Some of our European – born ancestors came to America by themselves, when they were in their teens or early twenties. Many times, these young men and women did not make the passage to rebel against or run away from their families, but rather to establish a foothold in America so that the rest of the family could join them later on. Many of these young people were able to make the trip to America despite the fact that neither they nor their families could afford to pay for the voyage outright thanks to the option of indentured servitude. The … Continue reading →

When many Americans look back into their family’s history, they eagerly search for details about which ancestor was the first to come to America and when they arrived. Immigration records are a common resource for people who are looking for answers about ancestors’ journeys to America. Part of the journey to America also includes becoming an American citizen. Naturalization is the process by which citizenship is granted to people who have come to America. Naturalization records were kept since the late 1700’s, but the process became much more uniform in the early 1900’s. Although the process was not uniform, the … Continue reading →