Beginning in September 1845, the Irish potato crops were failing and tenant farmers were being evicted (the highest rate of evictions were in Tipperary), forcing a million and half Irish to flee the island over a ten year period.
Whether Morgan Meara and his family left Ireland because of the famine or being evicted (or both) is not clear, but little John Meara was only 3 years old and Honora was pregnant and almost ready to give birth when they boarded a ship to Liverpool in the summer of 1850, before continuing on to New York City. So it seems they left Ireland under a bit of duress, not the least of which was leaving what I assume is the grave of little James Meara behind.
Liverpool represented about 75% of the ports of embarkation. Trans-Atlantic crossings took 30-40 days over a distance of 3043 miles. This illustration depicts the ships as they left Liverpool (published July 1850, right about the same time the Meara’s were part of this experience):
Another view of the immigrant experience, also July 1850:
The next time we see Morgan Meara/Mara and his family after the Irish records shown above is upon their arrival at New York City’s Castle Garden port of entry on August 24, 1850. All of the known family members are there, plus a new arrival, baby William (seemingly born at sea!):
Recall that a few months prior (in February 1850), Morgan was age 45 while in prison. Both his and Honora’s ages drift in records over the years for reasons unknown but possibly purposeful.
Here’s a scene at Castle Garden from 1848, two years prior to the Meara’s arrival there, which gives us a pretty good idea of what their first moments in America were like:
In the next post we’ll catch up with the Meara’s as they begin their new life in the New World.