Coming to America - Difficulties of Travel & Arrival

The Palatine Germans who emigrated to America during the early 18th Century and before onboard the same British ships that many Scots and Irish traveled on, tell of the disembarkation process at their destination:

“First the ones who could pay full price were allowed to pay and get off the boat. Next the healthy ones were sold (for indentured service) to their new masters for the full fee. Then the unhealthy ones were sold at auction. This process often took several weeks. If one of the family died (during the voyage), the rest of the family members were held accountable for passage fees of the deceased.”

Despite all this, the Scots/Irish, like the Germans, thought they had found the promised land. But by the end of the first half of the 18th century, the peaceful coexistence of Palatine German and Scots/Irish immigrants had worn thin. Both held firm to their respective European cultural traditions and social and religious mores. In fact, by 1743 coexistence was no longer possible in cohabited parts of Pennsylvania as reflected by this account: ”...the proprietaries, in consequence of the frequent disturbances between the governor and Irish (Scots/Irish) settlers, after the organization of York and Cumberland counties, gave orders to their agents to sell no lands in either York and Lancaster counties to the Irish; and also to make advantageous offers of removal to the Irish settlers on Paxton and Swatara, and Donegal townships, to remove to Cumberland county, which offers being liberal, were accepted by many."