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Archiver > USA-Naturalizations > 2003-03 > 1047957419


From: "fritzh31" <>
Subject: Re: [USA-Nat] Boston Naturaliztions
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 21:20:11 -0600
References: <007b01c2eca2$37c85c50$4c213941@blast01>


Eileen asked three questions, namely:
> 1.About how long after immigrating did most people apply to be
naturalized?
> 2.How do I know where my ancestors would have applied for
naturalization?
> 3.What offices in Boston do I contact to find the records for these
people?

My answers, such as they are, follow:
1. I don't think there is any rule of thumb that you can follow as to
elapsed time for MOST people before they initiated naturalization
proceedings. So far as I have been able to determine, my g-grandfather
(aged 42 in 1882 when he immigrated) never did file to become naturalized.
His 14 year old son (ultimately my grandfather) immigrated with him and 7
years later followed the so-called 'minor's proceedings' and became
naturalized a week after turning 21. Women had very little reason to become
naturalized, due to their inability to own land and vote in the 19th century
(at least where my immigrant ancestors settled). If a man had no interest
in politics and did not care about owning real estate, there was also very
little reason for some of them to become naturalized.
2. The short answer is there is no short answer to your second
question. The only requirement as to locale of naturalization proceedings
was that they be conducted in what was called 'a court of record'. The
entire proceedings did not need to be handled by the same court and there
was no requirement that the proceedings be conducted in the county (or even
the state) of the applicant's residence. Many times the early proceedings
were conducted in one state and the later proceedings were conducted in a
state several states away from the earlier one. If you have no idea where
your ancestor might have become naturalized, you might check the 1900, 1910,
and 1920 census records for your ancestors. Each of those censuses
contained questions about naturalized citizenship.
3. If you think the Boston area is the place for you to start I
recommend a little book entitled *Guide to Naturalization Records of the
United States* by Christina K Schaefer. It tells you where in each state
there are available naturalization records. She devotes only about 6 pages
to Massachusetts, but indicates the National Archives Regional Branch at
Waltham Massachusetts not only has an index of New England naturalization
proceedings for the period 1791-1906, but also indicates that the original
Federal court naturalization records for MA is also located there. State
court records for Suffolk county from 1864 to 1906 are shown to be located
at the Suffolk Superior Court in Boston. She also shows which records have
been microfilmed and thereby made accessible at Mormon Church Family Hisotry
Centers around the country (indeed around the world).


Good luck!
Fritz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary Cantrell" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2003 10:28 AM
Subject: [USA-Nat] Boston Naturaliztions


> I'm new at naturalization records, so hope someone can help direct me on
where to start. I'm looking for naturalization records for several
ancestors who moved to Boston in the 1890s from Newfoundland & Cape Breton,
as well as others from Ireland in 1875. They were Irish and lived in South
Boston, Dorchester, Cambridge & later Lexington. Here are some questions I
need help with:
>
> 1.About how long after immigrating did most people apply to be
naturalized?
> 2.How do I know where my ancestors would have applied for naturalization?
> 3.What offices in Boston do I contact to find the records for these
people?
>
> Thanks for any suggestions!
> Eileen Cantrell
> Mesa, Arizona
>
>
>
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