My great-great-grandfather Roch Oskiera came to America with his 5 children in 1903 aboard the S.S. Grover Kurfirst. They emigrated from Poland and arrived in New York, NY, through Ellis Island. His kids’ names were, Josef, 12 years old; Sofia, 3 ½ years old; Defania, 15 years old; Harrison, 9 years old and Laura, 5 years old. When they got to America, they settled in New Jersey. Roch was a shoemaker, and he continued to make shoes once he was in America. The children went to school until they were old enough to work, and then they made shoes with their father. One odd thing about his journey is that Roch, the husband, went to America with the kids, and his wife paid for the voyage. Usually, the husband goes to America first and then the wife and kids come over later, but in my family’s case, it is the other way around. The reason that my family came to America was for a better life and more opportunities for their children. This is one of the many records that we have of my family immigrating to America. This is the ship manifest of the ship S.S. Grover Kurfirst. If my ancestors didn’t decide to come to America, I could be living in Poland. My great grandfather, Poppy, served in the Korean War, in WWII, the Vietnam War, and in many other places. My ancestors started my family’s American history.
 

– JTH

Relationship:  unknown unknown