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Most people find it very hard to pull up roots in their native land and move to a strange country. But throughout history, countless millions of people have done so. For many, the decision to leave was a family affair. Advice was sought - and help was freely given by mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends, and even entire villages. It was not unusual for an entire family to work for the money for a single family member to make the trip. Once one brave, adventurous person makes the move it is often easier for additional family members to emigrate also. The practice of one member of a family going to America first, then saving to bring others over, was common. According to materials published at the Liberty State Park web site, "From 1900 to 1910, almost 95 percent of the immigrants arriving at Ellis Island were joining either family or friends. Sometimes the father would come alone - to see if the streets really were paved with the gold of opportunity - before sending for his wife and family. Sometimes the eldest son immigrated first, and then sent for the next oldest, until the entire family was in America. Often those who arrived first would send a prepaid ticket back home to the next family member. It is believed that in 1890 between 25 and 50 percent of all immigrants arriving in America possessed prepaid tickets. In 1901, between 40 and 65 percent came either on prepaid tickets, or with money sent to them from the United States." This "chain migration" pattern can be seen over and over again. Families follow families, and village members follow village members. Even without pre-paid tickets or money from the "new world", letters and stories and tales of land and freedom and success would lure first one family member and then the next to come and settle. Thus, throughout the Dakotas, you'll find not only Germans from Russia together and Norwegians together in communities; you'll find entire extended families settled within a few miles of each other. Two "new pioneers" tell similar experiences in their narratives. Tiffany Nguyan escaped Vietnam with her two brothers and one sister in 1980. By 1988 her youngest brother and her mother had also made their way to the United States, and to North Dakota. Bill Graney and his wife Shirley came up from Iowa when Bill was invited
to interview for a position at the Beulah gas plant. Bill said yes and
moved and ultimately brought not only his own family members to North
Dakota, but eight co-workers as well. The times of family and community,
so strong among the early pioneers, still demonstrate their strength in
immigration patterns today.
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