Came across this official paperwork clearing out my father's childhood house. It's the paper that declares my granfather a citizen of the United states. Both of my granfathers died in the coal mines in Pennsyvania before I ever had the chance to meet them.
Thought it would make an interesting read to the documentation of becoming a U.S citizen back in the early 1900's.
Funny as well, apparently my grandfather had three different last name changes (as my father told me, to make it easier for people to pronounce).
The bold print is what was handwritten.
Be it remembered, That at a Court of Common Please, held at Pottsville, in and for the county of Schuylkill, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, on the 1st day of September in the year of our Lord on thousand nine hundred and six- Joseph Leszkis, a native of Russia Lithuania exhibited a Petition, praying to be admitted to become a Citizen of the United States: and it appearing to the said Court that he had declared on oath, before the clerk of the said Court, that it was bona fide his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty, and particularly to the Czar of Russia of whom he was at that time a subject; and the said Joseph Leszkis having on his solemn oath declared and also made proof thereof to the satisfaction of the Court, by the testimony of Jos Beridrick, a citizen of the United States, the he had resided in the United States of America Three Years next preceding his arriving at the age of twenty-one years and continued to reside therein to the time of making his application; that, during the two years next preceding his application, it had be bona fide his intention to become a citizen of the United States; that he had resided One Year and upwards, last past, within the State of Pennsylvania, and within the United States of America Five Years and upwards last past, including the three years of his minority; that during that time he had behaved as a man of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same; that he does no disbelieve in, nor is he opposed to all organized government; that he is not a member of, or affiliated with, any organization entertaining and teaching such disbelief or opposition; that he does not advocate, or teach , the duty, necessity, or propriety of unlawfully assaulting or killing any specific individual or officers generally of the Government of the United States; or of any other organized government, because of his or their official character; and that he has not violated any of the provisions of an Act to regulate the immigration of aliens into the United States, approved March 3, 1903; and having also declared on his solemn oath, before the said Court the he would support the Constitution of the United States; and that he did absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty, and particularly to the Czar Nicholas II of Russia of whom he was before a subject; thereupon, the Court admitted the said Joseph Leszkis to become a Citizen of the United States, and ordered all the proceedings aforesaid to be recorded by the Prothonotary of the said Court; which was done accordingly.
Thought it would make an interesting read to the documentation of becoming a U.S citizen back in the early 1900's.
Funny as well, apparently my grandfather had three different last name changes (as my father told me, to make it easier for people to pronounce).
The bold print is what was handwritten.
Be it remembered, That at a Court of Common Please, held at Pottsville, in and for the county of Schuylkill, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, on the 1st day of September in the year of our Lord on thousand nine hundred and six- Joseph Leszkis, a native of Russia Lithuania exhibited a Petition, praying to be admitted to become a Citizen of the United States: and it appearing to the said Court that he had declared on oath, before the clerk of the said Court, that it was bona fide his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty, and particularly to the Czar of Russia of whom he was at that time a subject; and the said Joseph Leszkis having on his solemn oath declared and also made proof thereof to the satisfaction of the Court, by the testimony of Jos Beridrick, a citizen of the United States, the he had resided in the United States of America Three Years next preceding his arriving at the age of twenty-one years and continued to reside therein to the time of making his application; that, during the two years next preceding his application, it had be bona fide his intention to become a citizen of the United States; that he had resided One Year and upwards, last past, within the State of Pennsylvania, and within the United States of America Five Years and upwards last past, including the three years of his minority; that during that time he had behaved as a man of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same; that he does no disbelieve in, nor is he opposed to all organized government; that he is not a member of, or affiliated with, any organization entertaining and teaching such disbelief or opposition; that he does not advocate, or teach , the duty, necessity, or propriety of unlawfully assaulting or killing any specific individual or officers generally of the Government of the United States; or of any other organized government, because of his or their official character; and that he has not violated any of the provisions of an Act to regulate the immigration of aliens into the United States, approved March 3, 1903; and having also declared on his solemn oath, before the said Court the he would support the Constitution of the United States; and that he did absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty, and particularly to the Czar Nicholas II of Russia of whom he was before a subject; thereupon, the Court admitted the said Joseph Leszkis to become a Citizen of the United States, and ordered all the proceedings aforesaid to be recorded by the Prothonotary of the said Court; which was done accordingly.
