In honor of America’s 250th birthday and as my family’s genealogist, I want to share with you how the Richmond family came to America.

In 1890, my great-grandfather, James Richmond, emigrated from Ullenhall, England (near Stratford-upon-Avon), to America with his wife, Annie; daughter, Ada; and two sons, Harry and Alfred (my grandfather). He booked passage on a ship that brought them to Ellis Island. In those days, immigration to America required sponsorship, and James’s father-in-law, Phillip Morris (no relation to the company), provided it. While the exact reason for his move to America remains unclear, his family’s poverty and his desire for opportunity likely influenced his decision. Phillip Morris, a humble businessman, wished the best for his only daughter and her family, and he assisted them in emigrating.

After being processed at Ellis Island, the family relocated to Berwick in northeast Pennsylvania. Phillip Morris disapproved of James’s brewing career, so James worked at the local steel mill. Sadly, eight years later, James was injured in a steel mill accident, contracted blood poisoning, and eventually died, leaving the family without income. Phillip Morris died suddenly shortly afterward. Since Annie could not work, her daughter Ada had to serve as a housemaid nearby, while Harry and Alfred, despite being teenagers, had to leave school to work in the steel mills and take on odd jobs. Annie quickly remarried, but her new husband, George Ross, was an alcoholic who often disappeared for days during drinking binges. One time, he never returned and was later declared dead. The family was once again without a means of financial support. Ada was now married with children of her own, so Harry and Alfred both supported the family, which now included two younger sisters, Hattie and Pearl, until Annie married a third time to John Gargett.

When WWI began, Alfred joined the Navy to avoid working in the steel mills and to support his family. He was stationed near New York City but didn’t see combat; he did, however, become a U.S. citizen. After the war, he went to college, earned a teaching degree, and taught shop in school. He then met and married Margorie Whan, and they had two children, a daughter, Elaine, and a son, Roland (my dad). They lived comfortably in Nutley, New Jersey. Elaine served as a WAV during WW2 and later became a physical education teacher, while my dad worked and studied to become a medical doctor. He met my mother while they both worked a summer job at a diner in Seaside Park, NJ. They eventually married and had four children: three sons and a daughter. Their youngest son was me.

I wonder what James, a poor and illiterate brewer, might have envisioned for his descendants in America. Could he have imagined his children learning to read and write, pursuing careers, marrying, or even a grandson becoming a doctor? Could he have foreseen them becoming U.S. citizens and contributing to society? His hope and faith in the American dream motivated him to bring his family here. My grandfather, a devout man, often recounted stories of his difficult life and expressed his gratitude for being a Christian and an American.

All of us have ancestors who made the long journey to the U.S., and whose children became U.S. citizens. If our ancestors had the opportunity to build a better life for themselves and their families, shouldn’t others who come here legally have the same chance? As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, let us thank God for the country we live in and remember the dreams of freedom our ancestors held for the present and future.

Take care and God bless America!

Bill R