Patrick Sullivan's 1858 Naturalization
0 Comments Published by Jane on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 9:48 PM.
To date, the oldest record I have uncovered connected to my family history research is Patrick Sullivan's Naturalization Document. Lucky for me, when this document was filed in 1858 the name Patrick Sullivan was unique for Thomaston, Maine. The document contains some interesting clues about my great-great grandfather. As you can see in the image above, he "signed" his naturalization document with an "X". The clerk then notes around the "X" that this is Patrick Sullivan's mark. At the time he was about 35 (or 38 if you go by the birth year on his grave stone), yet in all that time, he had not had an opportunity nor a need to learn to sign his own name.
Another exciting clue in the September 7, 1858 document is Patrick's statement that he was born in County Cork, Ireland and arrived in Eastport, Maine on May 13, 1849. Unfortunately, I have not found a passenger record, but that is not very surprising since passenger records are pretty scarce for that time.
I may not have any idea what my great-great grandfather looked like, but I can say that he could sign a mean "X" when needed.
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