"1917 Naturalizations in Evansville"

The Evansville newspapers are chock full of information. The following article on recent newly naturalized citizens appeared in the 17 February 1917 issue of the Evansville Courier.

Citizenship Sought By Six

Five Germans and one Swiss applied for naturalization papers in superior court yesterday. The number is the largest for a single day ever recorded by Naturalization Clerk Herman H. Holtmann and is thought to be the largest number reported in a single day since the civil war.

Joseph Heggin, age 40, who came to this city about 11 years ago from Canada, is the first native of Switzerland to apply for citizenship papers at the local naturalization bureau for several years.

Heggin, a blacksmith living at 12 Florida street, was born at Menzingen, Switzerland, and sailed from Havre, France Apr. 24, 1905 for Canada, but a few months later came to the United States, which he had heard was a better country in which to live. This assertion was the truth in every respect, according to the Swiss when he applied for his citizenship papers.

Several different lines of trades were represented by the five Germans applying for naturalization. John Christian Ambacher, age 52, a minister at Inglefield, applied for his first papers after living in this country for 46 years under the impression that he was an American because of his youth when he arrived in this country form Germany with his parents.

George Adam Trapp, 61 years old, a farmer of Armstrong township, came to America in 1859 from his birthplace, Doernbach, Germany, but only recently discovered that he is still a German subject.

Henry Rosenberger, age 65, park custodian, has lived in America as a German subject since 1860, when he came to this country from Bremen. His present address is 811 St. Joseph avenue.

Bernard Diedrich, 56 years old, a collar maker living at 110 East Franklin street, left Hanover, Germany, the place of his birth in 1863.

The fifth laborer, Michael Darling, age 60, of 201 State street, came to America in 1880 from Schneidermill.

The six applicants and many others, including Henry Reis, president of the Old State National Bank and one of the most prominent business men in the city, will be heard by Judge Hostetler of the superior court on March 7, the next naturalization day. - Submitted by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG