Re: Vince's msg below I checked my great grandfather's papers, which were also on file at Sunbury. James Wilson arrived in the US in 1884, [ I found his passenger record at the National Archives.] filed his declaration of intent in 1893, and was approved in 1895. At the bottom of the 1895 document, which mentioned Frederick Haas and Nicholas Ruffing as citizens who could attest to him, is evidence of a seal of approval, although it is hard to make out on the photocopy. I believe this was the certificate of citizenship. Sue Marcus In a message dated 9/19/04 4:35:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time, vinzot@worldnet.att.net writes: > > I am in possession of the naturalization papers dated August 25,1884 of a > family member obtained from the Sunbury courthouse. One document is obviously > the Declaration of Intention, but does not bear that title on the top of the > page. The second document also does not have a title, but does indicate by > a notation of the printing company that it is a Minority Petition. > > I was under the assumption that there would be the third document, being the > citizenship certificate, but this document was not in file. > > I was advised by a court clerk that as the minority petition was approved by > the court on the same date that the minority petition was prepared, and the > application for citizenship was approved and finalized on that date, the > citizenship certificate was not issued. I also noted that the declaration of > intention, the minority petition, and the court approval for citizenship all > took place on the same date, August 25,1884. > > Was this normal procedure during this time period in Pennsylvania whereby > citizenship could be applied for and granted on the same day? Also, if a > certificate of citizenship was issued in this case, but not in Sunbury's files, > where can the certificate be located? > > If anyone can offer input on this inquiry it will be appreciated. > > Vince > > > >