When young Irish men and women prepared to immigrate to America during the mid-19th century, family and friends held an “American wake” to express grief and commemorate their departure. Traditionally, a wake was convened to mourn a deceased friend or family member. But it was unlikely that an immigrant would ever return to Ireland and their departure was seen as final as death itself.
During the American wake, relatives and neighbors held an all-night vigil, alternating prayer and keening with drinking, dancing and games.
Written circa 1865, the popular song Thousands Are Sailing described an American wake:
The night before leaving [they] bid their neighbors good bye
And early the next morning their hearts give a sigh
The tears from their eyes they are falling like rain
When the horses are starting going off for the train
With thousands fleeing Ireland during the Great Famine, music played an increasingly important role in maintaining community. Although miles from home, songs like
Thousands Are Sailing helped immigrants maintain a strong connection with Ireland. Sometimes the songs displayed a deep resentment against the British, depicting immigration as forced exile at the hands of the England.
The Moores’ story touches on immigrants' struggle to stay healthy in an era before the discovery of germs and the advent of curative medicine. Like many other immigrants, the Moores may have tried to treat illnesses at home with herbal remedies, soda and mineral waters and patent medicines similar to the one pictured above.
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More artifacts used in the restoration of the Moore Apartment
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