Tag Archives: immigration

the tale of Jan de Vries

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Name: Jan de Vries

Nationality: Dutch (the Netherlands)

Reasons for leaving: wants to make fortune in the U.S.A.

Job in Holland: Merchant

birth date: 15 May 1820

death: 29 November 1883

This is the story of a man who believed in the American Dream

Dagboek 7 maart 1840:

I’m thinking about going to the United States of America, I heard from the sailors that there were a lot of opportunities but it’s quite a journey and it’s costly; 300gulden that’s quite a heap of money!

Anyways I’m not sure yet, but you never know…

Dagboek 23 maart 1840:

Great news!! I just came back from Rotterdam, where I made some good profits and I saw that there is a boat in the harbor taking people to New-York for only 200gulden! I was quite surprised when I saw that price! The boat is leaving on the 15th of August.

I am going to make my fortune in New Amsterdam!

Dagboek 1 augustus 1840:

Only 14days left until the big day.

I can’t wait to go although I feel a little homesick and I haven’t even left yet…

I just don’t know if I’m happy about moving or not.

Over the next few days I’m going to visit my family and say goodbye because I’ll probably won’t see them for a long time.

Dagboek 10 augustus 1840:

I have packed all my stuff and I’m leaving my home, my birth place.

The road to Rotterdam is long and it should take my about 4 days by horse.

Dagboek 15 augustus 1840:

I’m now aboard the boat and on my way to the U.S.A.!

My first resentments aren’t that good, it’s very crowded on the boat and we still have to stop to pick up more people in Waterford, hopefully it will get better, although I very much doubt it…

Dagboek 17 augustus 1840:

The hygiene on board is very bad; I heard stories from one of the sailors that once that someone becomes sick everyone is struck by the disease.

I hope that ship will pass us, because I don’t like to think about what would happen with them.

Dagboek 18 augustus 1840:

In about 30minutes we should be in Waterford, the last stop before New-York.

We just stopped and we should still be stuck here until this evening.

We have left now once again, earlier today I’ve met this young Irish man who has left his country because of a famine until now I had only heard about it but when you actually see for real what is happening It makes you feel… little… guilty…

He was a really nice guy and I hope he will have a better life in New-York, as all of us I guess.

Dagboek 27 augustus 1840:

Finally! We arrived! I was stunned by the view of hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands of houses.

I had been to many cities but this was just unbelievable.

Hundreds of people if not thousands were running across the streets.

At first I couldn’t believe that this was true even though it didn’t look like my dreams it was still very impressive!

I’ve lend a small house on the east side of New York near the harbors. And my first shipping’s of toys should be here tomorrow so I can open my shop.

Dagboek 28 augustus 1840:

I’ve been so busy today that I barely have the time to write this.

I had some problems with the delivery because of all the new builds and so there are almost no maps showing the current state of New York.

But the shipment of toys arrived anyway and it’s all stocked away in the warehouse behind the shop.

Dagboek 29 augustus 1840:

Today was the big opening of my shop!

Not a lot of people showed up but I guess it’s normal, I mean I don’t think I would visit the opening of a shop owned by someone who has only arrived 2 days ago…

Anyway I thank all those who did come and hopefully more people will come tomorrow.

Dagboek 1 september 1840:

A new month and new opportunities!

I hope that this month will make my winnings rise.

From my experience until now, I find it quite hard to integrate the society of New York.

People seem to live in boroughs, separated by skin colors or languages.

Dagboek 17 januari 1841:

It has now been over four and a half months since I arrived in the city of the American Dream.

My little shop has become quite famous and me and some investors have had an idea to construct a new shop selling toys because I think that will be the way to go.

Dagboek 05 maart 1862:

Today I have officially opened my new store on the fifth avenue!

I share the company with a German, whose name is Frederick Schwarz, and we called the shop FAO Schwarz.

I’m feeling really good about this new investment and if it works out I should be set for the rest of my life.

As I don’t have the time anymore to keep my other shop, I made my Irish friend which I met on the boat, the managing director of the shop.

I made my American Dream come true, the toy store became a success and I could say that I lived happily ever after.

            The emigration flow to the U.S.A. during the 19th century
            by Dutchmen :
            – several 10 thousands of Dutch people emigrated.
            – most of them from regions like : Overijssel, Zeeland
            and Gelderland.
            – popular reasons for leaving:
              – bad economic situation; bad harvests multiple times in a row
              – religion; a lot of members of the reformed Church left because
              the government made their livres harder because of their religion

made by S.L. and S.L.

