San Mateo County Naturalization Index 1926-1945 San Mateo County 1926-1945
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San Mateo County Naturalization Index 1926-1945 San Mateo County Genealogical Society 2000 San Mateo County Naturalization Index Volume 3 1926-1945 San Mateo County Genealogical Society ©2000 Project Co-ordinator/ Editor Cath MaddenTrindle Record Entry Cath Trindle, Ken & Pam Davis, Mary Lou Grunigen, Margaret Deal, Janice Marshall © September 2000 San Mateo County Genealogical Society Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 99-071151 Order Copies from the Publisher: San Mateo County Genealogical Society PO Box 5083 San Mateo CA 94402 Table of Contents San Mateo County 1926-1945 ........................................ ii Changes in Naturalization Laws .........................................iv Overview of San Mateo County Naturalization Records ......................v. Naturalization Index .................................................. 1 Bibliography ....................................................... 247 SMCGS Archives Project i San Mateo County Naturalization Index 1926-1945 San Mateo County 1926-1945 The two decades between 1926 and 1945 were a period of great growth in San Mateo County. Between 1930 and 1940 the population increased by nearly 50% from 77400 in 1930 to 111800 in 1940. New cities formed as the population grew including the incorporation of Belmont, Menlo Park and Woodside in 1927. Increasing transportation needs were answered by the opening of Mills Field (San Francisco Airport) in 1927 and the building of the San Mateo Hayward Bridge in 1929. The Great Depression was one of the reasons for an increase in population. Whereas previously immigrants might be likely to settle in San Francisco neighborhoods, now the lack of jobs and high rents led them to relocate to the peninsula. With much of the county still unincorporated it was still possible to find a strip of land and put up an inexpensive dwelling. The advent of war in Europe affected the county as it did the entire country. Military installations were established at Coyote Ploint, Half Moon Bay , Tanforan and Montara. Tens of thousands of men transitioned through the area. The beauty of the area drew many to return after the war. Tanforan was also the site of the Tanforan Assembly Center, where thousands of Japanese residents were gathered as they were forced from their homes and into interment camps. None of these residents were citizens, for the laws of the country required them to prove more than 50% white blood before they could become naturalized. The war also was the cause of many alien residents to file for naturalization, or finalize naturalization papers that had been pending sometimes for decades. The Alien Registration Act of June 28, 1940 required aliens to register for the first time in the history of the country. At the time of the mandate, the US had a population of 132 million. By the end of the four months given to register, 5 million had done so. Under this Act, each alien in the United States received an alien registration number ("A-number") and was required to carry an Alien Registration Receipt. The assigning of an A number solved a problem that the INS had been facing for some time. Previously each office of the INS had kept their own files, and their own numbering systems. Although these files were kept in Washington DC, they were divided between various storage facilities and had no common index. In the late 1920s there were 22 different sets of records. By the 1940s there were over 15 million records stored by INS in Washington DC. The Alien Registration Act added five million more. SMCGS Archives Project ii San Mateo County Naturalization Index 1926-1945 Information included on the Alien Registration Form (AR-2) Name Visitor, Student, Name used upon entry to the United Treaty Merchant, Seaman, Official of a States Foreign Government, Other names used (maiden names, Employee of a Government Official, nicknames, aliases) Other Residence Address Date of First Arrival in the US Post Office Address Number of Years in the US Date of Birth (month, day, year) Usual Occupation Place of Birth (city, province, country) Present Occupation Citizenship Employer (or parent or guardian) Sex Employer's Address Marital Status (single, married, widowed, Employer's Type of Business divorced) Activities And/or Membership in Clubs, Organizations, and Societies Race (White, Negro, Japanese, Chinese, Military Service: Country, Branch, Dates of Service Other) Date, Number, City, and State of Declaration of Intention Physical Description (height, weight, hair Date, City, and State of Filed Petition for Naturalization and eye color) Number of Relatives living in US (Parents, Spouse, Children) Date, Port and Vessel/Carrier of Last Arrests (Date, Place, Disposition of Case) Arrival in the US Whether worked for a foreign government in past 5 years