- Peter McOmie (5 KB)
Born in Lassawade, Midlothian, Scotland April 1, 1811. Peter died in Lehi, Utah on the 23rd of February 1889. Peter is buried in the Lehi City Cemetery.
- John Pringle McOmie's Home (38 KB)
John had been in America and in the territory of Utah for 14 years and decided it was time he settled down and bought some land and a home. He purchased two large pieces of property on Vine St. and Glenn St. east of State Street in Murray in the year 1875. The area was then called South Cottonwood.
- Peter Banks McOmie {1832-1922} (5 KB)
On August 30, 1884 the steamship Wyoming left Liverpool, England. On board were Peter Banks McOmie (my great grandfather) age 51, his wife Helen Taylor McOmie (my great grandmother) age 44, son David Taylor age 19, daughter Margaret age 16, daughter Janet age 13, son John Banks age 10 (my grandfather) and Nellie age 3. The ship arrived in New York on Sept. 10th. The Mormon Company leader was a B. Bennett; they arrived in Salt Lake City on Sept. 16th apparently via train.
In 1869 the railroad went all the way to Utah so the Mormon Trail was seldom used after that. Prior to 1869 nearly 70,000 Mormon emigrants crossed the plains by wagon and handcart and an estimated 6,000 died along the way, almost all buried in unmarked graves.
This would seem to be the last of the McOmie family to immigrate to America for no further records have been found. They would join their father, grandfather, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles in the prairie lands of the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. Much of the family still resides in Utah, however, over the years many have moved to other western states; Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Wyoming and Arizona.
- Castle Garden (28 KB)
In the research that has been done so far everyone of the McOmie ancestors who left Scotland, braved the Atlantic and landed on the shores of America came through Castle Garden on their way West.
On August 3, 1855, Castle Garden, under lease to the State of New York, was opened as an immigrant landing depot. Ships simply dropped anchor here briefly while passengers were taken ashore in smaller boats.
For the first time, the bewildered immigrants were protected from the unsavory characters that had roamed the open wharves at will to take advantage of gullible newcomers. Here generally reliable information about boarding houses, travel routes, and fares could be obtained. Needed medical attention and an honest currency exchange were provided as well as a chance for employment. Between 1885 and 1889, more than eight million immigrants -- two out of every three persons immigrating to the United States in this period -- passed through the Garden.
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