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Surnames: CARLSON, TISDALE, FERRELL, KJELLANDER, BOHLEIFELDT
Classification: Immigration
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/yhH.2ACIB/848
Message Board Post:
The following documents were obtained from the Immigration & Nationalization Service.
I requested the Naturalization File of an ancestor of mine, named John Carlson
(1868-1937), of Worcester, MA, but was sent these in error, for the John Carlson mentioned
in the following documents is not the one I am researching. I thought I would transcribe
them anyway, in the hope that it might assist another researcher. The copies I have are
marked "Best Reproducible Copy Available," and were a challenge to transcribe,
but I was able to decipher them, using a magnifying glass, and will send copies to anyone
interested in this person. There is no photo on the certificate of naturalization. The
transcription follows.
Joel B. Keith
The Naturalization Documents of John Carlson,
of Chicago, Ill. & Allegan, Mich.
Document 1
United States of America
Certificate of Naturalization
No. 2129178
Petition Vol. 7, No. 312.
Description of Holder: Age: 56 years, Height: 5 ft. 8 in., Color: White, Complexion: Fair,
Color of Eyes: Blue, Color of Hair: Brown, Visible Distinguishing Marks: None.
Name & Residence of Wife: [Blank]
Names, Ages & Places of Residence of Minor Children:
Lillian, born Dec. 17, 1901 at Liverpool, now resides at Allegan.
Ida, born in Liverpool, Aug. 18, 1903, now living in Allegan.
Edith, born in Liverpool, Sept. 19, 1904, now living in Allegan.
Frank, born in Chicago, April 1909, now living in Allegan.
William, born in Chicago, 1910, now living in Allegan.
Grace, born in Chicago, May 13, 1912, now living in Allegan.
John Carlson
Signature of Holder
State of Michigan}
County of Allegan} §
Be it Remembered that John Carlson, then residing at Number [Blank] Street, City of
Allegan, State of Michigan, who previous to his naturalization was a citizen of the
Republic of Finland, having applied to be a citizen of the United States of America,
pursuant to the law, and, at a regular term of the Circuit Court of Allegan County, held
at Allegan on the 28th day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and
twenty-five, the court having found that the petitioner had resided continuously within
the United States for at least five years, and in this state for at least one year
immediately preceding the date of the filing of his petition, and that said petitioner
intends to reside permanently within the United States, had in all respects complied with
the law in relation thereto, and that he was entitled to be so admitted, it was thereupon
ordered by the said court, that he be admitted as a citizen of the United States of
America.
In testimony whereof the seal of said court is hereunto affixed on the 28th day of May, in
the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and twenty-five, and of our Independence, the one
hundred and forty-ninth.
William G. Tisdale
Court Clerk
Department of Labor
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Document 2
U. S. Department of Labor
Naturalization Service
United States of America
Petition For Naturalization
Pe. 312 – Duplicate
To the Honorable the Circit [sic] Court of Allegan, County of Allegan, Mich.
The petition of John Carlson hereby pled, respectfully showeth:
First, My place of residence is Allegan, Mich.
Second, My occupation is Carpenter.
Third, I was born on the 14th day of February, anno Domini 1869, at Oha [Oba?], Finland.
Fourth, I emigrated to the United States from Liverpool, England, on or about the 2nd day
of May, anno Domini 1906, and arrived in the United States, at the port of Philadelphia,
Penn. on the 27th day of May, anno Domini 1906, on the vessel, Mayor.
Fifth, I declared my intention to become a citizen of the United States on the 22nd day of
March, anno Domini 1918, at Chicago, in the Superior Court of Cook County.
Sixth, I am married. My wife’s name is Elizabeth, she was born on the 15th of December,
anno Domini 1871, at Yorkshire, England, and now resides at Allegan, Mich. I have seven
children, and the name, date, and place of birth, and place of residence of each of said
children is as follows:
Lillian, Born Dec. 17th 1901, Liverpool, now lives in Allegan, Michigan.
Ida, Born Aug. 18th 1903, Liverpool, now lives in Allegan, Michigan.
Edith, Born Sept. 10th 1904, Liverpool, now lives in Allegan, Michigan.
Frank, Born Aug. 4th 1907, Chicago, Ill., Now lives at Allegan, Michigan.
Marion, Born April 8th 1908, Chicago, Ill., now lives at Allegan, Michigan.
William, Born Dec. 17th 1910, Chicago, Ill., now lives at Allegan, Michigan.
Grace, Born May 13th 1912, Chicago, Ill., now lives at Allegan, Michigan.
Seventh, I am not a disbeliever in or opposed to organized government, or affiliated with
any organization or body of persons teaching disbelief in or opposed to organized
government. I am not a polygamist, nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I am
attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and it is my
intention to become a citizen of the united Stated and to renounce absolutely and forever
all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and
particularly to [struck through - The Present Government of Russia] The Republic of
Finland, of which at this time I am a subject, and it is my intention to reside
permanently in the United States.
