Don't overlook information on original sources!

Disownya1 asked about a record he/she found:

I found the declaration #639 and declaration page 211 on Francesco Vartuli under Declaration of Intent for Naturalization: New York County: 1907-1924. I can't find what is in the file, only those numbers. What can I do with those numbers? Order online? Go to New York and do a physical search?

ASK OLIVE TREE answer: Well Disownya1, you sent me on a bit of a chase! You neglected to tell me *where* you found this indexed information so I had a hunt.

Why did I need to know where you found it?

Because 99.9% of all databases, whether online or in a book or on microfilm, have an EXPLANATION with the data which explains where the database came from, what's contained in it and where to obtain the full details!

This is very important. Without that information you are in the dark as to how and where to obtain the full record. So I'm always surprised by how many researchers overlook it. It might be at the beginning of a book or microfilm, or at the end. With an online database you must look to see where it is displayed on the website.

So I went on a hunt and I found that you searched Index to Declaration of Intent for Naturalization: New York County, 1907-1924 on Ancestry.com . This is what I needed to know - the location where you found the entry. Then I simply read what was on the page on the website and your question was answered.

So go back to the website. Search for your name of interest again. When you see the search results you will also see a paragraph or two that begins with

Source Information:

Ancestry.com. Index to Declaration of Intent for Naturalization: New York County, 1907-1924 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2003.


Original data: New York State Supreme Court. Declarations of Intention filed in New York County, 1907-1924. County Clerk's Office, New York County, New York.

Description:
This database is an index to Declarations of Intentions for Naturalization for New York County, New York, U.S.A. from 1907 to 1924.....

Keep reading - you will see a clickable link "Learn More..."

By clicking on that link you will find out exactly what information the original records contain.

But how do you get those records? Well, if it were me, I'd write and request them from the Original Data source given with the explanation. It tells you exactly where the originals are kept.

Finding a Death at Sea

Maureen's question is about deaths on board a ship.

How can I find out if my Great Grandmother was on an immigration ship in 1887 and buried at sea?

OLIVE TREE ANSWER: Dear Maureen - there are two parts to your question. First, to find out if your great grandmother was on board a ship in 1887, you must consult the ships' passenger list.

You didn't say where the ship was sailing to so I can't give you specific help, but Ancestry.com has many of the ships passenger lists to USA and Canada indexed and online. You might also check Ships Passenger Lists on Olive Tree Genealogy.

Deaths at sea were recorded on the passenger manifest. So again you need to find the ships' passenger list. You may find the death notation beside the passenger name or you may find it listed on the last page of the manifest.

Whether or not the individual was buried at sea will depend on where the ship was at the time of death. For example my great-great grandmother Sarah (Elvery) Stead died on board ship en route from England to Australia in 1867.

However the ship was either in or very near Sydney Harbour at the time of her death, so Sarah was buried in a cemetery in Sydney. Had they been in the middle of the ocean, I suspect she'd have been buried at sea.

Finding Texas Naturalization Records Before 1930

Tonya, from the County Clerk's office in McKinney Texas had an interesting question for me about naturalization records before 1930

I am trying to find out who kept local naturalization records in Texas prior to 1930. We do not have those records in our archive (County Clerk) and the District Clerk has said they don’t have anything either. Do you know who else may have kept those records? The Texas State Archives have indicated they should be local. Can you help?

ASK OLIVE TREE response: Dear Tonya,

You didn't provide me with a start year for the records you are interested in. 1906 is a cut-off date and you will need to check either PRE 1906 or POST 1906 for your answer.

I'll assume POST 1906 but before 1930 for the purpose of this blog. BCIS naturalization certificate files (C-Files) include a duplicate copy of all naturalization records after September 26, 1906. C-Files include all US naturalizations from all States and Territories, and from all courts (Federal, State, and local).

Most C-Files from 1906 to 1956 are on microfilm, with the remainder in paper form, and BCIS has an index to those that have been filmed. They are available with a Freedom of Information/Privacy Act request to BCIS Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

See NaturalizationRecords.com for more info and al ink to a FOI page

Finding an Early Ontario Ancestor's Birth Records

John's question was about birth records in Ontario before 1860:

I am researching my family in the UK and have found two ancestors apparently born in London, Canada West. They are :-


Hannah Olivant born about between 1854 and 1857 and John Olivant born between 1856 and 1858. (From UK census information). Parents Isaac Olivant and Ann Olivant.

