The most exciting journey of distance in Annie McMullen Laverty's lifetime would begin in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, born in Galgorm and grew up in and around Ahoghill and Ballymena, and take her nearly 3820 miles to a small town of Gilman in the Great Plains, state of Iowa and to another county, this one called Marshall. She would at last make it to America.
Like millions of immigrants coming to America during the 1800's and early 1900's, the trip was not without a price. Her father, William John McMullen, had died from pneumonia after walking to town to see about papers for a son who came to America. This was prior to Annie's departure. He was buried near Ahoghill or Ballymena where the family lived. His date of his passing and birth date are not clearly documented at this writing.
It is also not clearly known as to the reason for her departure to the United States, but, her older sister, Rachel Thompson, was living in Gilman, Iowa and the draw to this "land of opportunity" was always strong from people around the world. Despite the fact that the potato famine is usually given for most Irish immigrants leaving to come to America, the conditions there, especially economic and political, were never ideal for centuries.
The decision to leave had to be one of difficulty, leaving family members. friends, home, community and the beauty of the country. There had to be fear and doubt, even though letters from her sister probably were very encouraging. The unknown can always be a little frightening.
But, when the decision was made, she, her mother Jane, and younger brother Sammy, age10, (sponsored by her brother James) left from Liverpool, England, on December, 21, 1907, on the S.S. Cyemric and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, on January, 1, 1908.
The trip over had to be extremely stressful as it is known from Annie that their accommodations were in the lower portion, "steerage," of the ship. It can only be speculated as to the less than ideal conditions of such travel by most poorer immigrants, together with hundreds of other individuals and livestock. By standards of today, one cannot imagine. Their
arrival on the New Year, plus arriving safe after a week "down below" had to be utter ecstasy.
We can only assume they came to Iowa from arrival by train. Anyone who has driven from Iowa to the east coast can only imagine what their thoughts must have been. Over a thousand miles of sheer beauty. Then to have been at the train depot when, it is assumed, her sister, Rachel, met them. A family reunion oh so special!
Before continuing with the journey, it's time to go back to the beginning a bit. Annie McMullen (no middle name) was born December, 31, 1883. Worth noting is the added significance of arriving in this country on or so close to her birthday and the New Year had to be special.
----to be continued
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