Wisconsin became the 30th State in the Union of the United States of America on May 29, 1848. At the time the population of Wisconsin was over 150,000, which included many Irish emigrants striving for a better life over the ocean. In 1850 a Limerick Emigrant to Wisconsin sent the following letter to the London Times telling of his good fortune after a year away from home:
I am exceedingly well pleased at coming to this
land of plenty. On arrival I purchased 120 acres of
land at $5 an acre, there being 20 acres of it clear,
and a beautiful house, with spring well on the farm.Since then I cleared 30 acres more, and should God
spare me life, in another twelve months I will have it
all cleared. You must bear in mind that I purchased
the land out, and it is to me and mine an ‘estate for
ever,’ without a landlord, an agent, or tax-gatherer,
to trouble me. I would advise all my friends to quitIreland – the country most dear to me; as long as they
remain in it they will be in bondage and misery. Here
every man is his own master; what you labour for is
sweetened by contentment and happiness; there is no
failure in the potato crop, and you can grow Indian
corn, and every crop you wish, without manuring the
land during life! You need not mind feeding pigs,but let them into the woods, and they will feed
themselves until you want to make bacon of them. I
shudder when I think that starvation prevails to such
an extent in poor Ireland. After supplying the entire
population of America, there would still be as much
corn and provisions left as would supply the world,
for there is no limit to cultivation , or end to land.Here the meanest labourer has beef and mutton, with
bread, bacon, tea, coffee, sugar, and even pies, the
whole year round – every day here is as good as
Christmas-day in Ireland.