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Archiver > APG > 2008-03 > 1204559857


From: Katherine Flynn <>
Subject: Re: [APG] mid 1850's naturalization
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 07:57:37 -0800 (PST)
In-Reply-To: <004e01c87d34$0ebd5680$2c380380$@net>


Dear Janis,

Your opening question already has several assumptions built into it. The foremost being that the persons in question were personally queried by the enumerator! The next assumption is that the enumerator wrote down correctly what he heard.

Of course, we all know that there is no way to tell exactly what happened on these census visits. So I believe it is a stretch to say these people purposely lied. The census would have no bearing on their jobs or views in the community. His Irish ancestry would be dead apparent. And, to speculate here a bit, if he was indeed born and raised in Ireland I am sure he had a brogue that would give him away in a second. :)

In many of my lines where I have migrating families WITHIN the USA it is not unusual to see three different states listed as the place of birth over the years! So when I saw your list I sighed and said to myself, "So typical!"

Sincerely,
Kathy Flynn

Janis Gilmore <> wrote:
Would there have been a reason to lie about having been born outside the
U.S.?

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