Thursday, December 6, 2018

Livingston County, Kentucky Naturalizations 1851


A person became a naturalized citizen of the United States after having first filed his intention to do so and disavowing all allegiance to a foreign power. In Kentucky, the intention was filed in county or circuit court and recorded in the court order books (court minutes).  The information in the declarations may vary, but usually includes the name of the person, when he filed his petition for naturalization, and to whom he formerly vowed allegiance. The following naturalization declarations are abstracted from Livingston Court Circuit Court Order Books L and M and Livingston County Court Order Book L. 


This day Michael Nefzgar personally appeared in Court & produced a certificate showing that he had on the 2d Monday & 14th day of October 1839 in the County Court of Allegany County, Maryland made declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and having declared on oath that he would support the Constitution of the United States & be true & faithful to the Commonwealth of Kentucky ... & renounces ... all allegiance to any foreign Prince, Potentate  State or Sovereignty whatever & particularly to the King of Byon [sic] Germany whereof he was a subject   And having produced Satisfactory evidence of his having always behaved as a man of good moral character & attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States ... Therefore the said Michael Nefzgar is  hereby admitted & declared to be a citizen of the United States. [Mon., 7 July 1851, County Court Order Book L, p. 26]

Lewis Gates made declaration for purpose of becoming a citizen of the U.S.   He was born 6 Jan 1820 in department of Marielle [sic] in Kingdom of France  that he left France in June 1842 and landed at Charleston, South Carolina on the 24th day of Aug 1842 and is now a subject of Louis Phillip King of France and has been since his birth  ... now being desirous to become a citizen of the U.S. renounces allegiance & fidelity to any & every foreign Prince, Potentate, State & Sovereignty ... particularly to Louis Phillip. [signed] Louis Gates.  [Livingston County Circuit Court Order Book L, p. 436,  19 September 1845] Lewis Guitch [sic] appeared in Court & produced a certificate showing he had on the 19th September 1845 in the Circuit Court of this county made the necessary declaration to become a citizen ... Lewis Gates, alias Guitch declared a citizen of the U.S. [Livingston County Court Order Book L, p. 28, 7 July 1851]

James Zanone, age about 32 years, about 6 feet high, blue eyes and of fair complexion, slightly marked with the small pox, an alien, came in Open Court and made the following declaration - Came to the United States on or about the 17th of July 1842 from Genoa in Sardinia and is bonafide his intention to become a citizen of the U.S. and renounce forever all allegiance to any foreign Prince, Potentate particularly Charles  Albert who was then and to Victor Emanuel now King of Sardinia. [signed] James Zanone. [Livingston County Circuit Court Order Book M, p. 503, 26 May 1849]  Zanone appeared in Court and produced a certificate showing his intention to become a citizen of the U.S. ... having produced satisfactory evidence of his having always behaved as a man of good moral character ... declared to be a citizen of the United States. [Livingston County Court Order Book L, p. 27, 7 July 1851]

John Signaigo, an alien, is about 41 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches high with dark hair & eyes & of dark complexion came into Court & upon his oath made declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States. He came to America on or about the [blank] day of December 1847[1] from Genoa in the Kingdom of Sardinia. [signed] John (X  his mark) Signaigo. [Livingston County Circuit Court Order Book M, p. 504, 26 May 1849] John Signaigo appeared in Court and produced a certificate showing that he had on the 26th day of May 1849 made declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the U.S. And having declared on oath that he would Support the Constitution of the U.S. and be faithful to the Commonwealth of Kentucky ... and he renounced allegiance & fidelity to any foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty and particularly to Chas. Albert who was & to Victor Emanuel who is now King of Sardinia ... declared to be a citizen of the United States. [Livingston County Court Order Book L, p. 27,  7 July 1851]






[1] Year is overwritten; could be 1827 instead of 1847.


Published 6 Dec 2018, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/


No comments: