My great-great grandfather (that's my grandfather's grandfather) has an interesting story. His emigration to the United States takes place before the first World War. He left Prussia to come to the US to search for some of the wealthy relatives to help the family in the Fatherland. Or atleast, that's what many family stories say. What we do know is that he visited the US some time before he came here to live.
Willhelm passed through Ellis Island and the immigration offices there. He couldn't find any where to stay in New York city. He had no family there and he didn't know anyone. So, he went to Central Park and fell asleep on a park bench. While he slept, some one had stolen his shoes and what little money he had. After alot of hard work and faith, my great-great grandfather had acquired a farm on Long Island. There, he grew potatoes and shipped them to the City to be sold at the grocery stores there.
The fruits of his labor didn't just have the farm and his family doing well. His efforts have supported the family long after his death and that farm was sold. Part of the inheritance has funded the new family farm in Western NY. It helped fund my college education. And it helped pay for my youngest neice's treatment for her medical problems. That's an amazing feat for a man who knew almost no English and had nothing but the clothes on his back.
No comments:
Post a Comment