Author Topic: Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??  (Read 1542 times)

Offline littlepew

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Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??
« on: Monday 13 July 20 23:21 BST (UK) »

Would an "alien" have needed to provide a birth certificate from their country of birth (Scotland, 1878) in order to have become a naturalized American citizen (1907)?  I ask because I have a copy of my Scottish grandfather's U.S. Petition for Naturalization but have unsuccessfully searched  every site I can think of  trying to find a Scottish birth certificate/registration.  Perhaps there isn't one???

Offline CaroleW

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Re: Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??
« Reply #1 on: Monday 13 July 20 23:31 BST (UK) »
What was his name and whereabouts in Scotland was he born?  Any parental details known?
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Carlin (Ireland & Liverpool) Doughty & Wright (Liverpool) Dick & Park (Scotland & Liverpool)

Offline littlepew

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Re: Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 14 July 20 00:44 BST (UK) »
Thanks for your LIGHTNING FAST response!  His name was James W. (Wylie or Wiley) Ferguson and I have mostly seen his birthplace as Glasgow (according to the 1881 Census, his birth county was Lanarkshire and the town was Glasgow ~ Down Street) although I have seen Edinburgh once on a ship's manifest:-\     D.O.B. was 12 May 1878. Parents were William Ferguson and Margaret/Mary Wylie/Wiley ~ both emigrated to the U.S. around 1910 but James had preceded them to the U.S.  James' paternal grandparents were James Ferguson and Maltilda Mitchell Ferguson.  Maternal grandparents were James Wylie/Wiley and Mary Young Wylie/Wiley.     Thanks you again for your incredibly speedy response . . .  I look forward GREATLY to any clues you can share.   :)

Offline Dundee

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Re: Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 14 July 20 01:50 BST (UK) »
I assume this is William and Margaret's marriage in Ireland:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1876/11173/8093689.pdf

Scotland indexes do not give a mother's maiden name for births in that time period so you would need to purchase some credits and look at all the James FERGUSON births, I would start with the reg. district of Dennistoun as that is where they were living in 1881.  There are two in 1878.

https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/advanced-search

Debra  :)


Offline littlepew

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Re: Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 14 July 20 03:10 BST (UK) »
Thank you, Dundee.  I believe you found the correct  couple's marriage registration ~ wonderful!!  As for the 2 Dennistoun "Jameses,"  I checked both and neither of the fathers matched the name of my grandfather's dad.  Also, the marriage dates shown for the parents don't match my greatgrandfather's either.  (It's interesting that the marriage date of each couple was included in birth registrations then.) In any case, it was a GREAT lead and I really appreciate your very, very kind help.   :)   

Offline Girl Guide

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Re: Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 16 July 20 22:34 BST (UK) »
Did you have James' death record?

Name:   James Wylie Ferguson
Event Type:   Burial
Event Date:   1960
Event Place:   Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Event Place (Original):   Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Age (Estimated):   82
Photograph Included:   N
Birth Date:   12 May 1878
Death Date:   15 Dec 1960
Cemetery:   Northwood Cemetery
Affiliate Record Identifier:   88794920
Affiliate Image Identifier:   88794920
Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire

Offline Girl Guide

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Re: Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 16 July 20 22:48 BST (UK) »
The picture of the grave shows a Sarah E Ferguson buried with him in 1966.

If I have the right marriage:-

James W Ferguson to Sarah Eaton on 12th October 1916 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Ashford: Somerset, London
England: Devon, London, New Zealand
Holdway: Wiltshire
Hooper: Bristol, Somerset
Knowling: Devon, London
Southcott: Devon, China
Strong: Wiltshire
Watson: Cambridgeshire
White: Bristol
Windo - Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire

Offline littlepew

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Re: Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??
« Reply #7 on: Friday 17 July 20 01:33 BST (UK) »
Thank you, Girl Guide.  I appreciate your efforts and your kind help.  I do have the marriage and death/burial information ~ but you were perfectly correct on everything.  Interestingly my grandparents (Sarah and James) were married in a church my minister husband later pastored in Philadelphia (near where we live) and her sister was married in another church where he later served.  Thank you for all the "leg work" you did. 
          Appreciatively,
          Littlepew

Offline DonM

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Re: Scottish Birth Certificate needed for US Naturalization??
« Reply #8 on: Friday 17 July 20 02:32 BST (UK) »
Scotland's People

FERGUSON JAMES M 1878 644/6 807 St Rollox

Parents match their marriage matches but his day of birth is off by one day.

Don


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