The emigration

Niels Drustrup was the first in the family to emigrate, and he arrived for the first time in USA May 30th 1896 as 19 years old on board the ship “Hekla” that had sailed from Copenhagen. His son, Thomas Grebe Drustrup, told his daughter, Karen, when he was 82 year old, that his father left Denmark to see the world although he never said why.

Niels Drustrup sailed to USA again on the ship “Oceanic” leaving from Liverpool march 7th 1900 along with 1709 others, and amongst them were Johanne Marie Kristiansen (18 years old), who where on her way to USA for the first time. When asked she told, she came from Horsens and were on her way to her uncle in Kindred, North Dakota. Niels’ occupation is listed as farmer and Johanne’s as a maiden in the recordiongs on Ellis Island, and as a typographer/compositor in the Danish Emigration Records.

Thomas had the urge to go too, both because he was the 4th son and the farm was to be inherited by his older brother, Søren, and because he had heard good news from his older brother Niels. His mother allowed him to emigrate at the young age because two cousins of hers - the brothers John and Søren Myrtue - had promised to take care of him. (Read more in the section: The Myrtue connection)

Thomas Drustrup - registred in the passenger records as 15 years old and under the name Jensen Drustrup, arrived in USA March 25th 1906 on the ship “New York” with 60 $ in cash and was heading for Johann Myrtue in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Together with him was also Lauridt Christensen (21 years old) registered as a smith (?) accompanied by Hanne Olsen (17 years old), and they were also on their way to John Myrtue in Council Bluffs, but they are not related to the family. (Johann and John probably means the same person but is just spelled differently). They all travelled on the same ships as Johan F. Myrtue (41 years old), his wife Julie Myrtue (30 years old) and their children Johanna (4 years) and Doris (just 10 months old and US born) - all listed as US citizens.

Niels and Johanne went back to Denmark some years later, and came back to USA together again December 23rd 1908, and now they were listed as US citizens.

Thomas made several trips back to Denmark, and is also registered as passenger on the ship “Mauretania” arriving at New York August 24th 1923 now as a US citizen.