Sarah Brodsky's Naturalization

My mother-in-law's Uncle George Levitt (born in New Jersey) married Elizabeth Brodsky, who immigrated to the U.S. with her mother, Sarah Brodsky. I previously shared their 1930 and 1940 U.S. census information.

In 1924, Sarah Brodsky submitted her Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United States to the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania, U.S. Naturalization Originals, 1795-1930, Ancestry.com.
Record for Sarah Brodsky: Declaration of Intention

This declaration has lots of great information about Sarah Brodsky. She was 41 years old, born on May 5, 1883, in Balto, Russia, and a dressmaker. Her physical description notes that she had a ruddy complexion, was 5'5" tall and 175 lbs in weight with brown hair and hazel eyes.

She arrived at the port of New York from Odessa, Russia, on June 26, 1906, but doesn't know the name of the ship. I haven't found the passenger list with Sarah and daughter Elizabeth on it. Her address at this time was 35 South Cecil Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (which is where I find her and daughter, Elizabeth, in the 1920 U.S. Census).

Note that the signature of the declarant is in Hebrew.

Three years later, Sarah completed her Petition for Naturalization.

Pennsylvania, U.S. Naturalization Originals, 1795-1930, Ancestry.com.
Record for Mrs. Sarah Brodsky: Petition for Naturalization

She reports the same information for her address, occupation, birth date, birth place, and immigration, adding that she left Odessa, Russia on May 30, 1906. This document notes that her husband is deceased and that she has one child, Elizabeth, born "----01" (which I am surmising is the year 1901) in Russia, and that she lives "with me."

She is now able to sign her name in English.

What a challenge Sarah faced - immigrating to America as a young widow with a young daughter.