Help with Naturalisation Papers on Family Search - James Wilson stevenson

[kentishkiwi]

Hi Everyone
Hope someone can help. I am trying to find my relatives naturalisation papers on Family Search. I have found him on the Returns of Naturalisations before various Massachusetts Courts in 1921. His name is James Wilson Stevenson and in the indexes for Naturalisations his details have him living at 42 Bullard St, Dedham, Massachusetts. From his second wifes own naturalisation papers it gives the date for James gaining naturalisation on the 29 Sept 1921. On her papers it gives a certificate number for his naturalisation as 1626166 but I can't seem to find this. Can anyone give me any hints. I am new to looking at these records and have looked at the petition numbers but they appear to be 6 digits so have already looked at 162616 and 162166. Perhaps someone may be able to point me in the correct direction for finding these papers.
Looking forward to any tips
Kind Regards
KK

[shellyesq]

I'm not sure the number of the petition for naturalization would be the same as the certificate of naturalization. 

There were various courts where people could be naturalized then, so if it mentions a court name on her record, that might be helpful.  Unfortunately, not every court has everything online.

[oldohiohome]

Were there any reference numbers on James' own card?
Could you post a link to the image of his index card and a few more details about him and his wife, ages, place of birth, 1910 1920 censuses, etc, so I/we can look around for them?

He could have walked to the Dedham Court House and Norfolk County Superior court, if that is any help. That is where I would look first if you get nowhere with your current searching.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/42+Bullard+St,+Dedham,+MA+02026/@42.2485578,-71.1774521,17z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e37f907a75c20d:0xe4f74add992d76d8!8m2!3d42.2490343!4d-71.1780744

And familysearch says what they have on film here:
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Massachusetts_Naturalization_and_Citizenship
but it might be what you have already seen.

They also say they have the US District Court naturalizations, but that is not the same as Norfolk [County] Superior Ct and is farther away - in downtown Boston. Unless his work took him into Boston

edited to add:
that Google maps link doesn't look like it will work as is. Here is a short version
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01o0v/

[*Sandra*]

A few snippets to help the search............

WW1 Draft - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBR6-94T5?i=5326&cc=1968530

WW2 Draft - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6PD7-XZR?i=1110&cc=1861144

marriage - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4XY-FWJ

 

1920 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX1P-ZS8

1930 census Helen divorced - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQ53-BVS

1940 census Helen divorced - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4N4-1XM

Sandra

[*Sandra*]

Newspaper article on marriage in case you haven't seen it.

The Boston Globe  Boston, Massachusetts 26 Oct 1912, Sat  -   Page 5

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33628355/miss_helen_hurley_mr_james_wilson/

Sandra

[kentishkiwi]

Thanks for everyones replies.
I already know a lot about James so I already had much of the information on him. Thanks Sandra for the links. Seeing his naturalisation papers is just the cream on top. His index card had very little on it - James Wilson stevenson, auto mechanic, Dedham, 36 years, Norfolk , September 29 1921 with the number 195 on it. I eventually found the following entry in the Returns of persons naturalised in 1921. Hope the link works okay.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9S-TN1V?i=483&cat=700375
I have taken another look at his wifes papers and as you said shellyesq the numbers are different. The certificate number is on the Oath of Allegiance.
For anyone interested James Wilson Stevenson was born in Scotland on 22nd October 1884 and the date he arrives in the USA is not clear as he was courtmartialled from the Royal Marines and after a prison term deserted. Some of the paperwork says he arrived in 1905 but that isn't correct as he was in prison until late July 1906. We will never know. Sandra put the links up for some of his details. His second wife was Alice Ferne Smith born in Canada. I have most of their details although haven't tracked them on the 1930 or 1940 census. I have picked them up on directories and James died in Swampscott in 1946. Alice died in Florida. My main query was really about the naturalisation papers but am happy for any other information available.

Many thanks
KK

[oldohiohome]

I eventually found the following entry in the Returns of persons naturalised in 1921. Hope the link works okay.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9S-TN1V?i=483&cat=700375

Thank you for the link, it wasn't showing up in a search.

The name of the court is at the top of the page, so your next step would be to contact Norfolk County Superior Court, Dedham, Massachusetts, with the information on that form: his name, the date of naturalization, and, for good measure, the number in the left hand column before his name. I doubt those records are on line.

They should be "Googleable". Include Massachusetts in the search terms since  I wouldn't be surprised if there is more than one Norfolk County in the US.

Try to get all his papers. There were three stages: 1) a Declaration of Intention, 2) Petition for Naturalization, 3) issuance of Certificate of Naturalization. The third is the least informative, from what I have seen, just saying that so and so was admitted as a citizen on such and such date. One of the other two might tell you the day he arrived in the US, exact DOB and place of birth, wife's name, children if any etc. They asked more information as years went by, but your man seems to have started the process in the late 1910's I would guess, so the records should have a lot of information on them.

edit to add:
He may have begun the process in a different court, but the papers in Norfolk Superior court should have  a reference to them. For example, 'filed Declaration of Intention in __ Court, date of --'. Then repeat the process.

[kentishkiwi]

Many thanks for the information. When I have time I will contact the Norfolk County Superior Court. It is unfortunate as I notice some records seem to be missing in the digitised family search records of the certifcate stubs. I believe his certificate number is in the missing records. Never mind.
Many thanks to all
Regards
KK

[kentishkiwi]

Hi
I have eventually found the records I was looking for. It took a lot of digging in Family Search but with a bit of time and patience I found them in the end.

KK