Lest it be construed from this that Judge Bunn is at all careless in this work of naturalization, it is quite the contrary. He is most deliberate and painstaking in bringing to the surface every point involved in the process. He questions applicants and their witnesses thoroughly and very often the latter are put through a more rigid catechism than are the applicants.
At noon today the judge had made 37 citizens in 90 minutes. The court room was crowded with the subject of nearly every foreign government, among them being three Turks, Englishmen, Austrians, Frenchmen, Germans, Russians, a Prussian, Irishmen, Danes, Norwegians and Swedes. In every instance the oath was administered by Deputy Clerk Sandel, and the entries are made in an ante-room adjoining the court.
Judge Bunn has decided to hold no more night sessions for the purpose of naturalization until next Tuesday. Probably two nights will be set aside the forthcoming week for this work.
The Saint Paul Globe; “Need of Second Papers. It Is Being Daily Impressed on the Voters.”; Oct. 8, 1897; p. 2.
Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson at Minnesota History Center. Released into the public
domain, as long as acknowledgement included.
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“The person seeking to become a citizen first went to a local ‘court of record’ that is any court that kept permanent records of its proceedings, and declared that it was his ‘bona fide intention’ to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce allegiance to his former country. This usually involved making a sworn statement before a judge and signing a printed document. It should be noted that because women could not vote during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and few women purchased land or homesteaded, it is unusual to find a naturalization record for female immigrants before the 1920’s. Some years later (the usual required period was 5 years) the applicant would reappear before the court with two witnesses who would swear that he had been a good citizen. The applicant would then take the oath of allegiance before the judge and be officially declared a citizen of the United States. If he was married and had children born overseas, his wife and minor children would automatically become citizens. Children born to a married couple after their arrival in America were considered citizens by birth, regardless of their parents’ status.
“Most of the records from this period, both ‘declaration of intention’ and ‘final papers’, contain only basic information. At best the first papers might give port and date of arrival, and even less frequently the town or city of birth. The usual forms only listed name, date of the oath and the country of origin. Final papers were equally sparse in content including name, date of oath, country of origin and names of witnesses – these were often relatives or neighbors.”
http://discussions.mnhs.org/collections/wp-content/uploads/podcasts//072_naturalization.pdf
“The person seeking to become a citizen first went to a local ‘court of record’ that is any court that kept permanent records of its proceedings, and declared that it was his ‘bona fide intention’ to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce allegiance to his former country. This usually involved making a sworn statement before a judge and signing a printed document. It should be noted that because women could not vote during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and few women purchased land or homesteaded, it is unusual to find a naturalization record for female immigrants before the 1920’s. Some years later (the usual required period was 5 years) the applicant would reappear before the court with two witnesses who would swear that he had been a good citizen. The applicant would then take the oath of allegiance before the judge and be officially declared a citizen of the United States. If he was married and had children born overseas, his wife and minor children would automatically become citizens. Children born to a married couple after their arrival in America were considered citizens by birth, regardless of their parents’ status.
“Most of the records from this period, both ‘declaration of intention’ and ‘final papers’, contain only basic information. At best the first papers might give port and date of arrival, and even less frequently the town or city of birth. The usual forms only listed name, date of the oath and the country of origin. Final papers were equally sparse in content including name, date of oath, country of origin and names of witnesses – these were often relatives or neighbors.”
http://discussions.mnhs.org/collections/wp-content/uploads/podcasts//072_naturalization.pdf
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If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including: census records, birth records, death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records. I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.
If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including: census records, birth records, death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records. I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.
Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.
Website: TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History
Contact me at: pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com
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