----- Original Message -----
From: "keith thomas" <k.thomas.3(a)virgin.net>
To: <BlaenauGwent-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2004 5:14 PM
Subject: [Bla'Gwent] HYDE PARK SCRANTON TO NANTYGLO/SARAH ANN JONES
Hi Keith,
Since Brynmawr Scene is still offline, so to speak, I'm back over here. I
should be able to help you with some of your questions and my wife and I
will be in Scranton next month for a research trip.
Would Sarah Ann be an american citizen with passport rights etc and
would
such records exist?<
If Sarah was born in Hyde Park/Scranton she was automatically an American
citizen and therefore there would have been no documents issued in this
regard.
What, if any birth records exist for hyde park scranton for 1883?<
Fortunately Scranton has birth records from 1878 to 1906 on microfilm at the
Albright Library in Scranton. Without knowing the exact date I would have to
go through the entire year 1883 to see of I could find her (and perhaps
1882).
Do any marriage records exist for the area?<
Yes, they have just completed a new index of marriage records at the
courthouse in Scranton and I will be doing research there as well.
Strangely, although Lackawanna became a county in 1878, Scranton's marriage
records don't begin until 1885, and I don't know if the Luzerne Co.
courthouse in Wilkes-Barre has marriage records prior to 1885. (Luzerne was
the county from which Lackawanna was created in 1878).
Would anyone have any knowledge of passenger lists for arrivals in
the uk
or from departures from PA?<
In the 19th century, IF the individual in question (the immigrant) became a
U.S. citizen, then his or her naturalization papers may be on file at the
courthouse. These documents would likely include a paper of intent, which
immigrants typically signed after being in the county for 3 years, stating
their intention to become a U.S. citizen, along with the actual citizenship
paper. The paper of intent often names the names the ship the immigrant
traveled on and the date it arrived in port. This information can then be
used at the National Archives in Washington D.C. to locate the ship's
passenger lists. I don't know of any departure lists for those traveling
back to the U.S. I think something like that would most likely somewhere in
Britain, perhaps Liverpool? The good U.S. immigration records, ones that
contained more helpful information that 19th century records, did not begin
until about 1906. In fact there's an online site for passengers who came
through Ellis Island that's helped a lot of people.
http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/ellisisland.html
Sounds like Richard and Ann's marriage will not be in Scranton because it
occurred before 1885, however there's a better than average chance that I
could find the birth record of a Sarah d/o Richard and Ann Jones at the
aforementioned Albright library. It takes about half an hour to 45 minutes
to search a year's worth of births on the microfilm.
Again, just let me know if you'd like me to do this for you. It won't be any
trouble, because there's a good chance I will find one on my one extended
family members in 1883, and it is my goal one day to search ALL the years to
see who I can find.
Cheers,
Jeff Thomas