MID – New-York : Polish immigration

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Introduction :

Polikarp Coutouvaminski is a Polish man. He was born on the 2nd of January 1895 in Varsovie. His parents died when he was 2 months and he was adopted by Mrs and Mr Coutouvaminski. He was working in a mine because he isn’t rich enough. He left his adoptive-family because their parents beat him. So he stoles money, and took the steam-ship for get settled in New York.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: Coutouvaminski Polikarp

Sex: Mal

height: 1m90

date of birth : 2nd of january 1895

place of birth : Varsovie

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My name is Polikarp and I will talk to you about my long and hard trip to New-York. I decided to leave Poland because my adoptive parents, Mr & Mrs Coutouvaminski, were beating me. My parents died when I was 4 years old. From the age of 10, I have lived in Katowice, in the south of Poland, and everyday, I walked about 10 kilometers to go to Cracovie to work in the salt mine. I had to work to buy everything to eat because my adoptive parents didn’t give me a lot of food. I will show you my diary which I began to write when I was 16 years old.

22th February 1911

I have never written in a diary, but, I feel so alone that I feel the need to do it today. Today, itis 6 years since I last worked at the salt mine. I’m tired, my body is tired, I think I will leave Poland, my adoptive parents oppress me, I have a lot of marks everywhere on my body. But I don’t know if I can take the Ellis Island’s ferry at the age of sixteen.

25th February 1911

Yesterday, my only friend, Stefen, told me I could take the Ellis Island’s ferry now on my own. I must find a way to go to the USA. When I get there, I would like to begin a career in the musical field ! Being rich, be famous, it’s my dream, the American dream !

26th February 1911

I tried to explain my plan to my parents, but they didn’t agree and now I’m confine in my room. When I said “room” I should say a cellar with an old bed. Now, I’m sure I wouldn’t never take the steam-ship. I feel so angry about this situation.

1st March 1911

At last,I can start to write again now. Yesterday morning, I awoke and I felt ambitious. So I took my bag and I walked to Gdansk in Poland to talk the steam-ship to the USA. I have arrived at Gdansk, I have seen the steam-ship which was going to New-York. I still had money when to paid for my ticket. Finally, I have taken the steam-ship and I feel excited las I have never felt before. I’m so optimistic!

2nd March 1911

I’m on the steam-ship and I feel sick because there are many rats and everybody is on the roof-top. It’s so difficult to live here because we don’t have much room to live. I don’t have a lot of food and water. We feel oppressed together.

10 March 1911

Today, I’m not very excited… I have met a new friend whose called Igor. He is a polish guy and this morning I found him dead. He died of hunger. I’m so sad it was my only friend..

15 March 1911

Today I have arrived at Ellis Island, I have seen the Statue of Liberty, it was wonderful. We can see many ethnicities represented. Two hours later, I will present of a doctor and he will check if I’m ill or not, if I can stay in New-York I’m unhappy about this situation.

Three hours later :

God !!!!!!!!! The doctor told me that I can stay in the USA, it’s so amazing! I feel like a free American now. But there is a big problem. What will I do ? Where will I live ? I heard there is a neighbor called « Little Poland » in Brooklyn.

16 March 1911

I have arrived in Little Poland. A man offered me a job in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. This it’s a very good job and I’m paid 50$ a month.

I have found a little house in Little Poland, I live with 6 other people. I think my trip has been very good for me and it’s a pleasure to live in Brooklyn because everybody in the world can change their life like me.

Polikarp died the 25th of March 1911 during the incident of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory where he works may he rest. Rest In Peace.

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This photo represents the steam-ship of our story. On this picture, we can see four boats. On the foreground, there is a little « steam-ship » whose not overcrowded but one, the biggest is very overcrowded by emigrants. This old photo was taken near Ellis-Island’s harbour in 1913.

The polish community represented about 10 million inhabitants in the US. It represents 3,2 % of united states of America’s population.

On this graphic, we can see the polish immigration between 1934 and 1944 in the USA We notice that between 1939 and 1941 the polish community started to immigrate to New York. A lot of Polish people got settled in the USA because it’s the beginning of the 2nd World War. They got settled in Brooklyn at the neighbour called « Little Poland ».

 

Camille, Jeremy, Alex.