I was told to give up!

lowlight · Post by **lowlight** » 08 Nov 2010, 06:09

I unfortunately have to agree by experience. That being said, I've heard of people (a relative as a matter of fact) that got citizenship with no records found letters and a declaration of intent. I'll double check that and report back. That is part of my hope that maybe I can find something that would allow the consulate to know that my ggf thought he'd naturalized when in fact he'd only begun the process and never completed it. But who knows....

jennabet · Post by **jennabet** » 08 Nov 2010, 07:44

I decided to look over again the Petition for my own grandfather. He arrived in 1910 at age 17 with his father and two brothers. He filed his Petition for citizenship in July 1918 and swore that he had been a resident of the United States for AT LEAST FIVE (5) YEARS previous to filing. He also swore that he was a resident of the State where petition was filed for AT LEAST ONE (1) YEAR.

His Petition was approved by Department of Labor, Naturalization Services on October 18, 1923. He took the Oath of Allegiance on March 6, 1924. (NOTICE: IT TOOK A FULL FIVE YEARS FROM DATE OF DECLARATION OF INTENTION BEFORE HE WAS EVEN APPROVED -- SO HE COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE ANY SOONER IF HE HAD WANTED TO). It took my grandfather a total of 11 years (from 1913 to 1924) to gain US citizenship.

The above (from 1919) is no different than today. An Alien today can file a Petition for Citizenship after THREE years of residing in the US if married to an American citizen and after FIVE years if not married to an American citizen. But it takes several years after that to be allowed to take the oath and an Alien today can expect to wait ten years before he's allowed to Naturalize.

I just can't fathom that an Alien prior to 1906 could become naturalized within four years.

lowlight · Post by **lowlight** » 08 Nov 2010, 15:01

yeah I agree 100% but how to prove that to a consulate that seems to only view things in black & white. I have a small list of different avenues I'll be exploring, many of which were ideas derived from here.

lowlight · Post by **lowlight** » 08 Nov 2010, 19:02

another place I'll be looking for answers is the social security administration. My ggf has a number listed on his death certificate but I find no record of it in the ss death index, this may be another falsehood. If it is real then maybe naturalization info is attached to it.

lilbees · Post by **lilbees** » 09 Nov 2010, 12:47

Just an F.Y.I., the SS index is not complete. Not much listed for deaths before 1965. You would need to write to the SS Administration for a copy of the SS application.

lilbees

lowlight · Post by **lowlight** » 09 Nov 2010, 17:25

thanks lilbees, I sent my request in last night so we'll see.

lilbees · Post by **lilbees** » 09 Nov 2010, 18:11

Another F.Y.I. The information in the application would contain his name, his parents names and hopefully place of birth. I say that in case just "Italy is written."

You won't find naturalization information on that application at all. Take a look at an application below.

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/5650 ... ssappl.jpg

lilbees

lowlight · Post by **lowlight** » 09 Nov 2010, 20:25

I guess my thinking was that he could not have had a SS number if he was an alien. Although I'm not sure entirely on that.

lilbees · Post by **lilbees** » 10 Nov 2010, 01:44

YOu know, I don't really know about that. Good question. Maybe someone here can help you on that.

lilbees

sceaminmonkey · Post by **sceaminmonkey** » 10 Nov 2010, 02:37

Yes from what I researched aliens would get an SS number even as they do today.

lowlight · Post by **lowlight** » 11 Nov 2010, 05:02

ok So I picked up the book: "They Became Americans" by Loretto Dennis Szus. I wanted to get more ideas of places to search and there a few that I had never thought of. I'm happy to share if you're interested. Anyway, does anyone have the ability to look at naturalization docs in NY? As that was my GFF place of arrival it's possible he began the process there. VJ (as well as Johnny) kindly furnished me with arrival info in an earlier post. He arrived on 5.6.1900....any takers?

sceaminmonkey · Post by **sceaminmonkey** » 11 Nov 2010, 05:05

I am actually going to be at the NARA in nyc on monday. shoot me your info in a pm and I will let you know what I find.

lowlight · Post by **lowlight** » 11 Nov 2010, 05:19

I just peeped Stevemorris.com and I'm not seeing much. Would your work be redundant? I don't want to make more work for you if I can do it.

lowlight · Post by **lowlight** » 12 Nov 2010, 21:30

So I just read that the Soundex Index Cards from the 1900, 1910 & 1920 censuses had naturalization information on them. Anybody able to confirm their usefulness and is the only access too them at our regional NARA facility?

jennabet · Post by **jennabet** » 12 Nov 2010, 23:03

Ancestry.com has the 1910, 1920 and 1930 Census.

I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!

Re: I was told to give up!