Ellis Island

ATTENTION ALL ELLIS'

I always knew that I had relatives stateside because my mother and Auntie Bella traveled down to Akron Ohio on a regular basis in their old 1956 Ford Fairlane. We lived in Toronto at that time and it wasn’t that long before that we had emigrated from England, I was only in my teens and wasn’t that interested in the old folks down south. I never did go there and I regret it now because I know that I must have many relatives in the Cleveland/Mogador area, only God knows where they are. There’s probably more Ellis’s down there than you can find back on the Auld Sod, I wish I knew how to get a hold of them all. I’ve been busy here in Canada, six children of my own and they’re having more little Ellis’ to add to the clan.

A few years ago (15 maybe) I did do some research and I found one of my relatives in Mogador, she was an old aunt but I forget her name now and I feel really bad about it, Auntie Ruth or Ruby maybe but I’m not sure. I remember driving by Mogador one day, I used to drive transport trucks up and down that corridor to the south, and I even found myself turning off the highway and onto the main street. I found a place to park the rig and went into the local coffee shop there. I talked to one of the waitresses and she even knew my people but I wasn’t ready for all the excitement that would surely follow if I gave them a call. I chickened out because I wasn’t ready for it; I was unshaven and dirty from work so I passed on it, big mistake.

Ellis Island's Great Hall
Lately I’ve tried using the Internet to make contact but to no avail, probably only cousins left and they may not know me at all. One of my searched did lead to Ellis Island where my grandfather George Ellis and his three brothers (Charles, Edward & William) landed around 1906, the ships manifest tells how old they were on their arrival, what their occupation were (Quarrymen) and how much money they had in their pockets, 40 Pounds each, quite a bit of money in those days I think. Being quarrymen they might have had a lot to do with the buildings of Manhattan and some of its famous bridges, I know that many Scottish trades were utilized; it gives me great pride to think this way. My father was born in Cleveland and grew up there until he was ten years old when my grandfather returned to Scotland and took all the children with him. I remember my grandfather George from when I visited him in Forfar/Arbroath in Scotland, we used to go in the summertime and I have vague memories of it.

Just recently my sister Pat called me from Prince Edward Island and she was so excited she could hardly contain herself. One of our cousins (June Ellis) from Scotland had made contact with her online and at the same time our long lost cousins from Montreal (Danny & Margaret) had found us as well. Danny is also into music and plays in a band; his son is playing in a band as well. Like they say, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”.

Attention all Ellis’ living in the Cleveland/Mogador area, if you know where the rest of my Ellis Clan is please leave a comment or go to our website. http://www.musicborders.com/ It's been a long and lonely time away from the Auld Sod and we need to find you before all possibilities are lost.

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