How did your ancestors get to America? Do you know if you are a descendant of someone who arrived here, before the Revolutionary War? Did your great-great-great grandpa fight in the Civil War? Maybe your people were 20th or even 21st Century immigrants. Or, were they already here, before our country became official, in 1776!
Every family has a different story. Many of us have relatives that came into this country through the immigration process, at Ellis Island, New York. Taking the time, to make a visit there, is well worth the effort. Perhaps someone in your family is listed on the Wall of Honor, located on the grounds of the large complex. I was impressed by the size of the facility and the acoustics, within the refurbished halls. I imagined that the sound of the different languages being spoken and the number of people being processed, must have been overwhelming, to the immigrants passing through.
Genealogy may not be your thing. Maybe you don't care who your fore fathers and mothers were, or what they did. But, the popularity of TV shows like "Who do you think you are?" and "Finding Your Roots", seems to be holding steady, season after season. We've all heard the expression "History repeats it's self." I believe that our ancestors would not want us to repeat their mistakes. Therefore, I think that it's important to learn the facts of their lives. Our ancestor's stories just might influence our life choices. After all, as the great philosopher Berra once opined, "If you don't know where you're going, you might take the wrong road."
Good luck in those archives, folks. Who know what fabulous stories you might find?
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German passenger ship, The George Washington (ID# 3018), commissioned in 1908, sailing from Bremen, to New York Harbor. In 1914, Jacob and Eva Keller, German speaking Yugoslavians, were steerage passengers on the George Washington. They arrived at Ellis Island, according to the Ship's Manifest List, at Ellis Island, in January 1914. Michael F. Keller, their eldest son, was my father.
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