Amanuensis Monday: Intention of Myer Wolf Newmark

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.

Today I share the Declaration of Intention to Naturalize for my great grandfather's brother, Myer Wolf (Max) Newmark (1892-1931)

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United States of America

Declaration of Intention

Invalid for all purposes seven years after the date hereof

United State of America, Eastern District of Missouri

In the District Court of the United States in and for the Eastern Division of the Eastern Judicial District of Missouri

I, Myer Wolf Newmark, aged 25 years, occupation Tailor do declare on oath that my personal description is: Color White, complexion dark, height 5 feet 8 1/2 inches, weight 135 pounds, color of hair black, color of eyes brown, other visible distinctive marks none.

I was born in Warsaw, Russiaj on the 20th day of August, anno Domini 1892; I now reside at 1919 Carr Street, St. Louis, Mo.

I emigrated to the United States of America from Liverpool, England on the vessel Campania; my last foreign residence was London, England. I am married; the name of my wife is Dora; she was born in Austria and now resides with me,

It is my bona fide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to The Present Government of Russia, of whom I am now a subject; I arrived at the port of New York in the state of New York, on or about the 21st day of March, anno Domini, 1909; I am not an anarchist; I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy; and it is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of the United States of America and to permanently reside therein; SO HELP ME GOD.

Myer Wolf Newmark (signature)

Subscribed and sworn to before me in the office of the Clerk of said Court at St. Louis, Mo., this 10th day of November anno Domini 1917.

Notes: 

1) I do find it interesting that even though he immigrated to England at the age of 1 years old, and was 17 when he arrived in the United States, it was Russia that he had to declare no oath of allegiance to. I understand this is because the family did not become citizens of the United Kingdom, it just seems he'd be more likely to have some loyalty to where he spent the majority of his life.

2) He is the only sibling of my great grandfather who used their Hebrew/Yiddish name on the Declaration of Intention. It's on his tombstone, so it's not the only record of it.