This week, a lot of my research has been trying to track down my great-great-grandparents’ Hebrew names. (It wasn’t hard. They are Chaim ben r’Yosef haKohen and Sheva Baila bat Gavriel. Thanks, Rabbi Bob, for translating their headstone.) As part of that research, I discovered Joseph’s naturalization papers.
Many things about this discovery delight me: the additional information it gives me, which may seem insignificant, but at this point every little morsel connects two other morsels and begins to add up to at least a partial story of a life. But one thing stopped me, though I should have realized it before I saw it here:
This reads, in part, “I am attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and it is my intention to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce absolutely and forever all the allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to Nicholas (II Emperor of all the Russias of which at this time I am a citizen subject, and it is my intention to reside permanently in the United States.” Joseph, Sheva Baila, and their children were not citizens—not of any nation—before they became American citizens. They were subjects. And because they had the foresight to leave, now I and my family are citizens.
One thing this project has given me that I will never lose is a deep gratitude for the bravery of the generation that made the trip: Sheva Baila and Joseph, who were brave enough to send their oldest son alone to a new continent to make a way for the family; AI, who was brave and competent enough to do just that, Lake and all his siblings who built lives for us here.
What artifacts have you found that changed your understanding of your family’s stories, friends? More importantly, what has changed your understanding of the world and your place in it, as this has changed mine?
I absolutely loved reading this segment. I could never live up to the courage of our ancestors, but I am in complete admiration.
Sarah,
I found a newspaper article about my grandfather's grocery selected by the newspaper as Newark's (NJ) milk station no. 1 because of his store's neatness and his reputation. This was 1915. This told me he was altruistic which my father and I inherited.