In a message dated 5/18/2002 1:52:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: > >> Why would they say born in NJ when my grandfather who he is living with > >says > >> his father was born in Ireland? Please help me figure this out with > some > >> suggestions, as this Joseph Fitzgerald is a mystery. . ( not really > just > >> cant find out where he is buried or where is was naturalized . > >> > >Chris- > > > >He probably wasn't naturalized. I have an Irish family who shows up for > the > >first time on the 1860 census saying everyone was born in Ireland and on > the > >next census and every one after that it says the parents were born Ireland > >but all the children were born in NJ. I *know* that isn't true--but they > >even said it in their obituaries. They either were trying to make > themselves > >appear to be citizens or they had something to gain by claiming to be NJ > >born--that is the only thing I can figure. I have never found > naturalization > >records for them either. I also figure there was some "stigma" to having > >been born in Ireland at that time in history. > > > >Joan > > This is often the case...hiding the nationality depending on the times, in both census papers and obituaries...our families did this with births in Germany and Italy, too, and even from Canada when Canadians came south to New England and "took" textile working jobs. [email protected]