Tusa, Salvatore, Naturalization

[defilip1]

Salvatore Tusa was the brother-in-law of my great-grandfather. He lived in New York City (Manhattan). DOB is 1854. He became a citizen in the 1880's or 1890's since his entry is marked as such on manifests from Sicily starting in 1898 ("Citizen, Discharge on Pier"). So why is it impossible to find a record of his Naturalization? I have searched a number of sites (e.g., http://www.italiangen.org/databaselist.stm) and have not located him. The National Archives came up blank... at least for me. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Louis

[vj]

Hello Louis
Since he naturalized before 1906, this would apply.
Valarie

from about. com
http://genealogy.about.com/cs/naturaliz ... ords_2.htm

The US Naturalization Service was formed on September 27, 1906, thus the they do not have any naturalization records dated before September 1906.

Prior to that date, any "court of record" (municipal, county, state, or federal) could grant U.S. citizenship.

Pre-1906 naturalization records may still be at the county court where the naturalization took place, or in a county or State archives.

As a general rule, the National Archives does not have many naturalization records created in state or local courts (prior to 1906), however some county court naturalization records have been donated to the National Archives.
This list of National Archives microfilm publications details their available naturalization records.
These can be ordered through the Order Online! on the National Archives Web site.

[johnnyonthespot]

Louis, is this in regards to a possible dual citizenship application?

If so, you need to be aware that naturalizations occuring prior to July 1, 1912, are especially troublesome. To be brief, prior to that date, the minor children and spouse of the new citizen lost their right to Italian citizenship regardless of whether they were born before or after the date of naturalization.

On or after July 1, 1912, naturalization of an Italian parent did not affect the citizenship potential of his/her children who were born on US soil prior to the date of naturalization.

[pink67]

Don't know if this 1903 arrival manifest could be of help...

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Cusa Salvatne
Name: Cusa Salvatne Tusa Salvatore
Arrival Date: 24 Nov 1903
Estimated birth year: abt 1854
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian
Ship Name: Germania
Search Ship Database: Search the Germania in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Line: 12
Microfilm Serial: 15
Microfilm Roll: T715_416
Page Number: 78

Salvatore stated he was coming from Monreale - Palermo and was joining his wife Carmela Guastella. He's listed as Italian Citizen

image:
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxfCaLr

Laura

[pink67]

If this 1901 arrival manifest is correct for Salvatore's wife and children, then on the children's names there are some Naturalization marks...
If Salvatore was naturalized before 1900, didn't his child acquire the naturalization from their father? I'm not expert with this subject...

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0024

Laura

p.s. I just noticed that the naturalization marks are written only on the female child of Salvatore....

[johnnyonthespot]

If this 1901 arrival manifest is correct for Salvatore's wife and children, then on the children's names there are some Naturalization marks...
If Salvatore was naturalized before 1900, didn't his child acquire the naturalization from their father? I'm not expert with this subject...

Actually, before July 1, 1912, and it doesn't matter if the parents realized this was the case (correct/incorrect marks on the manifest).

Before July 1, 1912, minor children lost their claim to Italian citizenship when their father naturalized, regardless of when (before or after) or where the children were born or living at the time.

[pink67]

Thanks Johnnyonthespot

On the NARA site I found this:

http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/natur ... ation.html

Exceptions to the General Rule
Having stated this "two-step, 5-year" general rule, it is necessary to note several exceptions.

The first major exception was that "derivative" citizenship was granted to wives and minor children of naturalized men. From 1790 to 1922, wives of naturalized men automatically became citizens. This also meant that an alien woman who married a U.S. citizen automatically became a citizen. (Conversely, an American woman who married an alien lost her U.S. citizenship, even if she never left the United States.) From 1790 to 1940, children under the age of 21 automatically became naturalized citizens upon the naturalization of their father. Unfortunately, however, names and biographical information about wives and children are rarely included in declarations or petitions filed before September 1906. For more information about women in naturalization records, see Marian L. Smith, "Women and Naturalization, ca. 1802-1940," Prologue: Quarterly of the National Archives, Vol. 30, No. 2 (Summer 1998): 146-153.

So, maybe when Salvatore filled out the Declaration or the Petition didn't wrote the names of his children and they had to ask for their naturalization by themselves?

Laura

[johnnyonthespot]

Laura, there is US law and then there is Italian law. Cited by you above is the US law regarding derivative naturalization.

