Citizenship Record of Former Man Found After Long Search

Detained in Mexico Because of Loss of Papers

Submitted by Martha J. Kounse

-----29 September 1926 Ironton Evening Tribune
Eugene Fellinger, former Ironton man, who in letters and telephone to this city said that he is unable to get back in the United States from Mexico because of his loss of naturalization papers, may soon be able to join his family in Michigan.  A record of his naturalization was found in the local probate court after a search of two days.

Fellington went to Mexico with his family years ago.  It was during trouble in that country that his stock and many of his belongings were stolen, among them being his naturalization papers.  His family was able to return to the US and went to Michigan, but Fellington was barred from admission and began an effort to find some means of getting back to the states.  He could have waited until February and returned without interference, but five months was too long for Fellinger to wait to join his family and he began dispatching telegrams and letters to Ironton and county officials in an effort to have a record made of his certificate of naturalization.  He was naturalized in 1883. He informed county officials and a search was made for the record that year.

Judge Payne and Deputy Helen Clark started a search which lasted for two days, carefully going over the books which in some cases were covered by a quarter inch of dust.  After a day's search, they gave it up, but refreshed, they started in on the second day of searching.  Another day and no such record was found.  Ready to call it a bad job, they were ready to leave the room in which the records are held when a lone book was seen in one corner.  Out of curiosity, they investigated and the record of forty three years back was unearthehed where it had lain throughout the search.

The record of Eugene Fellinger's naturalization on the 27th day of August 1883 was found.  The record showed that on July 19, 1877 he had come to the United States from Germany.  His papers were granted the same day he applied, August 27, 1883.

It was in July of 1877 that an uprising occurred in Germany.  A boy friend of Fellinger's obtained a sum equivalent to $500 in US money and asked Fellinger to join him in a trip to this country.  Fellinger upon arriving in the US, found his way to Ironton, where he began work at the Ebert Brewery.  He made many friends and is still well remembered.

At the time the naturalization papers were issued, George W. Thompson was probate judge. Thomas Hamilton and W.R.S. Davidson were the witness for Thompson.