USA: Einbürgerung und Militärdienst von Einwanderern

[Svenja]

Hallo

Drei Vorfahren von mir sind zwischen 1910 und 1930 von der Schweiz in die USA ausgewandert. Leider ist es mir bisher nur bei einer Person gelungen, die genauen Einreisedaten zu finden. Zu einer anderen Person habe ich herausgefunden, dass es eine World War 1 Draft Registration Card gibt. Doch da diese anscheinend nicht im Internet einsehbar ist, fehlen mir wichtige Informationen zu dieser Person.

Zunächst stellen sich mir folgende Fragen:

Wie konnte ein Einwanderer in die US-Armee gelangen, musste er zuerst Bürger werden?
Wie lange dauerte es damals, bis man als Einwanderer USA-Bürger werden konnte?
Wie kann ich herausfinden, ob mein Vorfahre tatsächlich im 1. Weltkrieg aktiv war?

Im voraus besten Dank für eure Hilfe.

[Lefty]

Since someone in Schwyz is helping with my lookups in that Canton, I am willing to research in the USA. I need the names of the immigrants you are looking for. There dates when they may have entered America. Did they bring a family with them? etc,..
If you know where they lived in the US, I may be able to find the census for them.

As for becoming a citizen of the USA, it usually takes five years. However, everyone did not try to become a citizen right away. Sometimes the men registered for the draft but did not have to go and fight.

I am using a translator to understand this forum; I hope I understood your question correctly. ED

[Svenja]

Hello Lefty

I'm searching for the following persons:

Rosette Letter, born 1902 in Oberaegeri, Switzerland. She came to the USA in 1921 to go to the St. Getrudes Convent in Cottonwood, Idaho. There she was Sister Mary Gonzaga and I found details on her life on the monastery's website. I also found her name and other details on the passengerlist of the ship "France" which went from Le Havre, France to New York in October 1921.

Eduard/Edward Letter, born 1901 in Oberaegeri, Switzerland. Unfortunatly I don't know exactly when he arrived in the USA. But I think it was between 1920 an 1930. He lived in California and got married, but I don't know when. His date of death is also unknown.

Dominik Letter, date of birth unknown, in Oberaegeri, Switzerland (He was older than Edward). I don't know exactly when he arrived in the USA. But I know that he arrived there earlier than Edward and I think that he also lived in California. His date of death is also unknown.

I have recently found a World War One Draft Registration Card with the name "Frank Dominik Letter". But in the internet I cannot see further information from this document, so I don't know for sure if this is the person I'm searching for.

I would be very grateful if you could help me find out more about these persons.

Svenja

[Thomas]

Auch heute noch ist es möglich, in die US-Army einzutreten, ohne US-Bürger zu sein. Im Irak-Krieg kämpften mehrere Zehntausend solcher "Greencard-Soldaten" für die USA, zumeist Immigranten, die sich dadurch eine rasche Einbürgerung und ein dauerhaftes Aufenthaltsrecht erhofften. In der Tat versprach US-Präsident Bush, für solche "Söldner" das Einbürgerungsverfahren zu beschleunigen.

Meines Wissens war im Ersten Weltkrieg, als das US-Expeditionscorps für Europa grösstenteils aus Freiwilligen bestand, die Quote an Nicht-US-Bürgern ebenfalls sehr hoch.

Gruss

Thomas

[Lefty]

From the Roots-Web site on the search of "Letter" I found Edward Letter and Frank Dominik Letter. Edward was born Feb. 03,1901; mother's maiden name Besmer. He died on 03/28/1981(March 28,1981) in Humbolt County. He is buried in St Mary's Cemetery, Arcata, California. He married Frieda K Oberfelt 02/02/1891 of California. This is her obituary:

The Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA-Jan. 7, 1966;page 23
LETTER, Freda K. Jan. 6, 1966
Box 3863, Arcata. Wife of Edward LETTER of Arcata. Mother of Mrs. Ann MCCOOL, Mrs. Teresa IRISH, Thomas ALBONICO all of Arcata; Mrs. Agnes NELSON, John ALBONICO, Carlo ALBONICO all of Eureka; Bart ALBONICO of Hydesville; Peter ALBONICO of Redway; Mary JOHNSTON of Mountain View; Tony ALBONICO of Rhode Island; Frank Thomas of Santa Rosa. Sister Anna DEUEL and Fred BULLWINKEL of Arcata. She is survived by 1 nephew, 1 niece, 24 grand-children and 17 great-grandchildren. A native of San Francisco. Age 74. Services will be held at Paul's Chapel Sat., Jan 8 at 10 a.m. Interment St. Mary's Cemetery.

Frank Dominik letter was born Jan 1,1893, and died Aug 20,1950. He married a Marie Letter (no maiden name yet). Marie was born 05/12/1886 and died 03/12/1972. month /day/year. They also are buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Arcata.

