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Archiver > USA-Naturalizations > 2003-03 > 1047969406


From: "fritzh31" <>
Subject: Re: [USA-Nat] Boston Naturalizations
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 00:39:59 -0600
References: <!~!UENERkVCMDkAAQACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgAAAAAAAAAWMU4S1VzwBGwCG7VhhMRA8KAAAAQAAAASOxYqrhY1xGPugAEWmvytQEAAAAA@koyote.com>


Bill,

Your understanding is correct. I should have limited the language you
quoted to 'single women' or to 'women who were interested in prosecuting
naturalization on their own behalf 'or some such limiting language. The
point I was trying to make (and didn't do a very good job of) was that
because of various legal restrictions on women's rights, there was really
very little reason for most of them to even think about becoming a citizen
until those restrictions were removed by changes in society and the law.

Before the restrictions mentioned were removed, alien women who were married
to alien men *did* acquire (or derived) what was known as 'derivative
citizenship' through their husbands when the latter became naturalized. So
did minor children of the newly naturalized citizen.

Conversely, it is also my understanding that the reverse was true, that is,
women who were American citizens (even native born) lost their American
citizenship when they married alien men, becoming citizens of the foreign
country that their new husband was a citizen of. If he later became
naturalized, she reacquired American citizenship derivatively. I think this
happened to one of my grandmothers, although I have not been able to prove
it just yet. I do know she did not vote the first time she was legally
entitled to by virtue of the adoption of the Women's Suffrage amendment to
the US Constitution, I think because she was married to my alien
grandfather. But he went to the courthouse right after that election and
diligently prosecuted his naturalization, and ever after that my grandmother
was a diligent voter and member of the League of Women Voters. So I have
always assumed she was denied the right to vote at that first election
because she was told she was an alien, but Grandpa quickly took action to
rectify the situation, probably with a 'little prodding' from Grandma. :-)

For a good article from Prologue, the quarterly journal of the National
Archive & Record Administration (NARA), on naturalization of women, log onto
this site:
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/summer_1998_women_and_naturali
zation_1.html

Thanks for your question. All of my ancestral immigrants settled in Iowa.

Fritz

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Churchill" <>
To: "'fritzh31'" <>; <>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2003 10:53 PM
Subject: RE: [USA-Nat] Boston Naturalizations


Fritz,

You said:

"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)."

I though that between 1790 to 1922, wives of naturalized men
automatically became citizens. Is that not true?

Where did your immigrant ancestors settle?

Regards,
Bill Churchill
USA


-----Original Message-----
From: fritzh31 [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2003 9:20 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [USA-Nat] Boston Naturaliztions

Eileen asked three questions, namely:

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 . .
.


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).


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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