History: Clark Co., Wis., Naturalization Hearings (9 Jun 1949)

Contact: Ken Wood

----Sources: Colby Phonograph Thursday June 9, 1949, Page 9

Three War Brides Seek Citizenship

Three British war brides now residing in Clark County will be among the four petitioners to go before Judge Bruce F. Beilfuss and an immigration examiner for citizenship papers at Neillsville in June.

The naturalization hearings wil be conducted June 21, and will be followed by a ceremony welcoming the newcomers into citizenship. The ceremony is planned by the Business and Professional Women's Club of Neillsville, and will be a public event.

Where Clark County has had as many as 75 seekling naturalization papers at a single hearing of this type in the past, there will be but four this year, according to Ben Franz, clerk of courts.

A spurt which followed the outbreak of World War II sent the number zooming to near-record heights; but it has fallen off to a mere trickle in the last two years ! or more, Mr. Franz said.

The trio of British war brides will be joined by Mrs. Hedwig Tesemer of Neillsville, Rt. 3, a native of Germany.

The war brides petitioning for the citizenship are: Mrs. William (Pauline) Zassenhaus of Colby, Rt. 2, who came here from Totnes, England, entering the United States March 26th, 1946.

Mrs. Henry (Julia Lucy) Szepiemec of Dorchester, who entered the United States March 17, 1946, from Forkhill, North, Ireland.

And Mrs. Donald (Patricia Dorothy) Jagodinski, Owen, Rt. who entered the United States February 4, 1946, coming from London, England.

War brides, following their soldier-husbands to the United States, need no declaration of intention, commonly called "first papers". They have been in the United States for two years or more.