In the table which follows the persons for whom detailed information was secured is shown according to general nativity and race of individual. TABLE 113.-Persons for whom detailed information was secured, by sex and general nativity and race of individual. Of the persons in this locality for whom detailed information was secured 40.3 per cent of the males and 34.2 per cent of the females are foreign-born, 31.9 per cent of the males and 36.9 per cent of the females are native-born of foreign father, and 27.8 per cent of the males and 28.9 per cent of the females are native-born of native father. Of the races of the foreign-born the Magyars, Poles, and Germans have, in the order mentioned, the largest representation among both the males and the females. CHAPTER II. RACIAL DISPLACEMENTS. History of immigration-Period of residence in the United States of members of immigrant households studied-Population-[Text Table 114 and General Table 72]. HISTORY OF IMMIGRATION. To begin to trace the history of immigration to Community A it is necessary to start with the very first settlers, who were French Canadians. Several families of this race under the direction of the American Fur Company took up their abode in the locality in the year 1820 and made a permanent settlement. About 1827 pioneers from the States of Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Tennessee, slowly moving westward in the quest for new homes, began to pass through the little settlement, and some having tired of the westward march and being well satisfied with the locality joined the little group of French Canadians and built permanent homes. The settlement was annually increased in numbers by these pioneers until 1848, when the first foreign immigrants entered the community and took up their residence, followed, in 1870, by a general immigration of people from continental Europe. In 1848 a few German families from the city of Augsburg, Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, came to the town and took up their residence, forming the first colony of European immigrants in the locality. The construction of railroads in the vicinity brought a number of Irish settlers to the district in about the year 1855. From 1855 until 1870 a few English, Irish, German, Swedish, and Polish families settled in the town, coming in the most cases direct from their native lands. In 1870 one of the large industrial establishments, running short of labor, began to import large numbers of Poles direct from Europe and from other sections of the United States. The result of this importation was to increase the number of Poles in the community greatly in excess of any other one race. To-day the number of Poles in the town is more than twice as great as that of the Germans, for instance, who are more numerous than any of the other foreign races. The year 1870 marks not only the beginning of the Polish immigration but of the general European immigration to the locality. By the year 1885 the city had become an important immigrant settlement with a few Magyars, Danes, Norwegians, Canadians, French, and Scotch added to the population. The year 1900 brought the more recent immigrants from southern and eastern Europe, among whom were Italians, Hebrews, Croatians, Slovaks, Syrians, Swiss, Greeks, Bohemians, Dutch, Russians, and all other races to be found in the community at the present time. The majority of the Italians who settled in the community about 1902 have moved away, and in the colony of this race to-day there are not more than 100 persons. Immigration of the Hebrews to the city has been materially increased since 1906 through the efforts of the Hebrew Industrial Removal Society of New York City, which has undertaken to locate its people in all factory towns in the United States. The present immigration to Community A is composed chiefly of Magyars, who have entered in large numbers each year since 1904, together with a few Hebrews, Poles, and Slovaks. PERIOD OF RESIDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES OF MEMBERS OF IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED. A further insight into the racial movements to the community is afforded by the following table, which shows, by race of individual, the percentage of foreign-born persons in the households studied who had been in the United States each specified number of years. The length of residence in the United States and in the community of persons of foreign birth is not necessarily identical, but they approximate each other sufficiently to indicate the character of recent immigration to the community. TABLE 114.-Per cent of foreign-born persons in the United States each specified number of years, by race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States. No deduction is made for time spent abroad. This table includes only races with 20 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.] Of the foreign-born persons in this locality for whom information was secured 41.7 per cent have been in the United States under five years, 63.7 per cent have been here under ten years, and 76.1 per cent have been here under twenty years. The Hebrews and the Magyars, in the order mentioned, have the largest and the Germans the smallest proportion of individuals who have been in the United States under five years, under ten years, and under twenty years, respectively. The contrast in length of residence between the Hebrews, Magyars, and Poles upon the one hand and the Germans upon the other hand is obvious. |