To help find naturalization papers, check the 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 census records. All four years contain naturalization information.
The Carlinville Public Library has the 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 census records on microfilm for Macoupin County, IL.
How/Where to search:
Tips for doing Naturalization Research
How to research for Macoupin County IL Naturalization Records
Sharon Buenther's ideas from her own naturalization research
Ilene Jones researches her German Ancestry
Names of some of our Macoupin County Immigrant Ancestors - trying to find a thread in our German ancestry.
National Archives and Records Administration Information on Naturalization

How to search for Madison County IL Naturalization Records
Lovejoy Library
LDS Microfilms
Elsie Wasser has published a book which includes Madison County and Macoupin County IL records
Joan Miley's reply from Elsie Wasser
All of Montgomery County IL Naturalizations are at IRAD

Joan Miley will do lookups for Montgomery County Naturalizations
Where to view Ships Passenger Lists on microfilm
Trying to inquire in the old country??
IMMI-GRAND-L - A mailing list to attempt to help those who are looking for ancestors arriving after 1875
National Archives Records Administration in Kansas City MO - (some immigrants in Macoupin naturalized in St Louis early on)

Other Sites on the World Wide Web:
National Archives and Records Administration Information on Immigration
Ships, Passenger Lists & Immigration at Cyndi Howell's Site
Mayflower History and Passenger List at Caleb Johnson's site
Ellis Island site search lists of immigrants 1892-1924
Ellis Island History


Tips for Naturalization Research
When you're checking for naturalization records, make sure that you check with the courts in all locations where your ancestor lived during his or her lifetime. Early on, say before 1880, to be naturalized, the person went to a Federal Court, so, in the beginning, Macoupin County, IL residents went to St Louis, St Louis County MO; then when a Federal Court was built in Alton, they went to Alton Madison County, IL. Sometime after 1900, a person no longer had to go to a Federal Courthouse to be naturalized; the local county courthouse was the place to go. So, these are other places to check.

Many times MINOR children were naturalized with their parents and there are no separate records for them. And, in the earliest years, women did not have naturalization records.
Elsie Wasser said, "Anyone who entered the U.S. under the age of 21 years was eligible to receive his Naturalization on the same day he applied for citizenship."

The naturalization process took several years, because:
First, the person had to file papers of intent (this may not be in the county where they did their residency requirement),
Second, the person had to have sponsors which may have been relatives or friends from the old country, Third, the person had to fill the residency requirement, usually five years and in the county with their sponsors,
Fourth, the person would have to file final papers for the court where they were naturalized.
This means that the papers that you need MAY NOT be located in the area where the individual was living at the time that he or she became a citizen.


MACOUPIN COUNTY IL NATURALIZATION RESEARCH

Pam's Pickin' Up Tidbits Lookup Page

Check Pam's list of Macoupin County surnames. Pam Robertson Ripplinger has found tidbits on microfilms about Macoupin County surnames. The information include births, christenings, naturalizations, and others. There are naturalizations in her tidbits of information. She helped with one naturalization, quote:

"Staunton Star Times October 8th, 1915
NATURALIZATION CASES BEFORE COURT
Last Friday the naturalizaton cases came before the court. There were forty applications and the examination was conducted by Attorney Fred J. Schotfeld, of Chicago, who has conducted the same sort of cases on previous occasions. The cases were all disposed of at the morning session of the court. The following were admitted to citizenship:
PERADOTTI, Piero"

Names of some of our Macoupin County Immigrant Ancestors
--trying to find a thread in our German Ancestry--Who did they come with? Who did they come to be with? Who did they live with and where did they live when they first got here?

