Follow Up Friday: Ulrich Keller is Naturalized

The Lancaster Daily Intelligencer announced that the naturalization papers for four men are available at the paper on 21 October1880. The four men, now able to vote in the upcoming election, are: Ulrich Keller, August Krueger, Christian Haettler, and Philip Straub. So who were these men and what became of them? Today, I decided to look more closely at Ulrich Keller.

Ulrich Keller is a more common name than I anticipated. That said, there is a 50 year old laborer named Ulrich Keller living in West Hempfield, Lancaster County on the 1880 Census. He was born in Germany, as was his wife Barbara. Their five children were all born in Pennsylvania. The children listed are: Frederick, Matilda, Annie, Louisa, and George. Other than place of birth, the 1880 census gave no indication of from where or when Ulrich and Barbara arrived.

Jumping ahead to 1910, that census provides more information. Ulrich and Barbara are now living in Columbia with their daughter Matilda, her husband Elmer Carter and their children. The two have been married for 58 years now. Barbara had nine children and four of them are living. The now 80 year old Ulrich is still a laborer. The 1910 Census asks for immigration year and naturalization status! Ulrich immigrated in 1850 while Barbara stated she came in 1854. There is nothing written for her status but his indicated he is naturalized (Na). At 80, Ulrich was now having trouble seeing and hearing. The census notes if people are blind, deaf and dumb, and if they are a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy!

The 1900 Census offers even more information. Ulrich, age 71, was born in May 1829. Barbara goes by Lizzie here so my education guess is that her name is Barbara Elizabeth or vice versa. She was born in February 1835. One of their children, 24 year old George, is living with them. They have been married 45 years, had nine children and six of those children are living at that time. The 1900 census also asks about immigration and naturalization. George of course was born here. Barbara states she came over in 1853 and has been in the US for 47 years. Ulrich came one year prior to Barbara in 1852. He had been in the States for 48 years and he was, by 1900, a naturalized citizen.

The 1900 Census was the first to ask about naturalization status. Not every immigrant sought to be a citizen however. Barbara, being Ulrich’s spouse, would have obtained her citizen status “by right of” her husband having been naturalized. The children would have, until 1940 I believe, obtained their citizenship status through the father as well.

Sources

Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. (Lancaster, PA), 21 October 1880. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress.

Year: 1880; Census Place: West Hempfield, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1141; Family History Film: 1255141; Page: 48C; Enumeration District: 124; Image: 0100

Year: 1900; Census Place: Columbia, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1423; Page: 19A; Enumeration District: 0013; FHL microfilm: 1241423

Year: 1910; Census Place: Columbia Ward 4, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1353; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0017; FHL microfilm: 1375366

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