I lived in England as a child for pretty much my whole life. We lived there for ten years one day i thought that New Amsterdam was a great place to learn how to be a reading teacher. Since i am a Quaker I show my religion, so I wanted a Quaker family who would not disown me. I asked my parents to help me find a Quaker family in New Amsterdam. Our friend had a friend who had another friend who knew a family in New Amsterdam, a Quaker family, so I asked my parents if I could get a ticket and they said yes.

I was scheduled to leave 6 months later. I got on board and it took months to get there. The ride was foggy but peaceful, except one big storm, people on the deck were hurt but no one died, and just a few pieces of trim peeled off the boat. I met I Dutch girl on the boat, and we soon discovered that she was also working fo the Janses. We became friends and we worked together very well.

The food on the boat was usually fish and partially dried seaweed. I slept at the bottom of the ship with many other young people coming to New Amsterdam from England and Holland.

When I got there the Jansens took me in “as one of their own.” I worked for the mother and the youngest son. I taught reading to the younger son. I love to watch him want to learn.

We moved into a farmhouse 10 miles from New Amsterdam.