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Wondering if this is true? Why should I keep looking for my ancestor who came from England in the volumes of naturalization records then?
I read on a Philadelphia website that Brits were subjects of the King and they were going to the King's land (America) so no naturalization was necessary. Really????
Wondering if this is true? Why should I keep looking for my ancestor who came from England in the volumes of naturalization records then?
I read on a Philadelphia website that Brits were subjects of the King and they were going to the King's land (America) so no naturalization was necessary. Really????
My grandparents came from England in 1911 and I found their naturalization papers. They had to go through Immigration just like everyone else. Of course, before there was a country with immigration laws, they would have just come here. That would have been the same for anyone from anywhere. The Pilgrims didn't have to get naturalized, lol.
It will depend upon the time period in which your ancestor arrived.
On my father's side, my ancestor Charles Woolverton came to America from England in 1682 with William Penn on his flagship, the "Welcome". No naturalization for him.
My mother came to America from England after WW 2 and she was naturalized.
Once we were established as a country it would have been different than in colonial days. I never heard that Brits were excused from naturalization. The apparatus for naturalization was a little loose in the early days and people could vote legally if they filed their intent papers but didn't take it any further. They probably considered themselves as citizens in many cases. I would look for the first filing of intent and then maybe final citizenship papers sometime later. It wouldn't have to be in the same state based on some of my ancestors' experience. Many just didn't bother.
Apparently nobody bothered very much until the late 1800s. That's when massive immigration began and states started passing laws. Federal laws followed. There's some information here:
If he came in 1839 he probably didn't need to be naturalized at all. I find most of my early ancestors by the date they were admitted to the church or were granted some land or joined the military--things like that.
That only applies to pre-revolutionary war. Before the revolution, the colonies were owned by Britain, so naturally British citizens did not need to naturalize. People from other nations in the colonies would naturalize (take the oath) as British citizens.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZgarden
So, he came in 1839, best I can determine. So, no naturalization?
Then this does not apply, as it was well after the US became an independent country. He may or may not have naturalized, not everyone did.
For Pre-Revolutionary ancestors, loyalty oaths to the new US government are great resources.
Some of the ancestors I have found were not land owners, so the loyalty oath is among the few primary sources available to put them in specific places in the late 1770s.
Wondering if this is true? Why should I keep looking for my ancestor who came from England in the volumes of naturalization records then?
I read on a Philadelphia website that Brits were subjects of the King and they were going to the King's land (America) so no naturalization was necessary. Really????
He may or may not have taken out naturalization papers, but if he did not than he was not a citizen of the U.S. Lots of info here on finding nats in Philly:
Wondering if this is true? Why should I keep looking for my ancestor who came from England in the volumes of naturalization records then?
I read on a Philadelphia website that Brits were subjects of the King and they were going to the King's land (America) so no naturalization was necessary. Really????
Prior to the Revolution?
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