However, Italian law also applies. So far as Italy is concerned, prior to July 1, 1912, spouses and minor children lost their "Italianità" (for lack of a better term) when their husband/father naturalized regardless of whether the children were born before or after the fact. The consulates are not likely to be concerned with the children being listed on US naturalization papers or not, as the Italian law is clear and does not require any specific listing of the children.

The relevant law is here http://www.italgiure.giustizia.it/nir/1 ... _2427.html

[pink67]

So why is it impossible to find a record of his Naturalization? I have searched a number of sites (e.g., www.italiangen.org/dat...elist.stm) and have not located him. The National Archives came up blank... at least for me. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Louis

Thanks Johnnyonthespot for claryfing for me... but I'm just trying to help the poster to find if Salvatore was really Naturalized or not...

As I found that also his son Giovanni Battista Tusa (the only male child on the 1901 arrival manifest) got his naturalization on 1923, and his father was already dead because I found a 1910 census were Carmela Tuso is a widow, I was wondering why Salvatore's children had to ask for the Naturalization if their father was already Naturalized and consequently passed them the Naturalization....
One reason could have been that he didn't wrote his children's names on the Petition or declaration but another reason could have been that he never asked for the Naturalization....
This is why I was searching these records... non for a specific matter of Naturalization laws, just for a genealogical research...

For references:

1910 United States Federal Census
about Carmella Tusa
Name: Carmella Tusa
[Carmella Tuso]
Age in 1910: 45
Estimated birth year: abt 1865
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Home in 1910: Manhattan Ward 17, New York, New York
Marital Status: Widowed
Race: White
Gender: Female
Year of Immigration: 1895
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Carmella Tusa 45 head, female, widow, born in IT, mother of 13 children among whom only 5 living
John Tusa 20 son, single, born in IT
Rosie Tusa 18 daughter, single, born in IT
Angelina Tusa 16 daughter, single, born in IT
Willie Tusa 7 son, single, born in NY

page 1:
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=TshriUi

page 2:
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqXX1VJ

Giovanni Battista Tusa married Maria Costa in Manhattan on December 28, 1915

Tusa Giovanni B Dec 28'14 1915 Manhattan Certificate number: 476
Costa Maria Dec 28'14 1915 Manhattan Certificate Number: 476

Selected U.S. Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974 (World Archives Project) about Maria Tusa
Name: Maria Tusa
[Maria Costa]
State: New York
Court Type: District Court
Court Location: Southern District, New York
Naturalization Record Type: Petition for Naturalization
Naturalization Record Number: 397912
Roll Description: (Roll 1362) Petition No. 397767 - Petition No. 398297
Archive: National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Collection Title: Petitions for Naturalization from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1897-1944
Archive Series: M1972
Archive Roll: 1362

on the Petition Maria Tusa (maiden name Costa) stated that her husband Giovani was naturalized on January 9, 1923 at New York Certificate number: 1797643

image:
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVIHE80

I hope that all these "reasonings" can help the poster to determine "if" and where to search

Laura

[pink67]

I would also consider the 1903 arrival manifest were Salvatore is listed as Italian Citizen....

Don't know if this 1903 arrival manifest could be of help...

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Cusa Salvatne
Name: Cusa Salvatne Tusa Salvatore
Arrival Date: 24 Nov 1903
Estimated birth year: abt 1854
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian
Ship Name: Germania
Search Ship Database: Search the Germania in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Line: 12
Microfilm Serial: 15
Microfilm Roll: T715_416
Page Number: 78

Salvatore stated he was coming from Monreale - Palermo and was joining his wife Carmela Guastella. He's listed as Italian Citizen

image:
www.postimage.org/imag...?v=gxfCaLr

Laura

[defilip1]

Thanks all for so much help. Some of the information that you posted I already had, but some is new to me. The information on naturalization is especially interesting. It is my understanding that the numbers found on the manifests relate to events when their arrival was verified for some particular purpose. The purpose may or may not have been related to naturalization.

On some manifests, Salvatore Tusa is listed as a Citizen and is discharged on the Pier. In others he is listed as Italian. Perhaps he forgot his papers at home?

Furthermore each of the individuals that you mentioned is a relative. Maria Costa is my grandfather's sister, and wife of Giovanni Battista Tusa. All of the naturalization information is, to put it simply, quite terrific! However, I need to digest it all before I can give an intelligent reply and ask the next question!

Thanks again!!! Louis