I was not able to find out a lot about my family. I was able to find out that my ancestors came from Poland. They came around 1880. Michael Rona immigrated to Ellis Island. When they came here they changed their last name to Rooney. People may say that it’s Irish, but it’s not. They moved to the U.S. because we offered a better life, more to life, and they could be free. The men worked in coal mines, while they women stayed home. They did not have much money, so in the summer the kids would have to go bare foot. In the winter they would get a new pair of shoes. The boys were lucky is they made it to grade 8. Most would quit once they learned how to read. They would work long hours also. The only members that I really know much about are my great grandpa and my pap. My great grandpa had 7 kids, 3 girls and 4 boys, my pap being one of them. I only know about 2 of them, my pap and his one brother. My pap had to quit school when he was about 10 to work in the coal mines. He still worked in the coal mines when he had kids. My mom has told me stories from when she was little. How my pap worked in the coal mines, and my gram worked in a factory. My pap was also a war, but I am not which one. My pap and gram had 2 kids, a boy and a girl. They named them Joseph Jr. and Cheryl. My gram almost had another, but it was a miss carriage. My uncle once worked for the government. He worked at the pentagon. He now lives in West Virginia. My mom still lives here, as does my pap’s brother, my pap and my gram. Most of my family has lived in the coal regions. As of now, I think most of them have moved to other states, or died. That is all I know about my family and how they came here. I wish I knew more about my family, but I don’t and I am sorry to say that.
