Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak has the information about the Annie Moore memorial in Cork, Ireland and in New York City in her post Annie Moore Gets Her Day in Cork and New York!. This memorial is a wonderful end to the "genealogy feel-good story" of the century, as far as I'm concerned.
Who was Annie Moore? The press release notes:
"On January 1, 1892, Annie Moore, a teenage girl from County Cork, Ireland, made headlines as the first immigrant to be processed at Ellis Island. Her image will forever represent the millions who passed through Ellis Island in pursuit of the American dream, and is a symbol for immigrants of all nations that have contributed to the rich fabric of the United States. On September 15, 2006 noted genealogists revealed the true identity and story of Annie and her descendants. At that time it was also discovered that Annie Moore's remains lie in an unmarked grave in Calvary Cemetery, Queens, New York, along with five of her children. Led by descendant family members and supporters, the Annie Moore Memorial Project, established through the Irish Cultural and Learning Foundation of Phoenix, Arizona, was created to raise funds for a monument for her unmarked gravesite. Fully donor supported, funding for this special project has been realized through a national and international effort. "
Isn't history amazing? A teenage girl, picked out of a crowd by an immigration offical, becomes world famous for being the first person registered at Ellis Island. She lives a normal live - marrying, having a family, making the best she can of life, and dies before her time. 80 years later, a memorial is held in both Ireland and America to celebrate her life's achievement and to honor her memory, with her second, third and fourth generation descendants present. All because a curious genealogist questioned the "status quo" and made the effort to search for "the rest of the story." Bravo, Megan!
See more at www.anniemoore.net, and watch the RootsTelevision videos of Megan's search at:
* Roots TV: "From Cork to New York: The Annie Moore Story"
* Roots TV: "In Search of Annie Moore"
* Roots TV: "Making up History: The Search for Annie Moore"
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