Just did a quick research for now. Ed

[Svenja]

Hello Ed

Many thanks for this information, it is very helpful for me.
This ist the right Edward Letter, his mother's maiden name was Besmer.
I also think that this Frank Dominik Letter is really the person I'm searching for.
I'm wondering what was the occupation of Dominik and Edward Letter?
How did they travel from the east coast to the west coast of the USA?

The sons of Frieda K. Letter-Oberfelt have the name Albonico.
Does this mean that Frieda was married first to a man with this name?
The daughters are not mentioned with their maiden name,
so I cannot see if Edward Letter was their father.

Greetings

Svenja
- Editiert von Svenja am 05.10.2006, 19:28 -

[Lefty]

Hello Svenja

I have left a message on the Humbolt County Roots-Web Board looking for information on Frank and Edward Letter. We will see if we get a response. I did find the obituary for Freda K. first husband. It foolows:

Boards > Localities > North America > United States > States > California > Counties > Humboldt

URL

Subject: Thomas ALBONICO d.March 17, 1928
Author: Kevin Savetz
Date: 27 Nov 2000 12:00 PM GMT
Email:
The Union, Arcata, CA-March 22, 1928;page 8
ARCATA DAIRYMAN DIES SATURDAY
Thomas ALBONICO, a well known Arcata Bottom dairyman and a resident of this locality for the past 30 years, died at the Trinity Hospital Saturday of peritonitis. ALBONICO had been confined to the hospital some weeks ago and showing improvement, was taken home. Becoming worse he was brought back ten days ago, the end coming Saturday.
Deceased was born in Italy on June 13, 1871, and came to this county about 40 years ago. He worked on the ranches in this vicinity and for several years past has been conducting the John BULWINKLE ranch near Mad River. He is survived by a widow and ten children ranging in ages from 18 years down to twin sons 18 months of age. Their names are Annie, Mary, Agnes, Teresa, Bart, Thomas, Carl, John, Bernard and Francis.
The funeral was held from St. Mary's Catholic Church Monday at 10 a.m., Rev. Father Twomey officiating, interment Catholic cemetery. Deceased had been a member of Arcata Camp of Woodmen for the past 16 years, and the lodge was represented on the list of pall bearers also sending a floral piece. The pall bearers were A. GALLACI, C.M. BERNARDI, Peter PARTON, Sylvester CANCLINI, Domingo RIELLA and Charles SACCHI.

That answers the questions on the children, at least the biological factors. Freda and Edward are buried next to each other. Ed
- Editiert von Nico am 22.10.2006, 21:14 -

[Lefty]

Svenja:
Have you contacted or written to the Convent in Idaho? They may have more information. I have seen there web site, but it seems there is no one to contact. I did find someone to as questions of : I am not sure if English is hard for you. Ed

[Svenja]

Hallo Ed

Many thanks for the information about Thomas Albonico. The details of his life written in his obituary are very interesting. Thomas Albonico and Freda K. Oberfelt had ten children, but who is "Frank Thomas of Santa Rosa" who ist mentionned in the obituary of Freda K. Letter?

I didn't contact the Convent in Idaho for more information. I only read the text about Rosette Letter (Sister Mary Gonzaga) who died in April 2001 on their website. The details of her life which I found there are enough information for me at the moment.

Greetings

Svenja

PS: Writing and reading English is no problem for me, I wrote all textes in this thread by myself.

[Svenja]

Habe heute zufällig doch noch das shipmanifest von Dominik Letter gefunden. Er ist 1911 gereist und war 18 Jahre alt, da sein Jahrgang 1893 ist, stimmt das überein. Als Verwandter ist Bonaventura Letter aus Oberägeri angegeben, das ist mein Ururgrossvater. Dominik hat sich zunächst in einem Hotel in Greenvich/New York einquartiert. Da hier der Vorname Frank fehlt, nehme ich an, dass er diesen erst später angenommen hat.

Today I have finally found the shipmanifest of Dominik Letter. He travelled 1911 and was 18 years old. He was born in 1893, so that must be the right person. As a relativ in Switzerland is mentionned Bonaventura Letter. Thats the name of my great-great-grandfather. Dominik was going to live first in a Hotel in Greenvich/New York. As on this list the name Frank is not mentionned I presume that he took this name later.

[Lefty]

Author: Amy Letter Date: 14 Oct 2006 11:31 PM GMT
Classification: Query
In Reply to: Frank Dominik Letter and Edward Letter(Albonico) by: Ed
Post Reply | Mark Unread Report Abuse Print Message
Hi my name is Amy Letter. My husband is Bonoventura Letter or Ven Letter as he is more commonely known. He is the son of Edward Letter and Viktoria Inderbitzen of Arcata. Formely of Switzerland. His father Ed died when my husband was 12. If interested my husbands mother has a full family tree of Edward's family. Unfortunately it's written in German and hard for us to read. My husband does speak Swiss-German if interested in speaking to him. Our number 707/725/0991.