Annie Moore Research Paper

Annie Moore was born January 1, 1877, in the village of Cobh, county of Cork, Ireland. Her parents immigrated to America in 1888 leaving Annie and her two younger brothers in the care of their Aunt. Two years after Annie’s parents established themselves in New York, they sent for Annie and her two younger brothers, Anthony and Philip. Sailing on the SS Nevada, the Moore children’s journey from Ireland to America took twelve days. When the ship arrived, Annie was the first of 148 passengers to disembark.

The Act of Union, which made Ireland part of the United Kingdom, subjected the Emerald Isle to laws instituted by the British government who had no understanding of the people of Ireland or their needs. Along with that, the potato famine caused many Irish people to flee to other countries, leaving those who remained to try and survive in a country where both food and jobs were scarce. This was world that Annie and her siblings were born into (Lownsberry).

Annie’s mother and father, along with many Irish men and women at the time, struggled to make a healthy living in this country that they loved so dearly. Her father would go out searching for work to keep their growing family fed and clothed with a roof over their head (Lownsberry). Unfortunately, more often than not, the Moore family, along with many others, went hungry.

In 1888, Annie’s father had come across the difficult decision of leaving Ireland and trying for a better life in America. However, his limited income only allowed passage to America for four of his seven family members. The decision was made. Annie’s father and mother, along with her two oldest siblings, would be on their way to America, leaving behind Annie, Anthony and Philip to remain in Ireland with re...

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...ended in Texas in 1923. Megan Smolenyak was researching the Moore family and was suspicious about a woman named Annie Moore that was thought to be the Ellis Island Annie Moore. Her suspicions led her to hold a contest, offering a $1,000 prize for information on the real Annie Moore (Powell).

Descendents of Annie Moore came forward with the facts. Annie had lived in Manhattan with her parents for a few years following her arrival. She had met the son of a German baker. Annie married Joseph Augustus Schayer, Jr. in 1895. They had at least 11 children, but due to many illnesses, only five survived to adulthood. Annie Moore died at the age of 47 due to heart failure on December 6, 1924.

The descendents of Annie Moore that claimed the prize money used the money to purchase a tombstone. Annie Moore was buried in an unmarked grave in Queen’s Calvary Cemetery (Roberts).