USCIS-provided 1940 A-File suggests no naturalization, but possible papers filed in 1941?

[erikor]

Greetings! I filed USCIS search and record requests, which yielded an A-File for my GGF that USCIS released in full. The A-File notes that my GGF first applied for citizenship papers in 1916 (my GF was born in 1913, so good to go there at least), that the papers were received in 1916 in Detroit but then lost (Image 1: https://i.imgur.com/EEWjda3.png). According to the A-File, which was stamped and signed on September 17, 1940, no petition for naturalization had ever been filed. I sent a letter to USCIS this past Monday requesting a Certificate of Non-Existence of Naturalization after receiving the A-File.

I've found through other searches a Declaration of Intention signed by my GGF (and an associated record index card) on January 2, 1917. Maybe he got confused when he said he had applied in 1916? I also found the passenger list associated with his 1906 immigration, which has an annotation listing a district number, application number, and verification date for March 20, 1941 (Image 2: https://i.imgur.com/zwQtwkF.png). Some more information: he died in 1954 and he is listed as an "alien" in the 1920, 1930, and 1940 census records. I just got his death certificate and his citizenship is listed as USA - another possible headache.

I'm trying to make sense of all this and figure out whether these findings are conflicting, and if so, if that will complicate my eventual application for citizenship (I'm still in document-gathering mode). Does the annotation on the 1906 passenger list suggest he did in fact apply for naturalization again in 1941? If so, wouldn't USCIS have found that when I requested a files search? Will the date discrepancy (1916 on the A-File, 1917 on the Declaration of Intention) cause problems? Maybe this will be moot if USCIS does respond with a CoNE.

I would greatly appreciate any insights from this great community of which I'm a new member. Thank you so much in advance!

[mler]

It's unusual for an annotation of this sort to appear on an old passenger record. Possibly the numbers were transposed from 1914, which is also incorrect based on your research. It appears, in any case, that any naturalization occurred after your gf was born.

If USCIS has no record of naturalization for your gf, and you do not find any records in the county courts, it's safe to assume he once took the preliminary steps but never completed the naturalization process. The census records showing him to be unnaturalized, are more significant than the death certificate. The information on the former documents were provided by him; the information on the death certificate was provided by a relative with limited information.

[erikor]

Thanks so much for your input! I really appreciate it - very helpful insight coming from a Master on this forum.

I've requested the CoNE and I've also sent search requests to NARA's regional center at Chicago (received a response email within a day saying they were assigning a staff member to the request and that they try to fully respond to inquiries within 10 days), Michigan's government archives repository (includes court records), and a couple county clerks to cover my bases.

[mler]

Thank you, but “Master” only mean I’ve posted a lot.