ANNIE MC MULLEN by Alexandra Arges

     Going through the family archives this AM, 7/30/2016, I ran across a piece written by my niece Alex Arges, the daughter of my sister Deborah, when she was quite young. 

ANNIE McMULLEN

by Alexandra Arges


Annie McMullen was twenty-five years old when she came to America. She came to America from Ireland with her mother , Jane, and her younger brother, Sammy. Sammy was about twelve or thirteen at the time. They came to America in 1908 by ship. The family rode in steerage. Steerage is the lower portion of the boat where there are cattle and other livestock. The McMullen family rode there because it was the cheapest fare.
 Prior to coming to America, Annie's dad, William John, died of pneumonia. He got sick after walking from his house to a small village called Ahoghill. Ahoghill is located in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. So Annie's dad could not come with them. 

When the McMullens came to America they settled in Iowa. They came to Iowa because Annie's older sister, Rachel, was living there (Gilman) with her husband. 

Annie McMullen got a job as a maid in Central Iowa. Later she met Thomas Laverty at an Irish get-together. They got married in 1910 and began their life together on the family farm. Annie and Thomas later had three sons. One of them was William John Laverty, my grandfather.

Information provided by: Doris Laverty Eddy (my aunt)