Arrived as: Passenger, Crew member, Signature Stowaway, Other Fingerprint Class of Admission: Permanent Resident, In 1942 aliens from “hostile” countries were required go through a second registration process. If you have a foreign born ancestor who was alive in 1942 or later, for whom you cannot find the Naturalization records, you might try to obtain a copy of an “A” file. From the Immigration and Naturalization Service. SMCGS Archives Project iii San Mateo County Naturalization Index 1926-1945 Changes in Naturalization Laws There were many minor changes in the immigration and naturalization laws. Those listed here are referred to in the naturalization records indexed in this volume. Cable Act of Sept 22, 1922 - Although technically this law was in effect before the period of the records covered by this index, “The Married Women's Act” finally gave each woman a nationality of her own. As of that date a woman did not lose her citizenship if she married an alien who was eligible to be naturalized. Neither did a woman automatically become a citizen if she married a citizen. This act was a boon to the genealogical world, for now naturalization papers listing birth information and the like were available for women as well as men. Due to this the numbers of women filing naturalization papers increased significantly in this time period. Wives still were exempt from filing a declaration of intention under this law, if their spouse was either a citizen or had previously filed a declaration of intention. Laws enacted in 1926 and 1935 defined the simflified naturalization process for those who served in the military Nationality Act of October 14, 1940 (Effective January 13, 1941 as 54 Statutes-at-Large 1137) Codified and revised the naturalization, citizenship, and expatriation laws to strengthen the national defense. The naturalization and nationality regulations were rewritten and the forms used in naturalization proceedings were revised. You will find the provisions of this act referenced in many of the exclusions to filing a declaration of intention within this index. The most common mentions are Sec. 310a Nationality Act of 1940, Sec. 310b Nationality Act of 1940 and 311., which were all sections for those claiming an exemption from filing a Declaration of Intention, because a spouse was already a citizen or had filed a previous Declaration of Intention. The petition lists the name and birth place of the spouse as well as a naturalization date if applicable. There is also a list of all living children. The other section of this act that you will find reference to is Sec 317a. This section was for those who were born in the United States. It eliminated the need for (1) a Declaration of Intention , (2) a Certificate of Arrival, (3) a specified time of residence in the US or a specific state and (4) a declaration that the individual will reside permanently in the US. The petition can be filed in any court having naturalization jurisdiction regardless of residence. SMCGS Archives Project iv San Mateo County Naturalization Index 1926-1945 An Overview of San Mateo County Naturalization Records Volume 3 1926-1945 The Petitions from January 1926 until December 1945 are contained in volumes 9 thru 38. Following are some notes on the petitions. Starting with volume 14 the attached Declaration of Intentions might include a picture. Volume 15 is the first with 8 ½ x 11 pages. It is important to note that pictures are not included in the Declaration of Intention Volumes, only on the Declarations of Intention that are attached to a petition l Vol 9 # 1331 -1350 l Volume 25 3265-3422 (2)#3348 l Volume 10 1351-1450 l Volume 26 3423-3577 (2)#3454 l Volume 11 1451-1550 l Volume 27 3578-3844 (2)#3624 l Volume 12 1551 - 1677 l Volume 28 3845-4039 #1653 Cancelled l Volume 29 4040-4165 l Volume 13 1678-1777 l Volume 29A 4166-4290 l Volume 14 1778 -1863 86 pages only l Volume 30 3291-4400 (see note l Volume 15 1864-1962 below) l Volume 16 1963-2054 l Volume 31 4401-4550 l Volume 17 2055-2152 l Volume 32 4552-4650 l Volume 18 2153-2250 l Volume 33 4651-4750 l Volume 19 2251-2375 l Volume 34 4751-4850 l Volume 20 2375-2520 l Volume 35 4851-4964 l Volume 20A 2521-2673 l Volume 36 4965-5000 l Volume 21 2674-2829 l Volume 37-5001-5100 l Volume 22 2830-2990 l Volume 38 5101-5105 is the last l Volume 23 2991-3130 petition of 1945 l Volume 24 3131- 3264 (2)#3241 At the time this index was completed volume 30 of the Petitions was located in the Recorder’s office in Redwood City. All other volumes were located at the Tower Road Records Storage Facility. SMCGS Archives Project v San Mateo County Naturalization Index 1926-1945 Intentions filed from January 1926 through December 1945 are contained in volumes 8 through . Following are some notes on the intentions. Note that while pictures can be found on the intentions attached to the petitions, they were not attached to the intentions in these volumes.