Death and Life on Ellis Island
Not everyone recovered and went on their way. 3,500 people, about 1.6 of those confined to the Ellis Island hospitals, died from their illnesses. Hospital staff took these souls to the hospital’s morgue. If nobody claimed the deceased, they went to cemeteries like Hart Island, New York’s largest potter’s field, and buried in a pauper’s grave.
Conversely, 350 babies were born at the island’s ultramodern hospital facility. New parents excited about their upcoming admittance to the United States and grateful for the kindness of the hospital staff would often name them after the doctor or nurse who took care of them.
