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Archiver > DENMARK > 2003-08 > 1060387200
From:
Subject: Re: [DK] RE: Nelson / Danish Background / pre 1899
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2003 20:00:01 EDT
Hi GEO
If your man was born in 1873 and naturalized 1888-92 he almost certainly
immigrated with his parents or guardians. I don't think 15 year olds were
naturalized on their own. Usually a minor acquired "derivative citizenship" until
1922 or thereabouts: he became a citizen when his father did—and generally there
was no separate record of the fact.
His name in Denmark was almost certainly Nielsen, not Nelson, and he or his
family "americanized" the spelling.
If you'd share what you do know, in detail, along with the nature of your
sources, someone on the list might be able to offer better suggestions. You
might search the microfilm indexes of naturalizations in Northern Illinois (e.g.
the U.S. District Court in Chicago) for indexes of anyone named Nielsen from
Denmark old enough to have a son born in 1873. City directories might also
provide a lead. If his was a farm family there may be land records. Even
newspapers might help: do you know when he died, and did you ever find an obituary
on him?
Betty Jack
Goleta, California
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