LESSON SIX
Naturalization and Other Federal Records: Expanding Research for Twentieth Century Immigrants

READING ASSIGNMENT: Click here for Chapter 6

This lesson covers naturalization records created after 1906, as well as a review of the SSDI, and World War I Draft Records. As we cover records of the nineteenth century, we will discuss naturalization records again as they are more difficult to locate in the earlier periods. However, before you begin searching for these records, you need to understand this record group as it has been explained in the reading assignment Chapter 6.

From the “Brief History of Naturalization” you should have learned that each time Congress changed the rulings involving naturalizing citizens, the required forms changed. Therefore, more information was requested during times of national emergencies where more information was needed on each individual. Also knowing that an applicant had to reside five years in the United States and one year in the state, at the outset of these laws could explain why some of your ancestors stayed around the port where they arrived so they could fill the time requirements. Others quickly moved to their new area of residency.

Also the historical background indicated that any court could naturalize if it met some specific requirements. Therefore, it is important to look for the courts around your ancestor’s residence within a few years of his arrival and search those courts first for his petition for a naturalization. It is too bad the government did not require a link between the naturalization petition and the final papers because the petition almost always contains more genealogical information.

It was also nice to know that usually there was only one court designated in a county to handle naturalization procedures, unless it was a large city. You could use a book like the Handy Book for Genealogists, or the Redbook to determine just which courts in each county were so designated. After 1906 the naturalization came under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government and many fewer courts were authorized to perform a naturalization.

NATURALIZATION RECORDS
Prior to 1906, the original record of naturalization is in the court where the naturalization took place. After September 1906, for the first time, the forms were standardized nationwide for all courts. We will be discussing the earlier laws in upcoming lessons.

Under the Old Law, 1790-1906, there was no standardization of form or questions. Congress established the requirements for citizenship, but left procedure up to the courts to implement. As a result, there was a great variation among the courts as to what questions were asked. Beginning in September, 1906, this was no longer the case. For the first time, no matter what court a person applied to anywhere in the county, the forms and questions were the same. Although the forms have changed slightly over time, a petition after 1906 will basically provide the following information:

1. Full name of applicant, address and occupation
2. Exact date and place of birth
3. Date and port of departure
4. Name of vessel, date and port of entry
5. Name (usually first only), date and place of birth of spouse
6. Name, date and place of birth of children
7. Name, address and occupation of witness

Beginning around 1925, arrival information of the spouse is also included.

Women
In the chapter reading, you may have noticed that not until 22 October 1922, did a woman automatically became a citizen when: 1) she married an American citizen OR 2) her husband became a citizen.

If an American-born woman married an alien, she lost her citizenship since marital citizenship was determined by the husband. If her husband became a citizen before 10/22/1922, she regained her citizenship through his petition. If the husband become a citizen after 10/22/1922, the wife didn't regain her citizenship unless she filed a separate petition with the court. Under the Act of 1936, a woman who lost her citizenship solely by reason of marriage to an alien could file a Repatriation or regain her citizenship if she were widowed or divorced. These Repatriations are sometimes filed separately from naturalization petitions in some courts. Female naturalization records are extremely rare before 1920. They are common after that date (woman gained the right to vote in Federal elections) especially after October 1922.

Generally, records are found in either the Federal Court of the County court. In New England, if the naturalization was in a Federal court, the records are in the National Archives (NARA), 380 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA 02154 (617-647-8100).

If took place in a County court, contact that court. The records are either in the court or may be in the State or Judicial Archives. Connecticut records from all courts are in NARA in Waltham.