Peterson, Gus - Becomes a Citizen 1936

PETERSON

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 5/30/2006 at 15:57:00

Lockridge Times; Lockridge, Jefferson, Iowa; January 23, 1936

BECOMES A CITIZEN

It sounds funny to those who have known Gus Peterson of Round Prairie township for many years to hear that he has just become an American citizen. Here's the account, as published in the daily papers:

Although he has voted ever since attaining legal age, 74-year-old Gus Peterson of Lockridge route 2, only today became a citizen of the United States.

The only alien to appear before Judge Charles A. Dewey of Des Moines in federal court here, Peterson said that he was 8 years old when he came to this country from Sweden with his family. He said that his father was naturalized and until some time ago he believed that he was a citizen of the country in the legal sense.

Although he has long exercised the privileges of a citizen of this country, Peterson, gray-haired but agile, raised his right hand and renounced allegiance to foreign "princes" and "potentates" and swore his loyalty to the United States.