Is it possible that their baptism records have survived and if so could you advise me on the best place to look for them?

ASK OLIVE TREE Answer: Dear John, Canada West became Ontario but Ontario did not begin civil registration until 1860 [sorry this is a typo, the year was 1869!]. That means you must search church records for your ancestors' baptism.

The next problem however is to determine IF the necessary church records exist! Your first step is to note your ancestors' religion, then find the relevant churches for London Ontario that have surviving records.

Next you need to know what District London was in for the years you need. Canada West was divided into 20 Districts and within those Districts were various counties. See the linked teext for Canada West to determine the district and county name that you need.

Having armed yourself with the needed facts (religon, district and county name) you can have a look to see what church records exist between the years 1854 and 1858

You might check the Ontario Archives and London Public Library for help with finding available Church Records

You should also have a look at the Ancestor Birth Record Finder for ideas on other places to search.

Wives Were Considered Special Cases for Naturalization Records

David asked 3 questions about naturalization and citizenship records. He tells me he's never had a definitive answer to any of the three. Here is one of them with my response.

"My grandfather married my grandmother, in Brooklyn, NY on Feb. 1892. She too immigrated, and was from the former German Province of Posen.(today Poland

I have never been able to find any ship manifests listing her, but my main question, is, since my grandfather was naturalized in 1890, did she receive 'automatic' citizenship as a result of his naturalization?"

Olive Tree Answer: Dear David, I'm answering one of your 3 questions today as it is a very quick and easy one to respond to. A visit to Special Cases on my NaturalizationRecords.com website will provide you with the definitive answer you've been looking for.

Scroll down the page to the brief section titled WIVES.

I will answer your other questions too in a future blog post.

Outbound Ships Passenger Lists

Shannon's question involved outbound ships passenger lists from USA.

I'm looking for incoming ships lists for Naples, Italy and Palermo, Italy between 1910 and 1914. Port of departure is New York City.


Do you know if this records exist? Or if there are outbound USA ship records between 1910 and 1914?

ASK OLIVE TREE RESPONSE: Hi Shannon. That's a good question and it's an easy question to answer. Neither USA nor Canada kept any outgoing ships passenger lists.

That means you need to check the incoming port of arrival to see what ships passenger lists (if any) survive and are accessible for your time frame.

So you will need to check for incoming lists in Italy 1910-1914. I'd try their state archives. This site has a list of them.

You might find reference to passengers in local newspapers. There is project to list outbound Ships Passenger lists from the actual ship papers given to passengers which you may want to check.

Searching Border Crossing Records for an Ancestor

Hazel's question involved Canadian research.

You are my last hope in finding details of my gt uncle george. I have very little to go on:


George murray 1885 Crimond Aberdeenshire Scotland. Parents were George and Isabella Murray. In the 1901 census aged 15 he was an apprentice printer living in Fraserburgh Aberdeenshire Scotland

The only other information I have is that he emigrated to Canada, I think Montreal Quebec. Also my sister thought that he had died in Canada in the late 1950s , had never married, but before she could tell me where she found this information from, she died.


Gt uncle George is the only relative that I am missing in my family tree. CAN YOU HELP PLEASE

ASK OLIVE TREE RESPONSE: Dear Hazel - Your first step should be to look for Uncle George in the online 1911 Canadian Census. You can use Automated Genealogy or Ancestry.com. A quck look showed two very nice candidates - both immigrated in 1910. One is in Ontario, the other in British Columbia

Next, have you checked the online Border Crossing Records? I had a quick look and am pretty sure I found your Uncle going between USA and Canada. These Border Crossing Records are online on Ancestry.com.

Don't forget to search the online Ships Passenger Lists to Canada for your Uncle's arrival! Use Ancestry.com or check the links to other online Canadian Ships Passenger Lists projects at Filling in the Gaps - Canadian Ships Passenger Lists.

Get details from these records first, and that will help you narrow your search to a specific location in Canada.