Sharon Buenther writes about her own research,
"Somewhere, long ago, I read that if you are dead ended, check other families that came from the same country as yours did, and that are living in the same general area. The idea being that people from the old country often either traveled with friends or relatives or went to areas where friends or relatives were already living. For example, my husbands grandfather's obit (Johann Bu"ttner) said that when he first arrived, he stayed the first winter with William Klein in Douglas Co., MN. Later, through a distant cousin living in Berlin, we learned that Johann's mother was Wilhelmine KLEIN. From the ages, I presume that William was was a son of Wilhelmines fathers brother, August. Gives me alot to check out.
So, how about all of us posting what we know about our German Macoupin County people? Because the County is so large, maybe keep it in areas or at least state the areas.
Something like this---Mine
Surname: SCHULTZE (b. abt 1859)
Arrival: 1892
Occupation: Coal Miner
Wife: Barkowski
Lived: Mt. Olive
From: Steinhorst (maybe)
Wife born in Galsdon, Tilsit, Germany (East Prussia).
After Schultze' death, his widow married Surname: HILLMAN (b. abt 1863)
Arrival 1881
Occupation: Coal Miner
Wife: above Lived: Raymond, Montgomery Co, and Cahokia TWP and Mt. Olive TWP, Macoupin Co.
From: Steffenhagen, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany.
Maybe we can get a pattern that will yield clues.
Sharon Buethner Fargo, ND"

Ilene Jones writes:
Surname: HUSMANN, Heinrich (b. 15 Aug 1831) Gross Lessen, near Sulingen, Germany Arrival: 30 November 1855 in New Orleans on ship from Bremen Occupation: farmer Married: 20 December 1855, Mt. Olive, Macoupin Co., IL. Wife: SUNDERMANN (umlaut over u), Anna Gesche b. 9 June 1834 Holtum, Langwedel, Hannover, Germany Lived: Macoupin Co. until spring of 1877 when they removed to Montgomery Co. Death: Heinrich in October 1877 Burial: Both buried at Ohlman, IL Cemetery, 1 mile east of Ohlman in Christian Co. Arriving with them was: Surname: ELVERS, Heinrich
Arriving in 1856:
Surname: STEINBORN, Herman age 28 Arrival: 29 Oct 1856 in New Orleans from Bremen Occupation: farmer Wife: Elenore (possibly Klein or Cline) (child age 3 years named Marie, and an unborn infant)
Arriving with them:
Surname: KLEIN (Cline) Heinrich age 60 Occupation: farmer Wife: Marie age 48
Arriving with them:
SUNDERMANN (Sannerman) Adelhaid age 19.
Adelheid is the sister of Anna Gesche Sundermann who arrived in 1855 and married my great grandfather Heinrich Husmann.
Henry Elvers married and Adelheid Sundermann within a year after her arrival.
All lived in Macoupin Co. Time period not certain, but Steinborn was still in Macoupin Co., in the 1890 census.

Pam Ripplinger writes:
Surname: REINHOLD, Frederich Wilhelm (b. Mar 30, 1843) Koenigswalde, Zwickau, Saxony, Germany.
Arrived: 1881 in New York (letter of intent does not give any more information - not even ship name.)
Married: Therese HAMANN 1864 in Saxony, Germany (9 of 12 children born in Germany and still tracing ship to see how many children came to states with them.)
Occupation: Coal Miner
Known family members who also came around this time:
daughter - Martha Rosa REINHOLD (md. Hermann BEIER)
daughter - Hedwig (Hattie) REINHOLD (md. Gustav Schueller)
daughter - Selma REINHOLD (md. Unknown Cassens)
son - Emil REINHOLD (one time Alderman for Staunton's 6th Ward)
sister and brother-in-law - Lena REINHOLD and Henry FICKERT, Sr.
Died: February 13, 1917 in Staunton, Illinois after sustaining a stroke while working in the mines. Buried: Staunton City Cemetery

Surname: Hermann BEIER
Born: Mar 31, 1867 in Saxony, Germany
Occupation: Coal miner
Arrived: Believed arrived ca 1892
Married: Martha Rosa REINHOLD 1894 in Staunton.
Died: April 10, 1931 in Staunton
Buried: Memorial Park Cemetery
Also MY Scottish GGrandpa:

