German and Irish Immigrants in the Midwestern United States, 1850–1900

"In the second half of the nineteenth century, hundreds of thousands of German and Irish immigrants left Europe for the United States. Many settled in the Northeast, but some boarded trains and made their way west. Focusing on the cities of Fort Wayne, Indiana and St. Louis, Missouri, Regina Donlon employs comparative and transnational methodologies in order to trace their journeys from arrival through their emergence as cultural, social, and political forces in their communities. Drawing comparisons between large, industrial St. Louis and small, established Fort Wayne and between the different communities which took root there, Donlon offers new insights into the factors which shaped their experiences--including the impact of city size on the preservation of ethnic identity, the contrasting concerns of the German and Irish Catholic churches and the roles of women as social innovators. This unique multi-ethnic approach illuminates overlooked dimensions of the immigrant experience in the American Midwest"--Back cover Acknowledgements 6 Contents 8 List of Figures 11 List of Tables 13 Chapter 1 Introduction 15 Chapter 2 An Uncertain Future: Ireland, Germany and the United States at the Turn of the Century 37 Introduction 37 The Economic Effects of War and Modernization as Causes of Emigration 40 The Demographic Cycle Model as a Cause of Emigration 43 Political Affairs as a Cause of Emigration 46 Conclusion 49 Chapter 3 Making the Transition: Irish and German Immigrants Arrive in the Midwest 51 Introduction: The Midwest as an Immigrant Destination 51 Economic, Political and Religious Attractions 54 ‘What Will Ye Do in the Wilds of America’ 56 ‘Bound for New York’ 58 ‘Do Not Foolishly Linger in the Cities’ 63 ‘To This Fine Country, I Would Direct the Attention of Emigrants’ 67 ‘Westward, Ho!’ 72 Conclusion 77 Chapter 4 A Peaceful Conquest: Immigrant Settlement in St Louis and Fort Wayne 79 Introduction 79 ‘A New and Brighter Era’ 81 ‘A Peaceful Conquest’—St Louis 84 ‘The People of the Kerry Patch Are Poor but Independent’ 88 Fort Wayne—‘A Rich and Prosperous City’ 93 Who Were the Immigrants? 94 Conclusion 105 Chapter 5 Production, Enterprise, and Innovation: The Economic Activity of German and Irish Immigrants 107 ‘Do Not Hurry’—A Guide for Enumerators 108 The Generations Come of Age 114 Securing ‘Genteel Employment’ 118 A Job ‘Executed with Neatness and Dispatch’ 121 ‘Creative, Progressive and Dependable’ 125 ‘There Are a Lot of Things Going on in This Neighborhood That Might Be of Interest to You’ 127 ‘Newsboys Hawked Their Wares at Every Intersection’ 129 Conclusion 133 Chapter 6 A Reputation of Respectability: Social and Cultural Aspects of Immigrant Life 135 Introduction 135 ‘A Scene Seldom Equaled Anywhere’ 137 ‘Behind the Doors of the Turnhalle’ 142 ‘The Widest Possible Range of Clubs’ 146 ‘The Oldest Catholic Organization in the United States’ 148 ‘A Reputation of Respectability’ 151 ‘Old Time Hilarity and Solemnity’ 153 ‘Pioneers and Shamrocks’ 156 Conclusion 158 Chapter 7 The Church on the Hill: Religious Entities in the American Midwest 160 Introduction 160 The Immigrant Church 162 The Formation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod 167 ‘Consistent and Untiring Action’ 169 ‘The Irish Gave Enthusiasm, the Germans Gave Stability’ 172 ‘A Protest Against American Exclusivity’ 179 ‘A Basement Operation in a City Church’ 181 ‘The Lynchpin to Ethnic Identity’ 184 Conclusion 187 Chapter 8 From Discrimination to Domination: Immigrant Political Participation 189 Introduction 189 Nativism and the Know-Nothings 193 Civil War 196 Local Politics—Patronage and Spoils 202 Zepp and Noonan—Two Cogs in the Political Machine 204 Immigrant Statesmen 208 The Politics of the Old Country 211 Conclusion 215 Chapter 9 Piety, Poverty and Perseverance: The Experience of Immigrant Women 217 Introduction 217 ‘Wanted—A Good Girl to Do General Housework’ 219 An Assembly of Curious Women, Girls, and Children 227 ‘Visited Mrs. Wandell in the Evening’ 235 ‘The Solemnity of Religious Engagement’ 238 Conclusion 244 Chapter 10 Conclusion 246 Introduction 246 The Context and Process of Emigration 246 The Immigrant Experience 247 Conclusion 255 Bibliography 256 Index 278 Annotation In the second half of the nineteenth century, hundreds of thousands of German and Irish immigrants left Europe for the United States. Many settled in the Northeast, but some boarded trains and made their way west. Focusing on the cities of Fort Wayne, Indiana and St Louis, Missouri, Regina Donlon employs comparative and transnational methodologies in order to trace their journeys from arrival through their emergence as cultural, social and political forces in their communities. Drawing comparisons between large, industrial St Louis and small, established Fort Wayne and between the different communities which took root there, Donlon offers new insights into the factors which shaped their experiences--including the impact of city size on the preservation of ethnic identity, the contrasting concerns of the German and Irish Catholic churches and the roles of women as social innovators. This unique multi-ethnic approach illuminates overlooked dimensions of the immigrant experience in the American Midwest Front Matter ....Pages i-xvi Introduction (Regina Donlon)....Pages 1-22 An Uncertain Future: Ireland, Germany and the United States at the Turn of the Century (Regina Donlon)....Pages 23-36 Making the Transition: Irish and German Immigrants Arrive in the Midwest (Regina Donlon)....Pages 37-64 A Peaceful Conquest: Immigrant Settlement in St Louis and Fort Wayne (Regina Donlon)....Pages 65-92 Production, Enterprise, and Innovation: The Economic Activity of German and Irish Immigrants (Regina Donlon)....Pages 93-120 A Reputation of Respectability: Social and Cultural Aspects of Immigrant Life (Regina Donlon)....Pages 121-145 The Church on the Hill: Religious Entities in the American Midwest (Regina Donlon)....Pages 147-175 From Discrimination to Domination: Immigrant Political Participation (Regina Donlon)....Pages 177-204 Piety, Poverty and Perseverance: The Experience of Immigrant Women (Regina Donlon)....Pages 205-233 Conclusion (Regina Donlon)....Pages 235-244 Back Matter ....Pages 245-273