9 Replies Latest reply on Jun 10, 2021 6:31 AM by Kelly Horn

Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke

Sarah Popchoke Apr 3, 2020 3:58 PM

I am at a bit of a loss. I have been trying rather unsuccessfully to locate the immigration and naturalization records for John Popchoke. He immigrated to the USA in 1879 when he was 2 years old. He came with his father, stepmother and sister Anna. His birth mother was supposed to have been buried on a farm outside of Warsaw Poland. According to one of his grandkids, John's father allegedly died in Merlin, TX in 1889 and the stepmom is supposed to be buried in Galveston, TX. She wanted to send both kids to a Catholic home. John ran away to Waco where he was living with a family named West. They ran a pony or medicine show. We don't see him again in any records until 1898 in Lamar, TX when he married Eva Lena Bohannon. The story goes that John ran into Anna when she was in Waco, TX. John was supposedly naturalized in Hugo, OK but he didn't spell his last name as Popchoke (which was how his name sounded in Polish). The belief is that he used his real spelling of his last name. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Re: Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke

Henry Rosenberg Apr 4, 2020 2:08 PM (in response to Sarah Popchoke)

I have been trying to look but there are too many potential variations on his real last name. Do you know where he lived beside Oklahoma or where he died? I have only found school registration for his children there which does not give any useful info. No census info. Oklahoma did not become a state until 1907. Census info will sometimes tell you if or when he was naturalized. Sorry I could not be of more help.
Henry
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- Re: Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke
  
  Sarah Popchoke Apr 7, 2020 9:27 AM (in response to Henry Rosenberg)
  
  I can find John Popchoke in the 1910-1940s census:
  1880 (unknown)
  1990 (unknown)
  1910 Ratliff, Choctaw, Oklahoma, USA
  1920 Oakes, Choctaw. Oklahoma, USA
  1930 Baucum. Jackson, Oklahoma, USA
  1935 Altus, Jackson, Oklahoma, USA
  1940 Wellington, Sumner, Kansas, USA
  
  John Popchoke was married in Texas in 1898. He died February 15, 1950 in Hugo, Choctaw, Oklahoma and is buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Hugo, Choctaw, Oklahoma, USA.
  
  His wife, Eva Lena Bohannon, was born on May 23, 1878 in Lamar County, Texas, USA (same county they married in and is supposed to be the daughter of James Bohannon and Martha Ray who may have died in 1900. Not much to anything is known about them either). Eva died on October 17, 1932 in Altus, Jackson, Oklahoma, USA and is buried in Altus Cemetery in Altus, Choctaw, Oklahoma, USA.
  
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  - Re: Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke
    
    Henry Rosenberg Apr 7, 2020 2:01 PM (in response to Sarah Popchoke)
    
    I have been trying but have been unsuccessful. If you know where he came through it might help you. People came through NY,New Orleans,Boston,Baltimore,Canada. When he came Ellis Island was not open in NY, Castle Garden was.
    
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    - Re: Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke
      
      Sarah Popchoke Apr 9, 2020 2:50 AM (in response to Henry Rosenberg)
      
      I looked at the 1910-1940 census and it says either no or na under citizenship/naturalization so if he was naturalized he did not put it down or it was between 1940-1950 and I have to look at the ports but another spelling he used on his marriage certificate was Pofehok.
      
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      - Re: Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke
        
        Henry Rosenberg Apr 9, 2020 4:19 PM (in response to Sarah Popchoke)
        
        I googled NA. See below.
        
        https://www.google.com/search?q=on+the+1930+census+under+naturalization+it+says+na.+what+does+that+mean%3F&oq=on&aqs=chrome.0.69i59l3j69i60l3j69i65l2.3628j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
        
        So it means that he was naturalized before 1910. Don't know if there was a census for 1900 for Oklahoma since it was still a territory or if there was who did it.
        
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        Re: Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke
        
        Sarah Popchoke Apr 10, 2020 3:33 PM (in response to Henry Rosenberg)
        
        He was in Texas up until at least up until 1907 because he had 2 children born in 1901 and in 1902 whom were born in TX (unknown where exactly) and his next 3 kids were all born in Oklahoma (1907, 1910, 1917) and he emigrated over here in 1879 yet I can't find him in the 1880 or 1900 census in fact he doesn't show up as Popchoke until 1910 all the way to his death his marriage certificate uses Pofehok as his last name in 1898 however that name was not used on any census records so i am kind of stumped so he could gave been naturalized between 1879-1907 in Texas or 1907-1910 in Oklahoma which neither have panned out yet...and I'm still not sure what port he came through...
        
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        Re: Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke
        
        Henry Rosenberg Apr 13, 2020 12:09 PM (in response to Sarah Popchoke)
        
        I'll try to look but so far I am having no luck either.
        
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Re: Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke

Rebecca Collier Apr 18, 2020 6:07 PM (in response to Sarah Popchoke)

Dear Ms. Popchoke,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

If John Popchoke was naturalized prior to September 27, 1906, whether through his own petition or derived from his father, it may have occurred in Texas or Oklahoma. Please check the locale or state courts, state archives, or local historical societies.

Beginning September 27, 1906, the responsibility for naturalization proceedings was transferred to the Federal courts. Those in Texas or Oklahoma would be in the custody of the National Archives at Fort Worth (RM-FW). Please contact RM-FW via email at ftworth.archives@nara.gov and ask the staff to perform a search within their holdings.

It also is possible that John did not complete the naturalization process. Naturalization is not required in the U.S. In the late 1800s/early 1900s based on census statistics, around 25% of immigrants in the U.S. had not pursued citizenship.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!

[Information provided by Elizabeth Burnes, Subject Matter Expert]
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Re: Seeking immigration & naturalization records for John Popchoke

Kelly Horn Jun 10, 2021 6:31 AM (in response to Sarah Popchoke)

Hi. I was reading the info you provided, and I believe we may be related. My great grandmother was Lillie Mae Popchoke. Her father's name was John and they lived in Altus, Oklahoma as well as Hugo, Oklahoma at one time. I believe her mother's name was Eva Lena "Birdie" Bohannon.
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