I was so amazed when I saw the resources available on this site! I looked through page after page, thinking about what great information there was for such a diverse variety of subjects. I spent a half hour and hadn't even seen all the resources available on that website. Then I remembered I was distracted, and wanted to call to ask about the naturalization record. The person I spoke with was very helpful, and asked if I was comfortable with email. I said "I love and prefer email", so I was asked to send my request by email. This address is also on the site: chicago.archives@nara.gov I typed up my contact information, the index information I had, and asked about the fees. I was told the charge for the record was 7.50 and they would send me a letter with the bill when they found the record. Just a week and a half later I got a bill for 7.50 saying my record was found and ready. So good, friendly, helpful, and quick service!
Today I was looking at the form and it said "Our office does NOT have non-Federal court records, such as county court naturalization records." So I called NARA again to ask them to help me understand better. I have an index card, for Adam Sanetra, but it is the same index card system as I just ordered the 1940 record from the NARA Chicago branch. Then I wondered if there was two records for Adam Sanetra, one in Chicago and one in NARA records? The woman I spoke to was very helpful. She said the index was done by NARA, but not all the records are kept by NARA. I asked about Adam Sanetra's index card I had. She asked what court it stated. I told her and she said that was Chicago court, so his record is only stored in Chicago. So just one record, and only stored where I already got a copy of my record.
I'd also like to point out something which might be confusing or possibly misleading. On Adam Sanetra's index, it says, "date he was naturalized." He was NOT naturalized. The date listed was actually the date the court denied him citizenship, because he was already out of the country and didn't show up to court.
Here is the actual record, which matches "date naturalized" on the index, (but he is actually denied). I think it would be more accurate if the index said "court decision date." Click on images to view full screen.
On this NARA site /http://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/ There's great resources available like:
-how to care for your own family records
-learning how the National Archives can help with family history
-WWII picture collection
-lesson plans and ideas for teachers
-view a scan of the original, and a typed-text version of documents like: the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and The Bill of Rights
There are two main index databases: ARC (68% complete today 25 Jan 2011), and AAD. Here is a direct link to the http://aad.archives.gov/aad/ AAD (Access to Archival Databases) page. It includes things like 227,000 electronic telegram records on foreign policy files, WWII Army Enlistment records, and many military/serviceman information records. The ARC (Archival Research Catalog) has information and images of things such as: maps, science and environment, application for enrollment into Native American Tribes, Fugitive Slave cases, military personel records, and naturalization records. I saw an interesting page where this guy was issued his visa for a fourth time, and part of the court transcript was included in the index search results. Here is a direct link to an ARC search page: http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/topics/genealogy/
There are many interesting things which are part of our county's history, on this website. Enjoy exploring the NARA resources available! I am!
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