Edgars Endeavor

I had always heard that America was the land of opportunity, but when I was deciding to
move my family here, I never thought I would actually ever feel like an American. My name is
Edgar Stein, and I am a Jewish German immigrant. I came to America with my wife and two
children as part of the Great Migration from 1880-1920.1 I was part of one of the earlier waves
of immigrants that came, and I arrived on American soil in the late spring/early summer of 1882.
When I arrived here, my family and I first hit land at the Boston port, and from there we began
moving west. I am originally a farmer by trade, and I planned to continue making my living that
way in America. Although the journey across the ocean was difficult with two young children,
the opportunities and new life we all made for ourselves in America was worth the troubles it
took to get here.
Although the land was of decent quality on the eastern coast, I decided to relocate my
family farther west in order to find land more suitable for growing crops. I mainly grow corn, so
I set out in search of ground with a more nutrients. On my journey west I continued hearing
about the city of Detroit and the many opportunities it had. Through word of mouth I heard about
the automobile industry and something called the Ford Manuel.2 We arrived in the city in July of
1882, and I quickly set out to find information about the Ford Industry. Although many of the
immigrants were taking advantage of this opportunity, I decided to stick to my former trade and
continue farming. I found a plot of land just outside the city, and my family and I settled there. It
was nice because even though we were not actually living in the city, it still had an urban feel

Hobby, Jeneen. "German Americans." Gale Virtual Reference Library. Ed. Timothy L. Gall. Detroit: Gale, 2009.
Web. 28 Sept. 2016.
2

"Helpful Hints and Advice to Employees." Ford Motor Company, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

and we were able to still benefit from the happenings in the city. For example, I was able to take
part in one of the English classes that was offered by the Ford Company.3 In addition,
approximately every other week my wife made her way into the city to shop at the markets. Our
rural/urban lifestyle seemed very suitable for our new life in America.
Daily life in America was a little different from daily life in Germany. The farming
aspect was somewhat similar, although some of the American farmers did not really use
fertilizer. I taught some of my neighbors the benefits of using fertilizers from the livestock, and
we also began collaborating and sharing our fields so that we could use crop rotation to help
replenish the nutrients in the soil.4 These were some things that we did in Germany and I am glad
I was able to share them with the farmers in America. On a typical day I usually got up very
early in the morning to begin tending to the farm. Depending on the time of year, I would be
doing anything from tending to the livestock to beginning to weed or pick stones out of the field.
My wife would usually wake up a little later and make breakfast so that when I came in for a
break I was able to eat a good meal to start the day. When we first moved to America the
children were too young to help me in the fields, so she would stay with them in the house during
the day and take care of them while preparing meals and making sure the house was tidy. As I
worked in the fields throughout the day, she would also make lunch for me and then dinner later
at night when I came in from the fields. I am so thankful that she was still able to make some

"Helpful Hints and Advice to Employees." Ford Motor Company, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

Hobby, Jeneen. "German Americans." Gale Virtual Reference Library. Ed. Timothy L. Gall. Detroit: Gale, 2009.
Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

German dishes because it allowed us to feel some comforts from home while we were still trying
to fully assimilate to life in America.
Moving to America was a scary journey I will admit, but I am so grateful that we had
friends and each other to help us get accommodated to our new lives. Fortunately, the children
were still young when we first moved, so they had not yet started school in Germany. They do
not remember that much about their lives in Germany, so they were able to grow up in America
and really only know the American lifestyle. This helped them because, although we still spoke a
little German in the home, they were able to quickly learn English when they attended school
and played with other children around our home. One of the major changes that struck us as a
little odd was the role of women in the household. In Germany my wife always helped me
around the farm and was able to contribute while I worked in the fields throughout the day. I
always liked being able to work with her and she provided an extra helping hand to get the work
done every day. However, here in America, women are not supposed to work like the men, and
instead are only expected to stay at home to tend to the house and children.5 This was a major
adjustment for us because I had to find others to help me work in the fields throughout the day.
She also had to adjust to staying inside all day, although I do think that she enjoyed spending
more time with the children. In addition, one of the greatest difficulties were the illnesses we
encountered.6 My family, especially the children, were not immune to the American diseases, so
about once a month one of us would get sick. Fortunately, these illnesses never plagued us as
badly as other families, and we were all able to keep our health after about a year and a half.

