Last January I blogged about a mathematical coincidence. For three Jewish kin, there are records claiming alternate birth dates approximately 20 days apart. Adjusting for the 12 days conversion between Julian and Gregorian calendars, this leaves approximately 8 days - which could be explained if one of the dates is actually the date of their Brit Milah. (Covenant of Circumcision).
I didn't mention it last week in the Amanuensis Monday notes, but Max Kruvand's Petition for Naturalization states he was born on August 22, 1897, and his record of birth in Lithuanian records states August 3. So it's now four kin. (Three from Lithuania, one from Poland.)
I am unaware of a religious tradition of observing the anniversary of a brit milah (Outside of Christian tradition - of course, the Feast of the Circumcision could have Jewish roots.) I know that celebrating birthdays was not considered appropriate in traditional European Jewish households. There was the superstition that it was tempting the 'evil eye'. Celebrating any anniversary connected to birth would likely be seen similarly. However, it is conceivable that the date of birth wasn't recorded in some family records, but the Brit Milah would have been, due to its religious significance.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Monday, January 11, 2016
Amanuensis Monday: Petition for Naturalization of Max Kruvand - October 21, 1948
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.
This week I look at the Petition for Naturalization of my grandfather's second cousin, Max Kruvand. This is the first Naturalization petition I have seen where the petition is dependent upon the previous naturalization of a spouse.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
PETITION FOR NATURALIZATION NO. 5867
[Of a Married Person, under Sec. 310(a) or (b), 311, or 312, of the Nationality Act of 1940 (54 Stat. 1144-1145)
To the Honorable the District Court of the United States at Jacksonville, Florida. This petition for naturalization, hereby made and filed pursuant to Section 310(a) or (b), or Section 311 or 312, of the Nationality Act of 1940, respectfully shows:
1) My full, true, and correct name is Max Kruvand
2) My present place of residence is 1608 Felch Ave., Jacksonville, Duval, Florida
3) My occupation is Merchant
4) I am 50 years old.
5) I was born on August 22, 1897 in Kovno, Lithuania
6) My personal description is as follows: Sex M; Color W, complexion Fair, color of eyes Blue, color of hair Brown, height 5 feet 8 inches, weight 206 pounds; visible distinctive marks None; race White; present nationality Lithuanian
7) I am married; the name of my wife or husband is Molly Schwartz Kruvand, we were married on August 30, 1940 at Elkton, Maryland; he or she was born at Kovno, Lithuania, on January 1, 1900 entered the United States at New York, N.Y on August 23, 1923 for permanent residence in the United States and now resides at 1608 Felch Ave., Jacksonville, Florida and was naturalized on November 14, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York. Certificate No. 3735613
8) I have two children; and the name, sex, date and place of birth, and present place of residence of each of said children who is living, are as follows: Frances, Female, b. 1920 at Kovno, Lithuania, now resides at Miami, Florida; Mark, Male, b. 1923 at St. Louis, Missouri, now resides New Haven, Conn.
9) My last place of foreign residence was Kovno, Lithuania
10) I emigrated to the United States from Vera Cruz, Mexico
11) My lawful entry for permanent residence in the United States was at El Paso, Texas under the name of Max Kruvand on April 20, 1921 on the Automobile as shown by the certificate of my arrival attached to the petition.
Petition filed under Section 311
12) Since my lawful entry for permanent residence I have not been absent from the United States for a period or periods of 6 months or longer, as follows:
13) (Declaration of intention not required)
14) It is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which at this time I am a subject or citizen, and it is my intention to reside permanently in the United States
15) I am not, and have not been for the period of at least 10 years immediately preceding the date of this petition, an anarchist; nor a believer in the unlawful damage, injury, or destruction of property, or sabotage; nor a disbeliever in or opposed to organized government; nor a member of or affiliated with any organization or body of persons teaching disbelief in or opposition to organized government.
16) I am able to speak the English language (unless physically unable to do so.)
17) I am, and have been during all of the periods required by law, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States
18) I have resided continuously in the United States of America for the term of two years at least immediately preceding the date of this petition, to wit; since April 20, 1921
19) I have not heretofore made petition for naturalization
20) Attached hereto and made a part of this, my petition for naturalization, are a certificate of arrival from the Immigration and Naturalization Service of my said lawful entry into the United States for permanent residence (if such certificate of arrival be required by the naturalization law), and the affidavits of at least two verifying witnesses required by law.
21) Wherefore, I, your petitioner for naturalization, pray that I may be admitted a citizen of the United States of America, and that my name be changed to No Change of Name
22) I , aforesaid petitioner, do swear (affirm) that I know the contents of this petition for naturalization subscribed by me, that the same are true to the best of my knowledge, except to matters therein stated to be alleged upon information and belief, and that as to those matters I believe them to be true, and that this petition is signed by me with my full, true name: SO HELP ME GOD.
[Signature]
Notes:
1) Max and Molly were both born in Kovno (Kaunas), Lithuania. Max entered the US two years prior to Molly - it is unclear whether the two of them knew each other prior to immigration.
