Ellis Island Timeline Stories

1890

Ernst & Young LLP (EY US)

Ernst & Young LLP (EY US)

In 1890, Robert Arthur Young arrived at Ellis Island from Glasgow, Scotland. Young’s enterprising spirit reflected the movement shaping America at the turn of the twentieth century. Like millions arriving at the time, he was inspired by the promise and potential of the country’s burgeoning economy.

Black and white photo of a long line of people disembarking a boat down a ramp above, and walking toward the camera up a wooden gangplank below. They carry luggage, and cloth bundles. Black and white early 20th-century photo of a crowded street filled with men in bowler hats and women in elaborate headwear, walking past vintage Coca-Cola and cigar signs. Black-and-white, late 1800s photo of two-story wooden storefronts with real estate and photography signs, decorated with flags, and people on balconies and sidewalks.

Young studied law at the University of Glasgow and brought an analytical perspective to new opportunities in America. As an inquisitive accountant, he believed financial information could provide clarity and confidence for business leaders. In 1894, he co-founded Stuart & Young in Chicago, guiding companies through rapid expansion.

Black and white portrait from the late 1800s of a light-skinned man. His body is turned slightly to the left while his face is turned toward the camera. He wears a suit jacket with a handkerchief in the breast pocket, a white dress shirt, and a cravat. Wide-view, color image of a grand, castle-like university building featuring a tall central bell tower and stone spires, overlooking a lush, green hillside park with a path below. A bright blue sky with wisps of clouds backs the scene.

In 1906, Young bought out his partner to form Arthur Young & Company with his brother, Stanley. The firm expanded its reach by forging early networks between the United States and the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, a parallel story was unfolding in Cleveland, Ohio, another city shaped by industrialization and expansion. In 1903, American-born Alwin C. Ernst co-founded Ernst & Ernst with his brother, Theodore. Like Young, Ernst believed accounting could help leaders make informed decisions.

Colorized vintage postcard or lithograph from the early 1900s of a bustling street scene. Multi-story building fronts line the street. There are people and horse-drawn carriages throughout. The edge of a green space is in the foreground. Black and white early 20th-century city street featuring historic stone buildings, horse-drawn carriages, streetcar tracks, dense overhead wires, and pedestrians on sidewalks. Early 20th-century sepia-toned portrait of a light-skinned man in a dark suit jacket, white dress shirt, and tie. His body is turned slightly left while his face is turned toward the camera.
Color photo angled upward at a modern office building with a white exterior featuring the corporate signage for Ernst & Young. Beneath the sign are four windows, and blue sky occupies the top half of the image.

Though from different backgrounds, Arthur Young and Alwin Ernst shared a common purpose. Their independent firms defined the modern role of accounting in helping businesses navigate growth, complexity and change. In 1989, the two firms united to form Ernst & Young (EY).

Today, those same principles guide a global organization of more than 400,000 people across more than 700 offices in 150 countries, including approximately 80,000 professionals in the United States. EY supports the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration’s mission to honor American stories shaped by human movement, shared values, and what people build together.

Black and white group photo of men seated with their luggage in front of a tall chain-link fence, with other people standing behind the fence. The front facade of the Ellis Island main building. Two towers with green copper-domed tops and spires rise from the red brick building. A red metal canopy structure covers the walkway leading to the entrance.