by Patrick M. Sweeney, Glucksman Ireland House, New York University
(c) Patrick M. Sweeney, 2015. All rights reserved.From the information recorded in the Test Books of the Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank, this project’s research has revealed a wealth of statistical data regarding the origins of the Irish-born account holders living on Prince Street in the 1850s.
Below: An initial breakdown of all qualified EISB account holders from this study who recorded a County of Origin shows a clear majority arriving to New York City from the West of Ireland, especially from the province of Connacht.
Data compiled May 2015 by Patrick M. Sweeney, based on a total of 68 Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank accounts with addresses on Prince Street, drawn from the Test Book Account Nos. 1-25,000 (Courtesy of Kevin Rich)
Below: Another statistical breakdown of the Prince Street EISB account holders, this time specifically by Irish County of Origin, further demonstrates the preponderance of immigrants from the West of Ireland who settled on Prince Street in the 1850s. Note: Clear evidence of emigrant clustering, more than 25% of all those reporting a County of Origin in this Prince Street study were natives of the three Connacht counties of Galway, Mayo or Sligo.
Data compiled May 2015 by Patrick M. Sweeney, based on a total of 68 Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank accounts with addresses on Prince Street, drawn from the Test Book Account Nos. 1-25,000 (Courtesy of Kevin Rich)
The means by which most of Irish-born EISB account holders from this study arrived in New York City was by a direct route from ports in Ireland or in Great Britain to the port of New York. As seen in the graphs below, Liverpool, England was the primary port of departure for Irish immigrants to America, including those living on Prince Street in the 1850s.
Data compiled May 2015 by Patrick M. Sweeney, based on a total of 68 Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank accounts with addresses on Prince Street, drawn from the Test Book Account Nos. 1-25,000 (Courtesy of Kevin Rich)
Data compiled May 2015 by Patrick M. Sweeney, based on a total of 68 Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank accounts with addresses on Prince Street, drawn from the Test Book Account Nos. 1-25,000 (Courtesy of Kevin Rich)
In some cases however, the port of New York was not the first point of debarkation for Irish emigrating to New York. In the case of the EISB Prince Street sample, 12% of qualifying account holders reported another port of arrival – and in those cases, Canadian ports dominated. *Needed here: Sourced info regarding Canada as the most common pre-NY immigration destination.
Data compiled May 2015 by Patrick M. Sweeney, based on a total of 68 Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank accounts with addresses on Prince Street, drawn from the Test Book Account Nos. 1-25,000 (Courtesy of Kevin Rich)
Data compiled May 2015 by Patrick M. Sweeney, based on a total of 68 Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank accounts with addresses on Prince Street, drawn from the Test Book Account Nos. 1-25,000 (Courtesy of Kevin Rich)