2) This is the first relative I have found that entered the US by automobile. It is unclear how much time Max spent in Mexico. He indicates the last place of foreign residence was Lithuania, so it is also possible that the didn't actually reside there for any significant portion of time. However, he also states that he emigrated from Vera Cruz, Mexico, which is a good 1300 miles from the El Paso border. (Max did have cousins who lived in Rosebud, Texas at the time, and they may have provided some assistance in the immigration process.)
3) Max divorced his first wife, Eva, in 1940. The Florida divorce records on Ancestry.com don't provide an exact date.
I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.
This week I look at the Petition for Naturalization of my grandfather's second cousin, Max Kruvand. This is the first Naturalization petition I have seen where the petition is dependent upon the previous naturalization of a spouse.
PETITION FOR NATURALIZATION NO. 5867
[Of a Married Person, under Sec. 310(a) or (b), 311, or 312, of the Nationality Act of 1940 (54 Stat. 1144-1145)
To the Honorable the District Court of the United States at Jacksonville, Florida. This petition for naturalization, hereby made and filed pursuant to Section 310(a) or (b), or Section 311 or 312, of the Nationality Act of 1940, respectfully shows:
1) My full, true, and correct name is Max Kruvand
2) My present place of residence is 1608 Felch Ave., Jacksonville, Duval, Florida
3) My occupation is Merchant
4) I am 50 years old.
5) I was born on August 22, 1897 in Kovno, Lithuania
6) My personal description is as follows: Sex M; Color W, complexion Fair, color of eyes Blue, color of hair Brown, height 5 feet 8 inches, weight 206 pounds; visible distinctive marks None; race White; present nationality Lithuanian
7) I am married; the name of my wife or husband is Molly Schwartz Kruvand, we were married on August 30, 1940 at Elkton, Maryland; he or she was born at Kovno, Lithuania, on January 1, 1900 entered the United States at New York, N.Y on August 23, 1923 for permanent residence in the United States and now resides at 1608 Felch Ave., Jacksonville, Florida and was naturalized on November 14, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York. Certificate No. 3735613
8) I have two children; and the name, sex, date and place of birth, and present place of residence of each of said children who is living, are as follows: Frances, Female, b. 1920 at Kovno, Lithuania, now resides at Miami, Florida; Mark, Male, b. 1923 at St. Louis, Missouri, now resides New Haven, Conn.
9) My last place of foreign residence was Kovno, Lithuania
10) I emigrated to the United States from Vera Cruz, Mexico
11) My lawful entry for permanent residence in the United States was at El Paso, Texas under the name of Max Kruvand on April 20, 1921 on the Automobile as shown by the certificate of my arrival attached to the petition.
Petition filed under Section 311
12) Since my lawful entry for permanent residence I have not been absent from the United States for a period or periods of 6 months or longer, as follows:
13) (Declaration of intention not required)
14) It is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which at this time I am a subject or citizen, and it is my intention to reside permanently in the United States
15) I am not, and have not been for the period of at least 10 years immediately preceding the date of this petition, an anarchist; nor a believer in the unlawful damage, injury, or destruction of property, or sabotage; nor a disbeliever in or opposed to organized government; nor a member of or affiliated with any organization or body of persons teaching disbelief in or opposition to organized government.
16) I am able to speak the English language (unless physically unable to do so.)
17) I am, and have been during all of the periods required by law, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States
18) I have resided continuously in the United States of America for the term of two years at least immediately preceding the date of this petition, to wit; since April 20, 1921
19) I have not heretofore made petition for naturalization
20) Attached hereto and made a part of this, my petition for naturalization, are a certificate of arrival from the Immigration and Naturalization Service of my said lawful entry into the United States for permanent residence (if such certificate of arrival be required by the naturalization law), and the affidavits of at least two verifying witnesses required by law.
21) Wherefore, I, your petitioner for naturalization, pray that I may be admitted a citizen of the United States of America, and that my name be changed to No Change of Name
22) I , aforesaid petitioner, do swear (affirm) that I know the contents of this petition for naturalization subscribed by me, that the same are true to the best of my knowledge, except to matters therein stated to be alleged upon information and belief, and that as to those matters I believe them to be true, and that this petition is signed by me with my full, true name: SO HELP ME GOD.
[Signature]
1) Max and Molly were both born in Kovno (Kaunas), Lithuania. Max entered the US two years prior to Molly - it is unclear whether the two of them knew each other prior to immigration.
2) This is the first relative I have found that entered the US by automobile. It is unclear how much time Max spent in Mexico. He indicates the last place of foreign residence was Lithuania, so it is also possible that the didn't actually reside there for any significant portion of time. However, he also states that he emigrated from Vera Cruz, Mexico, which is a good 1300 miles from the El Paso border. (Max did have cousins who lived in Rosebud, Texas at the time, and they may have provided some assistance in the immigration process.)
3) Max divorced his first wife, Eva, in 1940. The Florida divorce records on Ancestry.com don't provide an exact date.