Maryland Naturalization and Citizenship: Difference between revisions

Few naturalizations were required in the colonial period since most immigrants came from the British Isles. The provincial legislature and the Governor and Council naturalized some foreigners. Naturalizations were also granted by the New Jersey Supreme Court and the Chancery Court.   

Most persons were naturalized in the later colonial period under a 1740 Act of Parliment. Some of the Supreme Court naturalizations fom 1741 to 1873 have survived, with the majority being created before the American Revolution. These are available at the [http://www.njarchives.org/ New Jersey Archives] in Trenton. The majority of those naturalized before 1776 came from European countries such as France, Switzerland, and Germany. These early naturalizations contain little information. They may contain the religious affiliation of the applicant since only Protestants were allowed to be naturalized.  

*''Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 1703-1775''. Trenton, New Jersey: New Jersey State Library, Archives and History Bureau, 1977.  The volumes are at the [http://www.njarchives.org/ New Jersey State Archives] and other libraries. The Family History Library has some of the volumes. The call number is FHL book [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=80794&disp=Laws+of+the+Royal+Colony+of+New+Jersey%20%20&columns=*,0,0 974.9 B49a].

After 1790 under federal naturalization law, aliens could declare intention to become citizens and later be naturalized in any federal, county, or city court. At this time the county courts, especially the Court of Common Pleas became a major place for naturalization. The Family History Library has copies of many of these court records.  

Resrearcher need to realize that all immigrants did not naturalize. They could own land, do business, settle estates, and live unhindered without it. The only unique privilege that came from being naturalized was the right to vote.  

The [http://www.njarchives.org/ Maryland State Archives] has most county naturalization records, indexes to many state and county records from 1777-1917, and indexes to Baltimore city and county naturalizations from 1796 to 1933. They also have a card index to naturalizations in the U.S. circuit court, 1852-1918, and U.S. district courts from 1797-1951 and another card index to records for the colonial period, 1637-1776.  

For naturalization records after September 1906, use the [http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=d21f3711ca5ca110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d21f3711ca5ca110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD Genealogy Program] at [http://www.uscis.gov www.uscis.gov].  At that time the federal government standardized the naturalization process courts and required to the courts to send a copy of papers they created to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) now the USCIS. Duplicate copies were often kept in the New Jersey court.