AGI IMAGE OF THE MONTH: JUNE 2016

Anne-Marie Smith, MAGI, Dublin.

Thomas E Brudell was born in Roscommon in 1906 and he arrived in New York in October 1929 via Ellis Island.  He appeared on the 1930 US State Census as a ‘boarder’ in New Jersey working as a ‘moulder helper’.  He also appeared in the 1932 Street Directory in New Jersey.  However, in August 1932 the following document appeared for Thomas Edward Brudell and Evelyn Murray Brudell (wife) entitled ELLIS ISLAND – REMOVALS GO 169, 8-4-32W.

Image 2016 June image

 

Having checked the other names on this document it appeared that most of them also arrived in New York via Ellis Island around October 1929.  Apparently, in the US during the 1932 campaign for the White House, the Hoover administration began financing the repatriation of destitute immigrants.  Invoking Section 23 of the Immigration Law of 1917, between spring 1931 and 1940 the federal government assisted the voluntary repatriation of 9,549 aliens, including 1,322 from New York.  This was partly due to the Great Depression of the 1930s at the time, and it is possible that Thomas Brudell lost his job and/or his papers were not in order.  Both Thomas and his wife Evelyn Brudell (they married in US) arrived back in Ireland sometime between 1932-1934 when their children were born.   Having contacted Ellis Island directly, they advised that they had never seen such a document and could not explain it.  Perhaps someone has seen this type of document before and can shed some light on its origins?

Document Source: Ancestry.com database Subject Index to Correspondence and Case Files of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1903-1952.