Martin Gorzelanczyk, a native of Germany, was the first person to file a pettion to become a citizen of the United States under the new law in Lewis county. He appeared at the county clerk's office last Saturday for that purpose. Three persons have declared their intentions to become citizens, but it fell to the lot of Mr. Gorzelanczyk to give the county clerk's office a chance to see how the new law worked, in reality. Mr. Gorzelanczyk has six children and the petition must contain the names, ages and places of birth of all of them. As the petition has to be made out in duplicate it necessitated the writing of the above name in tbe neighborhood of twenty-five times. Deputy Clerk Dunckley almost fainted, when he first saw the name, but before he was half way tbrougb the job of completing the papers he recovered himself. Mr. Gorzelanczyk forgot the name of tbe vessel on which he came to this country, but answered all the other questions propounded to him.
Judge Rice has named January 21, 1907 as the first day on which be will hear petitions for naturalization. At least ninety days must elapse between the time of the filing of the petition and the time of the final hearing. In the meantime tbe petition must be sent to the Department of Immigration at Washington, D. C. and a notice filed ia the county clerk's office.
Source: The Centralia News-Examiner, Friday, 19 Oct 1906, front page.
Transcribed by Jenny Tenlen.
Note: Laurie (Dieringer) Houlihan is researching the Gorzelancyk family (Martin was her great-grandfather), and would be happy to share data with others.