Great-Grandpa Was Naturalized 120 Years Ago

In June of 1906, my maternal great-grandfather became a naturalized American citizen in US District Court, Brooklyn, New York.

Moritz Farkas (1857-1936) was born on July 3d in the small country village of Botpalad, Hungary. He arrived at Ellis Island in August of 1899, aged 42, having been financially ruined when a hail storm wiped out his uninsured crops. Moritz became a tailor (and cloak maker) in New York City. 

His wife Lena Kunstler Farkas (1865-1938) came through Ellis Island a year later, followed by their eight oldest children (four at a time, in 1901 and 1903). Counting the 3 children born in New York, Moritz and Lena had a total of 11 children.

My great-grandpa Moritz was eager to become a US citizen and he achieved this important goal only days before his 49th birthday. On the reverse side of his naturalization index card, officials noted that he had formerly been a subject of the Emperor of Austria and the King of Hungary. 

Now, thanks to a hail storm, and Moritz's urgent need to start over in New York City, I can celebrate America 250 and remember this immigrant great-grandpa with affection and gratitude.

Sarah Mahler Smith, Marital Expatriate

When my great aunt Sarah Sadie Mahler (1889-1974) got married in the Big Apple on April 16, 1912, she lost her US citizenship because her immigrant husband Samuel Smith (1889-1979) was not yet a naturalized US citizen.

Samuel (original name: Simon Solomowitz) was born in the city of Botosani, Romania, and came to New York City with his parents and siblings when he was a little boy. 

After they married in Manhattan, Sam and Sarah moved to Fort Edward, NY so he could work in the paper mills. By 1920, the Smith family was back in New York City, where Sam began working as a chauffeur. As shown in the 1925 New York Census excerpt at top, Sam became a US citizen in 1924 in New York City.

Sarah's citizenship status, however, was not affected by Sam's naturalization, because of the Cable Act of 1922, which separated the citizenship status of spouses. She was a "marital expatriate" - and decided, during World War II, to take steps to regain her US citizenship.

As shown here, Sarah filed Form NH-415, applying to take the oath of allegiance to the United States. She was once again a citizen after taking the oath on February 11, 1944. Sarah was outlived by all five of her children and her husband. Today I'm thinking of her on the anniversary of her marriage in April of 1912 (not 1911, as mistakenly shown on the oath document above). 

Happy Canada Day 2024!

On this Canada Day 2024, I'm looking back at the life of my Lithuanian-born great uncle Abraham Berk (1877-1962) and his British-born wife Anna Horwitch Berk (1880?-1948). These ancestors became naturalized Canadian citizens not once but twice, 34 years apart.

Cabinet-maker Abraham left his home in Gargzdai about 1900, living for several years with an aunt and uncle in Manchester, England. There, he met Anna, a teacher and daughter of an immigrant. They married in 1903 and in April of 1904, while Anna was expecting their first child, Abraham sailed from Liverpool to forge a new life for his family in Montreal. He arrived at Halifax with two dollars in his pocket, at the age of 26, on April 30th. 

Abraham and Anna's daughter Rosa was born in Manchester, England on August 15, 1904. Mother and infant daughter sailed to Canada nine months later, arriving in May of 1905. Three more children were born in Montreal, where Abraham worked as a carpenter at the shipyards, then as a carpenter for various building firms, and finally as a freelance cabinetmaker. 

Both Abraham and Rose were initially naturalized in Montreal Circuit Court on February 25, 1910. However, when Canadian naturalization laws changed, they reapplied for citizenship, were investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and passed...writing and signing the oath of allegiance on May 8, 1944.

Honoring my immigrant ancestors Abraham and Rose on Canada Day, with affection and appreciation.