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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => US Lookup Requests => Topic started by: Suffolk Mawther on Wednesday 12 January 11 17:23 GMT (UK)
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Having just increased my subs to A******y I find I still need to pay more for access to yet more records (I can't keep up with all the records they have available ::)
I have today found something interesting in the 'Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York'
Michael Wilson
17th October 1889
King's County, New York
Volume 194
Record no. 48
My great grandfather Michael (a papermaker born in Ireland) left Liverpool and arrived at the Port of Boston on board the SS Baverian on 3rd May 1889.
Curious to know if this naturalization petition is for him :-\
He sent for the rest of the family in London but they never joined him in the USA. Family always believed he ended up in Pennsylvania working in steel industry.
Would be grateful for any help or advice please.
Pat ...
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It doesn't give much detail - basically that he was naturalized in the County Court in Kings Co., was a citizen of Great Britain & Ireland, and his witness was Thomas M. Nolan, but 17 Oct. 1889 was listed his date of naturalization. I'm not positive about how it worked in that time frame, but I think the naturalization process generally took years, so likely this would have been well before your man was eligible for naturalization.
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Many thanks for checking and for the advice Shellyesq
I am clutching at straws, I doubt I shall ever find out what happened to great grandad after he left London for the USA.
Pat ...
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The naturalization process worked like this:
You had to be in the US at least two years before filing a Declaration of Intent to become a citizen.
Then, you had to wait another three years (total of 5 minimum) to Petition for Naturalization. I believe that whatever state you chose to file the Petition in, you had to have resided there at least a year. So, if he came over in 1889, the soonest you would find him in Naturalization docs would be about 1894-96
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Hi Patticake and thank you very much for the explanation - this definitely confirms that this record is not my Michael Wilson.
Pat ...