriage records for New Jersey but we did not see any listing for Agnes. (Obviously the females are more difficult to trace)

Checking the birth date of Agnes -  26th April 1882 against the SSDI (Social Security Death Index) it showed a few possibilities of death records for Agnes's born on that date but none of the three checked out.  The SSDI Index was fully up and running by 1962 ish so we would have expected to find her - under McIntyre or a married name but this was not the case.  It was thought she had a chain of shops, so you would expect her to have had a Social Security Number.  It could be she may have died between 1959 (the years it is suspected she attended the funeral of her brother Peter) and 1962.

Perhaps the link below:-

A Summary of the Immigration Laws of the United States from 1882 might be of interest.

http://www.gjenvick.com/Immigration/LawsAndActs/SummaryOfImmigrationLaws.html#ixzz1uaozXgzp

Sandra

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Offline Birkenhead

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Re: emigration from Scotland to the U.S.A
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 20 May 12 18:45 BST (UK) »
                     Thanks to everyone for all th help so far. Does anyone know where I would be able to find details of the rules to be followed for emigation? Was a sponsor required then?  Did the sponsor have to be a U.S. citizen and or employer ?   Where would someone living in Glasgow to get a passport ?  Agnes left from Liverpool but, would it have been possible to sail from Glasgow ? Having searched through available family records, I've not found any trace of Elizabeth Exley, married or single.

Offline aghadowey

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Re: emigration from Scotland to the U.S.A
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 20 May 12 18:47 BST (UK) »
Before World War I passports were not very common. Port of departure often chosen as cheapest or soonest option rather than leaving from home area.
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!