Certificate of Naturalizaton for Joseph Vidich

U.S. Dept. of Labor Naturalization Service

Original envelope in which the Certiificate of Naturalization was sent on December 12, 1921

Joseph Vidich was naturalized as an American citizen on November 2, 1921, about seven months before the birth of his son Arthur Vidich. His naturalization papers contained some errors in the birth dates of two of his children (e.g., Paulina was actually born January 3, 1915 - not January 1, 1915; Elizabeth was actually born September 28, 1920 - not December 30, 1920). The naturalization papers reveal that Joseph was 35 years old, had brown eyes, dark brown hair and was 5 feet nine inches tall. It also indicates that he was a subject of the King of Serbs, Croates and Slovenes before petitioning to become an American citizen. His wife Paulina, five years his younger, had three daughters and was pregnant at the time her husband was naturalized. The original certificate of naturalization was kept by Mary Jauquet Royer, Joseph Vidich's grand-daughter who presumably received this document from her mother Elizabeth Vidich who is still living today. The certificate was mailed to Joseph Vidich on December 12, 1921 to his address in Trommald, Minnesota (see original envelope in which the naturalization papers arrived).

For those interested in the history of naturalization, it is interesting to note that the U.S. Department of Labor included a notice with each certificate of naturalization indicating that it was a crime to forge or falsify such documents.  Those convicted of forging naturalization certificates could face 10 years in jail or fined up to $10,000 - an enormous sum of money in 1920. Anyone impersonating someone else or falsely appearing in the name of a deceased person or an assumed or fictitious name could be fined up to $1,000 or imprisoned for up to five years or both. The United States government even made it a crime to deny one was a U.S. citizen if the intent of such denial was to evade or avoid any duty or liability imposed or required by law.  Those caught in such activities could face up to $1,000 in fines or five years in prison or both.