1920 US Census

[Jassy]

Hi All
This might seem a daft question,but could someone tell me what PA stands for in column 14,Naturalised or Alien, of 1920 census.My relative seems to be the only one with this in that column.
Thanks in advance
Janet

[johnnyboy]

Hi Janet: PA indicates that your relative took the first step to becoming a U.S. citizen. That first step is filing what is called the Declaration of Intention. I think the person had to be in the U.S. for two more years before he (women at the time became naturalized through the husband or father) could file the Petition for Naturalization, which would result in his becoming a citizen. If a person is naturalized, there would be an NA in the column. AL means that the person was an alien.

The Declaration of Intention and the Petition for Naturalization are probably archived at the local or state level, depending on where your relative lived.

Regards,
John

 

[Jassy]

Hi John
Thank you.Now I need to look for Naturalisation Papers.
Thanks again
Janet

[johnnyboy]

Janet: Are you looking for actual naturalization papers or just proof that your relative was naturalized. I ask because finding the papers can be a long involved project. Naturalizations could be done by any court in the jurisdiction in which the person lived. That could be a county court, a state court, of a federal court. Microfilm copies of the paper could be held by a county court or archive, a state court or archive, or by a regional office of the U.S. national archive. Don't hesitate  to ask for help.

I'm assuming that you found the PA next to your relative's name in the 1920 census. If you find your relative in the 1930 census, an NA in the appropriate column should indicate whether he naturalized or not and the year should also be noted in the next column. 

John

[Jassy]

Hi John
I've got him on 1930 census with NA at his name,but no year,only the year of Immigration 1906.This was in San Francisco.What kind of info is on Naturalisation papers,maybe it wouldn't be worth the search.
Thanks again
Janet

[jorose]

As he would have naturalized after 1906, the records can be quite detailed.  The piece of paper you are wanting is called the Declaration of Intention (although there are more bits, this is the one with all the juicy info).

http://www.slcl.lib.mo.us/branches/hq/sc/nat/nat-quest-asked.htm - examples of what was asked during certain years. 

http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/naturalizationrecords.html - info about acquiring naturalization info.

[johnnyboy]

Hi Jassy and Jorose: I think the next step is to find your relative in the 1910 U.S. census. Since his immigration date is listed as 1906 on the 1930 census, he might have filed a declaration of intention as soon as 1908. If you find him in 1910 and it says PA, then you would look for online naturalization indexes in the locality where he was in 1910.

Once you pin down where he might have filed the declaration of intention, there is something called the US Genweb Project, at http://www.usgenweb.com/

USGenweb has links to a page for every state in the U.S. Once on the state's page, there are links to the individual counties. Usually the state pages have a county map telling you the name of the county and its "seat." As I noted in an earlier reply, there are many different courts through which one would file the declaration of intention and the naturalization petition. Also, not all Genweb pages have online indexes; putting them up is done by volunteers who've transcribed them from court records, say.

If you post the person's name, maybe I can look later in the week, when I have more time and can get to the local library to use Ancestry.com, to help you narrow the search. Other folks on Rootschat are also willing to help, so don't hesitate to post names, places, dates, and needs.

Regards,
John

[Jassy]

John and Jorose
Thank you.
I have him on 1910 census with PA at his name.
San Francisco City 32 District.
James Findlay b. 1875 Ayrshire Scotland.Glazier. Jeanie Findlay b.1876 Scotland.
Thomas age 12
James  age 8
Robert age 5 all born Scotland.
1920 Census
San Francisco City. Precinct 50.25th Ass. Dist.
James
Jeanie
Thomas
James
Robert and a daughter
Mildred age 3.
James' DOB was 13 Jan 1875.
Thanks for taking an interest.
Best wishes
janet