Eighth, I am able to speak the English language.
Ninth, I have resided continuously in the United States of America for the term of five
years at least immediately preceding the date of this petition, to wit, since the 27th day
of May, anno Domini 1906, within the state of Michigan continuously next preceding the
date of this petition, since the 2nd day of September, anno Domini 1918, being a residence
within this state of at least one year next preceding the date of this petition.
Tenth, I have not heretofore made petition for citizenship to any court.
Attached hereto and made a part of this petition are my declaration of intention to become
a citizen of the United States, together with my affidavit and the affidavits of the two
verifying witnesses thereto, required by law. Wherefore your petitioner prays that he may
be admitted a citizen of the United States of America.
John Carlson
Complete and true signature of petitioner
Declaration of Intention No. 81441, of this 11th day of February 1925.
Affidavit Of Petitioner And Witnesses
State of Michigan}
County of Allegan} §
The aforesaid petitioner being duly sworn, deposes and says that he is the petitioner in
the above-entitled proceedings, that he has read the foregoing petition and knows the
contents thereof, that the said petition is signed with his full, true name, that the same
is true of his own knowledge, except as to matters therein stated to be alleged upon
information and belief, and that as to those matters he believes it to be true.
John Carlson
Complete and true signature of petitioner
James F. Farrell, occupation County Agent, residing at Allegan, Michigan, and Mary G.
Farrell, occupation Housewife, residing at Allegan, Michigan, being severally, duly, and
respectively sworn, deposes and says that he is a citizen of the United States of America,
that he has personally known John Carlson, the petitioner abovementioned, to have resided
in the United States continuously immediately preceding the date of the filing of his
petition since the 2nd day of September, anno Domini 1918, and in the State in which the
above-entitled petition is made, continuously since the 2nd day of September, anno
Domini1918, and that he has personal knowledge that the said petitioner is a person of
good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States,
and that the petitioner is in every way qualified in his opinion, to be admitted a citizen
of the United States.
James Farrell
Signature of witness
M. G. Farrell
Signature of witness
Subscribed and sworn to before me by the above named petitioner and witnesses in the
office of the Clerk of Court this 11th day of February, anno Domini, 1925.
Wm G. Tisdale, Clerk
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Document 3
U. S. Department of Labor
Naturalization Service
United States of America
Declaration of Intention
No. 81441
Invalid for all purposes seven years after the date hereof.
State of Illinois}
County of Cook} §
In the Superior Court of Cook County,
I, John Carlson, aged 49 years, occupation Carpenter, do declare on oath that my physical
description is: Color white, complexion fair, height 5 feet, 8 inches, weight 160 pounds,
color of hair brown, color of eyes blue, other visible distinguishing marks none.
I was born in Oba [Oha?], Finland, on the 14th day of February, anno Domini 1869; I now
reside at 3748 N. 58th Pl., Chicago, Ill.
I emigrated to the United States of America from Liverpool, England, on the vessel Mayor:
my last foreign residence was Liverpool, England. I am married: the name of my wife is
Elizabeth: she was born at England, and now resides at Chicago, Ill.
It is my bona fide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any
foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and particularly to the Present
Government of Russia, of whom I am now a subject:
I arrived at the port of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on or about the 27th
day of May, anno Domini 1906; I am not an anarchist: I am not a polygamist, nor a believer
in the practice of polygamy: and it is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of
the United States of America and to permanently reside therein: So help me God.
John Carlson
Original signature of petitioner
Subscribed and sworn to before me in the office of the Clerk of said Court at Chicago,
Ill., this 27th day of March, anno Domini 1918.
John Kjellander
Clerk of the Superior Court
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Document 4
U. S. Department of Labor
Naturalization Service
District Director of Naturalization
Chicago, Illinois
March 25, 1925
Mr. William Tisdale
County Clerk
Allegan, Michigan
Dear Sir:
1. There is returned herewith duplicate petition No. 312, John Carlson, for correction.
2. It is stated in the 3rd assertion that the petitioner was born in Finland while in the
7th assertion he renounces, “The Present Government of Russia.” The proper renunciation
for people born in Finland is to, “The Republic of Finland.” The 7th assertion should be
corrected to show proper renunciation.
3. If the petitioner has not filed a previous petition all the matter in parenthesis in
the 10th assertion should be struck out.
4. As the petitioner arrived in the United States on May 27, 1906, no certificate of
arrival is required and in the line following the petitioner’s first signature the words,
“and Certificate of Arrival from Department of Labor,” should be struck out, and in the
last paragraph of the petition, above the petitioner’s first signature, the words, “and
the Certificate from the Department of Labor,” should be struck out.
5. After the necessary corrections have been made, please return the duplicate petition to
this office.
Very truly yours,
Fred J. Bohleifeldt,
District Director.
END – Naturalization Documents of John Carlson, of Chicago, Ill. & Allegan, Mich.
Transcribed by Joel B. Keith
joelk300(a)tampabay.rr.com
29 Sep 2003