West Virginia Naturalization Records

Naturalization Certificate

Naturalization to become a U.S. citizen was a two-part process: the Declaration of Intent to Naturalize, or First Papers, and the Naturalization Record (including the Naturalization Petition), or Final Papers. The First Papers were normally filed five years before the Final Papers because of the five-year residency requirement to become a citizen. No centralized files existed before 1906. In 1906 federal forms replaced the various formats that had been used by the various courts. Copies were sent to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), creating a central file for naturalization papers. The INS is now known as the U.S. Citizenship … Read more

Biography of Jacob Ramer Blackshere

Jacob Ramer Blackshere was one of the men who laid the foundation of Kansas’ great agricultural prosperity. He was a pioneer both in point of time and in point of achievement. The history of Kansas ought to give recognition and honor to such men, and that is the purpose of this brief article. One of the greatest sources of Kansas wealth is alfalfa. It is not strange, therefore, that many should have been mentioned for the premier honor of having introduced that crop into the Sunflower State. No doubt the controversy had been settled for all time in favor of … Read more

Carpenter, Samantha L. Kuperus – Obituary

Samantha L. Kuperus Carpenter, 37, formerly of Union County, died Oct. 28 in Fairmont, W.Va. There will be a 3 p.m. memorial service Monday at the Union County Senior Center. Everyone is requested to bring a rose. Ms. Carpenter, who preferred to be called Sammy, was born Dec. 2, 1968, in Auburn, Calif., and spent her childhood in several towns in Union County. She had a way of cheering up people. She always encouraged people around her to make sound choices, and many were touched by her spirit. Survivors include her father, Sam Kuperus; stepmother, Delilah Bishop; sons, Anthony and … Read more

Pfeil, Charles Fred “Chuck” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Charles Fred “Chuck” Pfeil, 73, of Baker City, died Aug. 18, 2002, with his family by his side on his ranch at Sutton Creek after a courageous 10-month battle with cancer. His funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane in Baker City. Mr. Darold Parry, 3rd Ward, will conduct the service. Vault interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. A dinner at the church will follow the graveside service. Visitations will be today until 7:00 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Mr. Pfeil … Read more

Biography of Henry Clay McDougal

Henry Clay McDougal was born in Marion county, Virginia (now West Virginia), December 9, 1844, and was the second son of John Fletcher and Elvira Boggess McDougal, who were born and reared in that county. His great grandfather, William McDougal, was a Scotch Presbyterian clergyman, who came from the highlands and settled on the Monongahela River, in Virginia, in the year 1770. His maternal ancestors came from England under the second charter granted by James I, in 1609, to the company of ” Adventurers and planters, etc., for the first colony in Virginia,” and first settled on the James River … Read more

Biography of John P. Brady

John P. Brady. Since he was fifteen years of age John P. Brady had had a varied and extensive experience as an oil worker. He began in his native state of Pennsylvania, and had been in most of the important oil fields of the country. For the past few years he had had his home at Havans, and is one of the leading individual producers in that section. His birth occurred at Parkers Landing in Pennsylvania on June 3, 1876. His people, however, were early settlers of Ohio. His grandfather Barney Brady was born in County Cavan, Ireland, came to … Read more