Michael Francis Campbell : Short Biography

Michael Campbell came over to America in 1920. He landed at Ellis Island, New York, alone at age 20. Back home in County Longford, Ireland Michael had been involved in some activities trying to prevent the English from gaining access to an area and he was possibly involved with blowing up a bridge.  So when his family heard they made arrangments as fast as possible to collect the fund's needed to send him away to safety and to America.

His inspection process at Ellis Island lasted approximately three to five hours in the Registry Room (or Great Hall), where doctors checked for obvious physical  ailments.  Michael was asked 29 questions including name, occupation, and the amount of money he carried. It was important to the American government that he could support himself and that he had enough money to get started in his new home.

New York has a very large Irish community and from Ellis Island, Michael settled in Astoria, Queens New York.  Astoria is a middle-class and commercial neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the New York City borough of Queens. Michael was a Steamfitter; he worked on most of the high rise buildings in New York City and also Radio City Music Hall.

Michael meet his wife, Agnes  Hazelton in Astoria through mutual Irish acquaintances. Agnes also lived in Astoria and her parents had come over from Ireland also, her mother as an indentured servant.  Michael and Agnes were married in New York and had 3 sons and a daughter who died at birth.

Michael had many friends and neighbors, who had also come over to visit where also from Ireland.  Their home was  a very warm welcoming enviorment, surrounded by Irish music and culture, a very warm welcoming environment.  Michael and Agnes spent most of their lives living in Astoria and then later after retirement moving out to Long Island New York for the remainder of their lives.

Both are  buried out in Long Island NY.