Naturalization Records

By Hendrickson on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 15:50

Forums

I had found some Naturalization records for a family member online at Ancestry all within the same database. An application for admission, an oath and a petition.

Here's an example: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2280/images/32955_2421406261_0436-00228?

At first it appeared that each record that I found was an individual record because there is a separate entry for each document. But I didn't know what to do about the handwritten information on the side of the page. (Kings Co. Ct. Series no. 11, record no. 4340 D). There is no target to say exactly where the image came from so I decided to start the citation by emphasizing the database. Then I realized that if I flip through the film strip that it is actually a series of images (see images 225-229) of which only 2 are indexed by Ancestry. (images 228, 229).

image 225 - not indexed
Cover of Petition (18 December 1891)
Kings Co. Ct. Series no. 11, record no. 4340

image 226 - not indexed
Affadavit (William Limber)
Kings Co. Ct. Series no. 11, record no. 4340 A

image 227- not indexed
Cover affadavit of Witness
Kings Co. Ct. Series no. 11, record no. 4340 B

image 228
Petition
Kings Co. Ct. Series no. 11, record no. 4340 C

image 229
Admission Application
Kings Co. Ct. Series no. 11, record no. 4340 D

So I am left wondering what to do about the non-indexed pages. There is an affadavit (images 226, 227) which is a little out of context without the other images because they do not state the name of the petitioner. Does it make sense to lump all the pages together into one citation or is it better to cite each of the documents separately?

Thanks!

Submitted byEEon Fri, 05/07/2021 - 07:17

Hendrickson, your instincts are good. With the situation you describe, it is logical to cite, as a group, the cluster of documents relating to one person. EE would also cite the database in Layer 1, with the document (or cluster of documents) in the specific-item field. After citing the cluster, you could then say something such as  "especially image 228, Petition."

Layer 2 would then cite the source-of-the-source data, using whatever detail your provider gives.  EE would also add a note to explain the situation, as an alert for users of your work--and for yourself after your recollection of the source has gone cold.