Surname: William (Willie) ROBERTSON
Born: March 25, 1884 in Piniculk, Edinburgh, Scotland
Occupation: Coal miner
Married: (1) Mary COOPER - Nov. 1904 in Cowdenbeath, Fife Scotland (deceased by June 1908
(2) Alice Mae CHANCELLOR - ca. 1920 (after census) probably Macoupin Co.,Ill
Died: December 7, 1953, Carlinville, Macoupin co., Ill
Buried: Benld City Cemetery.
Arrived: June 8, 1908 in New York from Glasgow, Scotland on ship "FURNASSIA"
Arrived: 1911 - Elizabeth Neilson ROBERTSON (mother of William) and William's 2 sons...6 year old Samuel (my grandfather) and 5 year old James.
Arrived: December 24, 1906 in New York on ship "COLUMBIA", James ROBERTSON, brother of William.
Arrived: Two other brothers of William (Samuel and Peter) and a sister Elizabeth


Naturalization Loose Papers 1849-1887, Macoupin County IL. These papers are located at IRAD (Illinois Regional Archives Services), University of IL at Springfield IL on microfilm.

I have found out unless you have a short time frame, IRAD interns will not do research in the loose naturalization papers because the loose papers have not been alphabetized. You may need to hire a researcher to go to IRAD and find it yourself.
The loose papers are not in alphabetical order as in the list. Some are applications. Some are documents of naturalization. Some are from Macoupin County IL, Madison County IL, and St Louis Co MO. Some papers for a person are not together in one place. No page numbers. No order.
If you find a name and know the short timeframe for a person's naturalization and you would like to inquire or try to get a copy of, contact by mail or phone:

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MADISON COUNTY NATURALIZATION

Madison County had a Federal Courthouse in Alton. Many, many Macoupin residents went to Madison County for naturalization.

1. The records are no longer at the Madison County Courthouse. They are housed in a special collection in Lovejoy Library at Southern Illinois University Branch in Edwardsville IL. I do not know the procedure for research of these records at Lovejoy Library.

2. The LDS Library in Salt Lake City has filmed all of these records. You can order the film numbers listed on this page at your local LDS History Center.

3. For Madison and probably many Macoupin naturalizations:

Book For Sale - Cost $15.00
Madison Co Naturalization Records from 1816-1900 (Many Macoupin Countians were naturalized in Madison Co IL)
Write for a limited search for a small fee or order the book:
Elsie Wasser
7430 Leslie Dr.
Edwardsville, IL 62025
This book also on microfilm at the LDS Library in Salt Lake.
Cindy Leonard writes:
"Not only did Elsie publish a book listing these records, she will, for a small fee, make copies of requests for people. Many of these records are stored at Lovejoy Library, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. A note to Naturalization & Declaration of Intent searchers in Macoupin - they may be in Madison Co. There was a Federal court there & many immigrants filed in Federal courts. I don't know if they were told they had to or what. Anyway, Elsie is the one to contact."

Joan Brunner Miley

Joan writes: I received this info from Elsie Wasser on Madison Co Naturalization Records from 1816-1900 on the ancestors I am searching:
Elsie wrote: "From the COUNTY CLERK's OFFICE, Madison County, Illinois:
Arnold Scheller, Book D, Naturalization Record 1877-1890 (Minors) page 377 He was 22 years old, 16 August 1888, immigrated from Germany from Bremen to Maryland 5 May 1882. He was a resident of Macoupin County, IL for 7 years. Intention and Naturalization occurred on 2 November 1888.
August Scheller, Book B, Naturalization & Intention 1876-l906 page 169. Intention filed 24 April 1885. Stated he was from Germany. Book E Naturalization Record 1886-1899 page 30. Naturalization filed 2 Nov 1888.
Ferdinand Scheller, Intention filed 17 Jan 1887, St. Louis, MO (no other info) Book E (as above) page 66 Naturalization completed 26 Jan 1889.
Frederick Grimm, Book B (as above) page 352. Intention filed 1 April 1893. Stated he was from Germany. Book E (as above) page 455. Naturalization completed on 14 May 1896.
Ernest Hochmuth, Book F. 1 Naturalization-Minors 1884-1902, 1890-l903. page 269. Immigrated from Bremen to New York 15 Apr 1893. He was 22 years old on 27th Dec 1899. Intention and Naturalization completed on 2 May 1900."
> Elsie also said:
"Anyone who entered the U.S. under the age of 21 years was eligible to receive his Naturalization on the same day he applied for citizenship.
After almost 2 years of copying records, we decided to end the book at 1900 so more of your gentlemen may also be listed in the County Clerk's books, at the Administration Bld., Main Street, Edwardsville, IL 62025. (Currently, these records are to be found at Lovejoy Library and microfilmed by the LDS.gf)
There are no original records for the above. The original records probably were destroyed after copying in the above named books in later years.
I might mention that your Hochmuth's probably immigrated from Kainsdorf, not Cainsdorf, Saxony, Germany. You will not find the letter 'C' for proper names in Germany.
It is possible that the Haustein's filed their Intention but if they were over the age of 21 years when entering the country, would not have had time to complete their naturalization... (Frederick Albin Haustein immg 1893, died in 1897 & Robert Haustein, immg 1894, died in 1898)"
> back to my email....
So it looks like I'm still on the search for my Great Grandfather Ernst Emil GRIMMs Intent & Naturalization records. There is still a possibility that he went to the Federal Court in Alton, IL. That is also a possibility for the Intent & Nat. records of my Great Grand Uncle Robert LAUTENSCHLAEGER since he had (according to church records) a son that died in Alton, IL in 11-1896 at the age of 1.
Joan Brunner Miley

