I recently decided to give Ancestry.com's "Hire an Expert" service a try. I chose to have someone with access to the St. Louis County Library print out the microfilm image of a court proceeding concerning the naturalization of my great-great-grandfather, John KAIN (Microfilm SLCL# 37, Vol. 22 Pg 59, John Kain, 10-Jun-1852). The cost was a mere $5 and the service was very good. I received a printout of the entire page and a close up of the paragraph concerning my ancestor.
That paragraph reads as follows:
Matthew Maher and John Kain, natives of Ireland, who apply to be admitted citizens of the United States, come and prove to the satisfaction of the Court, that they have resided in the United States for at least five years and in the State of Missouri at least one year, immediately preceeding this application, during which time they have conducted themselves as men 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 the Court moreover, being satisfied that the said applicants have taken the preparatory steps required by the laws of the United States concerning the naturalizations of foreigners, and they declaring here in Open Court, upon oath, that they will support the Constitution of the United States, and that they do entirely and absolutely renounce and abjure forever all allegiance and fidelity to every Power, Prince, State and Sovereignty whatsover and particularly to the Queen of Great Britain of whom they are at presents [sic] subjects. Therefore the said Matthew Maher and John Kain are citizens of the United States of America.
The Queen of Great Britain at that time was Victoria, who began her reign in 1837 at the age of 18.
Not much new information in the record. It does show that my great-great-grandfather was still in St. Louis in June, 1852. According to the Iowa 1855 Census, he arrived in Clinton Co., IA in 1852, so he must have gone there later that year. I'll probably be able to get more information on his migration from land records at the Root Cellar in the Clinton Public Library.
Ancestry.com's "Hire an Expert" service worked very well for me. It's great that someone with access to records I neeeded was willing to help out a fellow genealogist.
