Need Help regarding Naturalization

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rachie
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Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by rachie »

I am trying to confirm if my husbands great-grandma became a naturalized citizen or not. From what I can see, she never actually gave up her Italian citizenship. Does anyone know of a way I can confirm this? Her name was Maria Buonafede (Nuccio Maiden name). She came over around 1913 and was born in Mezzoiuso, Sicilia. She died March 26? 1936. Her death record does not list any social security number either.

I believe her husband Calcedonia Buonafede Birth: 22 Oct 1888
Death: Jul 1968 was a citizen (does that mean he would have given up his Italian citizenship?)

Thank you for all of your help!
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Tamberino
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by Tamberino »

If his great-grandfather was an American citizen then when his great grandmother married him she lost her Italian citizenship and was granted an American citizenship.
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by Tamberino »

She wouldn't of had a SS number, they didn't exist back then. The only way you could go through your husband would be if his Great grandfather naturalized AFTER his grandfather was born.
PeterTimber
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by PeterTimber »

The USCIS has naturalziation records from 1906 thru April 1956 and if you go to www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis and clickon "learning about US citizenship" when that comes up click on Genelaogy for information on obtaining Naturalization records. =Peter=
~Peter~
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rachie
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by rachie »

Why would Calsidonio Buonafede have a SSN:349-03-2343, would that be because he died so much later? If they married in ITaly prior to him being an American citizen, would she still be an American citizen.

I am having a good amount of trouble finding when Calcedonia Buonafede actually became a naturalized citizen, I believe he came over in 1912.


12 Jul 1912
SS San Giorgio
Palermo to NY
Line 8 (note: traveling with line 9)
Colodonio Buanafede Lide 25, abt 1887
- married
- last residence Campofelice
- in Campofelice, father-in-law Salvatore Nuccio
- destination Chicago, Il
- joining brother-in-law Luciano Nuccio at 937 Larrabee Street
- born in Petralia Sot (Petralia Sottana?, Palermo, Sicily)

My grandpa was born November 19, 1915. Would there have been a waiting period that his father had to complete before he could become a citizen?
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by wldspirit »

Social Security cards were first issued beginning in November 1936.

Have you placed him on census? The census will list NA for naturalized, or
AL for alien.
Census were taken every 10 years. If he arrived in 1912, he would appear on the 1920 and 1930 census: the 1940 is not yet available to the public.
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pink67
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by pink67 »

Here is Rachie previous thread, it contains the censuses datas:

http://italiangenealogy.tardio.com/Foru ... 10240.html

Laura
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by wldspirit »

Would there have been a waiting period that his father had to complete before he could become a citizen?
Naturalization Process

Naturalization & Citizenship

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Tamberino
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by Tamberino »

I'll put it this way, prior to 1949, I think, it is around then, you got citizenship only through the paternal line. So, once the husband naturalized and gave up his Italian citizenship the wife lost her citizenship also. Also the census isn't always the most reliable source as one would be stupid to tell a complete stranger that they're in the country illegally. My family in every census said they were naturalized even when it wasn't true.

SS numbers were a product of the great depression FDR started social security, just like the FDIC insurance on bank deposits, government work projects and so forth.
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by wldspirit »

Also the census isn't always the most reliable source as one would be stupid to tell a complete stranger that they're in the country illegally. My family in every census said they were naturalized even when it wasn't true.
Don't tell that to half the membership who uses the census for clues to naturalization, :wink: ... not to mention it is one of the most recommended resources available to determine naturalization status. 100% accurate? No, but still widely used as a guide.

I'm somewhat confused by your statement "that they're in the country illegally".......the mass majority did not come to this country illegally, immigration had specific laws and structure........nor was it a law that they had to naturalize....that was a voluntary choice....

For further reading:

NARA

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Tamberino
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by Tamberino »

I understand what you are saying but you take too many assumptions. You're generalizing everything I said, even though I did not. Never in my statement did I say anything about a vast majority. As a GUIDE, yes, the census records should be used. As you see "isn't always" implies that it is generally correct but there are occasions that it is incorrect. I just gave an example for one such case. Which so happened to be my case, until my Great-great grandfather actually naturalized.
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Re: Need Help regarding Naturalization

Post by vj »

Just for information: I did an edit on Rachie's old post
I reread the 1913 manifest and corrected the note saying her father may have been a US Citizen.
My apologies, Valarie
---

This is unrelated to the subject at hand, but perhaps Rachie would like to have it

Possible naturalization paperwork information for Salvatore Nuccio:

from this site:
http://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/NR/default.aspx

COOK COUNTY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Declaration of Intention

Volume Number
246
Page Number
383
Declaration Number
121083

First Name
SALVATOREO
Last Name
NUCCIO

Occupation
LABORER
Birth City
CAMPOFILICI
Birth Country
ITALY

Birth Date
8/15/1861

Current Address
1104 SEDGWICK ST.
Current City
CHICAGO

Departure Location
PALERMO, ITALY
Arrival Date
3/19/1913

Declaration Date
2/4/1921

Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court — Archives
50 West Washington — Room 1113 • Chicago, IL 60602
1 312.603.6601
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