Hi,
I have the same problem with researching my great grandmother Helen or Ellen Carey/Cary? Marshall. She was supposed to have been born on a ship coming to New York from Ireland. I know that she was born about 1830, so you would think it would be easy to find her immigration info...but I have been looking for 3 years. I found out that Ellis Island didn't exist until about 1880, and there was another immigration port in southern NY. I still haven't been able to locate her...because I don't know about her entry I can't find her parents names. So far the earliest record I can find about her and my great great grandfather are a birth/christening record for their oldest daughter Marietta..born 7 Dec 1851 in Buffalo, Erie, NY. If you ever figured out and found your relative, how did you accomplish it? I don't have unlimited money to spend getting all of the records for Ellen Carey/Cary's who were naturalized, and that is what seems to be the recommended step. Thanks for your help in advance! Karen
marshakar56@aol.com