Hobby, Jeneen. "German Americans." Gale Virtual Reference Library. Ed. Timothy L. Gall. Detroit: Gale, 2009.
Web. 28 Sept. 2016.
6

Welisch, Sophie A. Bukovina-German Pioneers in Urban America. N.p.: n.p., n.d. EBSCOhost. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.

Since we are a Jewish family, we were able to get some help from friends and other Jews
who already lived in the city. We did not personally have any family already in America, but
some of our friends from home mentioned some people who already lived here and they were
able to help us get settled to our new life.7 The Jewish community is very welcoming, and we are
thankful that we were able to relate to people already here, and it definitely made the change
much easier. In addition, there are a few churches in the city that offer services in German, so my
family and I usually try to go about once a month if I do not have to work on the farm.8
Thinking back on the many decisions that I made when I first moved to America with my
family, I do not regret my decision at all. Life in America has presented us with so many more
opportunities, and I am pleased that my children have been able to grow up in this land of more
freedom. Living in America has definitely changed my way of thinking. The American cities are
constantly changing and the people always go along with and even welcome the change. The
American ideal presents a more individualistic mindset, and, although this seemed a little too
egocentric for me at first, I have gotten more accustomed to this way of living and it has
benefitted me personally in many ways. I feel that I have brought many positive contributions to
America. I taught my fellow farmers how to use fertilizers and the benefits of crop rotation. In
addition, since there is a significant population of Germans in the city, many have taken a liking
to our music and food.9 In October of 1890 the city even had a large parade celebrating the two-

Rockaway, Robert. "Ethnic Conflict in an Urban Environment: The German and Russian Jew in Detroit." N.p., n.d.
Web. 6 Oct. 2016.
8

Welisch, Sophie A. Bukovina-German Pioneers in Urban America. N.p.: n.p., n.d. EBSCOhost. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.

Hobby, Jeneen. "German Americans." Gale Virtual Reference Library. Ed. Timothy L. Gall. Detroit: Gale, 2009.
Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

hundred-year anniversary of when the first Germans came to America.10 This parade helped all
of us immigrants from Germany feel more appreciated, and even wanted, here in America.
Coming here to America has been a major change in our lives, and it has come with many
challenges and difficulties. At first I felt like an outsider, but within the past ten years I have
become more accustomed to American ways. My children have grown up as Americans, and I no
longer feel like I am out of place in a foreign world. This is my lifestyle; this is my home.

10

"Ein Grosser Erfolg." Detroit Free Press 7 Oct. 1890: 1. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.
<http://search.proquest.com/hnpdetroitfreepress/docview/562155043/AE47DFA2199B40B8PQ/5?accountid=14925
>.

Works Cited
"Ein Grosser Erfolg." Detroit Free Press 7 Oct. 1890: 1. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.
<http://search.proquest.com/hnpdetroitfreepress/docview/562155043/AE47DFA2199B40B8PQ/
5?accountid=14925>.
"Helpful Hints and Advice to Employees." Ford Motor Company, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
Hobby, Jeneen. "German Americans." Gale Virtual Reference Library. Ed. Timothy L. Gall.
Detroit: Gale, 2009. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.
Rockaway, Robert. "Ethnic Conflict in an Urban Environment: The German and Russian Jew in
Detroit." N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Oct. 2016.
Welisch, Sophie A. Bukovina-German Pioneers in Urban America. N.p.: n.p., n.d. EBSCOhost.
Web. 6 Oct. 2016.