Free State of Galveston a major port of entry for Texas and the West during the 19th century, and a new wave of immigration came through the port in the early 20th century. For a time it was known as "Little Ellis Island". In contrast to the heavily German immigration of the 19th century, the new arrivals in Galveston were Greeks, Italians, Russian Jews (part of the Galveston Movement), and others who came to settle in many parts of the country, including some who remained on the island itself. Of particular note are the Sicilian immigrants who formed a significant community in Galveston County,
History of Galveston, Texas Lewis Moody, Jr., a member of one of Galveston's leading families, founded the American National Insurance Company. Two years later, Mr. Moody would further invest in Galveston by establishing the City National Bank, which would later become the Moody National Bank. A military facility by the US Army Coastal Artillery on Galveston Island was established in the late 1890s and construction, which was disrupted by the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, was completed in the early 1900s, with the facility being named Fort Crockett in 1903. During the First World War, Fort Crockett served as a US Army artillery training center.