After a seemingly endless trip, Sarah and her brother John breathed a sigh of relief as their ship sailed into New York harbor. Lady Liberty seemed to be calling to them, ?welcome to your new home?. The only thing left between them and the old country was now being processed through Ellis Island. Since Sarah had a heavy brogue, she stayed near John during the whole ordeal, making sure that she could be understood by the people in the processing center. ?John, I?m scared,? Sarah sobbed. ?Just speak loudly and clearly,? said John, but even with the best of intentions and perseverance, the family name would be misunderstood and the Mussgrave family members would now be known as John and Sarah Mosgrove. Patience was the virtue of the day for Ellis Island. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of people, huddled together like sheep. Sarah and John, walked then stopped, walked then stopped, went up a narrow flight of stairs, answered some questions, then walked down the stairs, showed their papers, answered more questions. They knew that they had to appear healthy and excited to be there. They could be turned back if there was any suspicion that they could be ill, or not up to the task of supporting themselves in new country. They had had a cousin sent back to Ireland because he had become ill during the voyage, and he was too ill take care of himself.
Finally their turn came to be examined by the doctor. ?How old are you? Have you had any past illnesses? Have you given birth? Have any of your family members died in the past two years?? the doctor rifled off question after question inquiring about Sarah?s previous and current health conditions. Although shy, Sarah obliged the doctor?s request to open her blouse as he listened to her heart. There was no room or time for modesty or privacy. If you didn?t want to jeopardize your chances, you did everything the doctor asked, no matter how much it went against your customs or personality. The doctor also checked her teeth, and examined her skin, to look for lesions or other signs of present or past disease. It seemed no matter how healthy you were when you left the old country, disease was often rampant onboard ship. The U.S. doctors were taking no chances in letting someone in who could potentially start the next epidemic in New York, where many new immigrants lived, or in their final destination city.
Once John and Sarah passed all of the necessary ?tests? and had their paperwork in order, they found their way to a local hotel/hostel to stay for a few nights, until their sponsors found them. Their church in Ireland had arranged for them to be sponsored by a parish and several families in Lima, Ohio. They never met any of these people, but they were grateful for the generosity they met and the opportunity to start a new life.
In Lima, they were welcomed with open arms to their new home. But the humbleness didn?t last long; they had very little money and needed a job. Luckily, their village helped them get a job; John worked in the marketplace and Sarah as a servant for one of the richer families. Saving every penny they had left over, in six months, they had enough money to send over for the rest of their family.
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