What alternatives did people enter the U.S. besides Ellis Island before/in 1913?

Question

I'm cannot find my grandmother's name (or her siblings she traveled with) in the Ellis Island registries. Could she have entered the U.S. at a different port? She was arrived from Germany and ended up in California.

She DEFINITELY lived, married, bore children and died in CALIFORNIA.

Answer 1

Do you know when she arrived? If it's before 1920, she may have come to the US through the Port of New York without going through Ellis Island. The reason is that only the 3rd and Steerage class passengers went through the cattle pen at Ellis Island. First and second class passengers got off at the Port of New York on the Lower West Side of NYC (Castle Clinton). Those records are not completely transcribed, but those that are done are online at http://www.castlegarden.org

Other possibilities are Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit, Galveston, New Orleans and Savannah. It depends on the year whether the records are available or not. If you want to email me though my profile with what you know about her and her siblings, especially the country they left, when they were born, and approximate year they arrived, I'd be glad to look them up on the database programs available to me.

Answer 2

Ellis Island Records 1913

Answer 3

In the early 20th Century the larger ports where many immigrants arrived were New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston. There are microfilmed indexes available for these ports and Ancestry has online indexes for them (along with some smaller ports). For a basic research guide see:

Finding Passenger Lists 1820-1940s (arrivals at U.S. Ports)
http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/passengers.html

If your grandmother became a naturalized citizen, her naturalization papers should give the date and port of arrival. For some tips on locating naturalization records see:

Finding U.S. Naturalization Records - a Genealogy Guide
http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/naturalizationrecords.html

Also, you might read the information about women and naturalization in the section on naturalization petitions here:

Types of U.S. Naturalization Records
http://www.genealogybranches.com/naturalization.html

A further help might be the 1920 census, which gives year of arrival, tells whether a person was naturalized and gives year of naturalization. And be sure to check alternate spellings of the name before giving up on Ellis Island. Good luck with your search.

Answer 4

Check with INS about the location of archives.

Every port with international trade had immigration offices.

I know plenty of immigrants entered through Boston, and New Orleans, as well as other ports. Ellis Island is so well known because it was in New York and received so many immigrants.

Doc

Answer 5

Well, from my family history, I have two alternative ways of getting to the US.
My grandmother (Scotland), apparently, was sponsored by her father who was a citizen here and she rode over on a 1st class voyage ticket.
My grandfather (Holland), is reported to have dealt with the Dutch "mafia" (for a lack of better term) to get access into the country. Apparently they made payments to somebody.
This is all hearsay and just stories I remember from my youth. But when I researched my grandparent's immigration, I couldn't locate info from Ellis Island either.

Answer 6

In addition to the various ports, don't forget that immigrants also entered from Canada and Mexico. My great grandfather, for instance, crossed the Canadian border. Of course, it depends upon what part of the country your family settled in; for example, many German immigrants in Texas came through the port of Galveston.

Answer 7

People entered the U.S. at one time through Boston, Charleston SC, New Orleans La,, Galveston TX, Savannah GA. Also, I believe Mobile AL.

Answer 8

If your Grandmother was Catholic, her records would be held at the church. Also, check to see if she was from a German state or Prussia. If she is Prussian there is a possibility she came through Virginia.

Answer 9

alot moved to texas or cuba.