Richard Cobe Sr. – Naturalization update

I was reviewing my Cobe file and found that a fellow researcher had been able to obtain the 1850 naturalization record for Richard Cobe Sr. He did complete the naturalization process prior to his death. The record confirms what has already been determined:

1. The Cobe’s had been in Ohio by 1840 (evidenced by 1840 census).
2. The Cobe’s were from Ireland.

6 May 1850

“Richard Cobe, an alien and native of Ireland, a free white person, this day came into Court, and proved to the satisfaction of the Court, that he made in this Court two years ago, the requisite declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States for five years last past, that he has resided one year last past in the State of Ohio, and that during all that time, he has behaved as a man of good moral character – attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same. And thereupon the said Richard Cobe, in open Court here, made solemn oath that he will support the Constitution of the United States, and that he doth absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty, and particularly all allegiance and fidelity to Victoria, the first Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland whose subject he was. And thereupon it is ordered that he be admitted a Citizen of the United States and that a Certificate of Naturalization issue to him.”

Detail

Paulding County Common Pleas Court Records May Term 1850; page 221; 6 May 1850

Source Information

Title: Paulding County, Ohio Common Pleas Court

Author: Clerk of Courts

Publisher Location: Paulding County Courthouse, Paulding County, Ohio

This record does not provide any additional information about when or how he came to America from Ireland, nor who the members of his family were. It does indicate that he completed a declaration of intent at least five years prior to his naturalization (about 1845).

NOTE:  Despite the lack of details, there is a high certainty that this record is in reference to our immigrant ancestor, Richard Cobe, due to “negative evidence” in that there are no other Cobe families found in Paulding County in the 1840’s and 1850’s.

Declarations of intent to become U.S. citizens in Richard Senior’s time varied from state to state resulting in inconsistent records for immigrants. Below are EXAMPLES of declarations of intent ranging from 1844 to 1890 and across different states.

Example of an 1844 declaration of intent from Missouri.  Provides date of declaration, name, country of origin, State, and locality of residence/naturalization.

Example of an 1851 declaration of intent from Ohio.   This is the closest example of what Richards declaration of intent may look like.  It provides only three things: the immigrant’s name, date of filing, and country of origin.  The place of filing can only be identified by which county or court location it was found in.

Example of an 1860 declaration of intent from Indiana.  In addition to the 1844 example above, this version includes the date and port of arrival in the United States, and the age of the immigrant at the time he filed his declaration.  His place of residence is presumed to be the county of the circuit court where it was filed.

Example of an 1875 declaration of intent from Washington, D.C.  This example only provides the name of the immigrant, his age on the date of filing his declaration, the date of declaration and the Supreme Court District where it was filed (not necessarily his residence), and his country of origin.

Example of an 1890 declaration of intent from Michigan.  As with the 1860 example, this was filed in a county circuit court which is presumed to be the immigrant’s place of residence. It only provides the immigrant’s name, country of origin, and date of filing.