Ships Passengers List indexes are on microfilm
All passenger lists available have been indexed including New York Ellis Island

Your local LDS (Latter Day Saints) FHC (Family History Center) has a catalog of all recorded Ships Passenger List indexes on microfilm held in Salt Lake City.
You can order these films at your local LDS FHC for a small amount of money. You cannot remove the film from the FHC. Check your phone book for a local LDS FHC.
LDS catalog now online at http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp

St Louis Public Library (downstairs) on Olive Street north of Union Station has the indexes for Ships Passenger Lists

Edwardsville Madison Co IL Public Library, genealogy department has a multi-volume set "Germans to America: Lists of Passenger Arriving at US Ports 1850-1855", edited by Ira A Glazier & P William Filby.

WorldGenWeb is a site where you can submit queries for many countries.

Post mail address for research in Saxony, Germany:
Hauptarchiv
Archivstrasse 14
01097 Dresden

An email address for someone who might be able to give you helpful hints on Germany:
Her name is Carol:
Email Address:
GFS Carol@aol.com

Possible Help at the National Archives Regional Center in Kansas City.
I checked NARA records at Kansas City
Why, Kansas City, MO? If we remember, the only Federal Courthouse close to southern Macoupin County around the 1850's was St Louis MO. And, some immigrants who came to Macoupin also came thru New Orleans.
NARA Records at Kansas City:

Record Group 21
RECORDS OF THE DISTRICT COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES Record group description includes, "naturalization papers" - declarations of intention, petitions for naturalization, depositions, and certificates of naturalization;

Record Group 36
RECORDS OF THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE Related Microfilm Publications M174, "Letters Received by the Secretary of the Treasury From Collectors of Customs ("G", "H", "I" Series), 1833-1869"; M175, "Letters Sent by the Secretary of the Treasury to Collectors of Customs at All Ports, 1789-1847, and at Small Ports, 1847-1878 ("G" Series)"; M178, "Correspondence of the Secretary of the Treasury With Collectors of Customs, 1789- 1833"; M334, "Supplemental Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports (Excluding New York), 1820-1874"; M575, "Copies of Lists of Passengers Arriving at Miscellaneous Ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and at Ports on the Great Lakes, 1820-1873"; M1357, "Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Galveston, Texas, 1896- 1906"; M1358, "Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Galveston, Texas, 1906-1951"; M1359, "Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Galveston, Texas, 1896-1951"; T527, "Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving At New Orleans, Louisiana, 1853-1899"; T905, "Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1903-1945".

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Oldest naturalization found in Macoupin County:

Linda Kmiecik recently found a John Morris' application dated April of 1838 in Circuit Court Book A.
Quite awhile back a Macoupin County Genealogical Society Quarterly reported that Thomas Gelder applied April 19, 1837, Chancery Book A1, page 260 so Gelder is still the first naturalization found in Macoupin County records.