Did you know that the first ever immigrant to be processed at Ellis Island was a teenager from County Cork, Ireland? On January 1, 1892, Annie Moore, a 15-year-old girl, made the nearly two-week journey across the Atlantic Ocean in steerage with her two younger brothers. Little did she know that she would become the first immigrant to be processed at the newly opened Ellis Island.
Annie Moore was born in 1877 in County Cork, Ireland. She was the eldest of seven children and the daughter of a farmer. In 1891, Annie and her two younger brothers, Anthony and Philip, decided to leave Ireland and start a new life in America. They made the long and arduous journey across the Atlantic Ocean in steerage, and arrived in New York City on January 1, 1892.
When they arrived, Annie and her brothers were the first immigrants to be processed at the newly opened Ellis Island. After a brief medical examination, they were admitted into the United States. Annie was given a $10 gold coin as a welcome gift, and she was also presented with a bouquet of flowers.
Annie and her brothers settled in New York City’s Lower East Side. She married a German immigrant named Joseph Augustus Schayer and had eleven children. Annie worked as a seamstress and later as a housekeeper. She died in 1924 at the age of 47.
Annie Moore’s story is an inspiring one. She was the first immigrant to be processed at Ellis Island, and she went on to build a successful life for herself and her family in America. Her story is a reminder of the courage and determination of immigrants who have come to the United States in search of a better life.
