Becoming naturalized U.S. citizens

Both John and his brother Joseph filed their Declaration of Intention for naturalization in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois on Sep. 7, 1893—just four months after they arrived in the United States with family members. John filed his Petition for Naturalization on June 30, 1909, his witnesses, Turtle Lake farmers Fred Schroder and Ed Prosser, had to attest that they "have personal knowledge that John is a person of good moral character and is attached to the principles of the Constitution..."  John's paperwork reflects that his wife Agnes Louise (née Schuster or Shoemaker, whom he married in Europe in 1886) was deceased (on Feb. 5, 1904), and that he was raising their children Julia (b. 1888), Mary (b. 1890), Joe (b. 1893), John (b. 1894, but correct date is 1895), Anna (b. 1896), and Theresa "Tracy" (b. 1899).  John's Petition for Naturalization also shows that his son Joseph was born on June 15, 1893 in Illinois; this is wrong—see HERE from family genealogist Roberta Meyer Lombardino; this document from her substantiates Joseph was born at sea in May 1893 while the family was immigrating from Europe to the United States. John took the oath to become a U.S. citizen on Oct. 11, 1909. 

Leopold's Declaration of Intention to become a U.S. citizen is dated June 30, 1909.  It was filed at the Barron County courthouse in Wisconsin. The document notes he is 46 years old, occupation a farmer, has a dark complexion, and is 5'5" tall, weighing 150 lbs. with brown hair and gray eyes. On July 1, 1911, Leopold filed a Petition for Naturalization, and witnesses were his brothers Joseph and Frank. This document shows that he immigrated to the United States separate and apart from his five brothers, who arrived in May 1893, while Leopold and his family arrived at Ellis Island in June 1902. Leopold had to sign attesting to the following: "I am not an anarchist; I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy..." His Certificate of Naturalization was issued on March 14, 1912, following a continuance from October 1911 with reason cited, "For further posting" with no further explanation.

Along with brother John, Joseph filed his Declaration of Intention for naturalization in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois on Sep. 7, 1893. He was 25 years old at the time. When he filed a Petition for Naturalization on June 30, 1909, Joseph and wife Louisa (née Haspray) had five children—all daughters! Mary (b. 1901), Annie (b. 1903), Barbara (b. 1905),  Louisa (b. 1907),  names a child we're unaware of: "Katie, born Feb. 25, 1909." This is an error; the child was Theresa "Tracie" Leisz, born Feb. 25, 1908. Joseph took the oath to become a U.S. citizen on Oct. 11, 1909.

Frank filed a Declaration of Intention for naturalization on Dec. 9, 1897 at the courthouse in Barron County, Wis. On June 30, 1909, he filed a Petition for Naturalization, again at the Barron County courthouse. This document shows he and wife Barbara (née Donaker, whom he married on Feb. 6, 1900) had five children at the time: Frank (b. 1900), Anton (b. 1902), Mary (b. 1903), Joseph (b. 1906), Mike (b. 1907), all born in Turtle Lake. Youngest child Louise Katherine "Lucy" Leisz Baltozer would be born in 1912. Frank took the oath to become a U.S. citizen on Oct. 11, 1909. 

Anton filed a Declaration of Intention for naturalization on June 30, 1909 at the courthouse in Barron County, Wis. The document notes he is 29 years old, occupation a farmer, has a dark complexion, and is 5'7" tall, weighing 150 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes. On July 1, 1911, Anton filed a Petition for Naturalization, and witnesses were Anton's brothers Joseph and Frank, who both attested to Anton being "a person of good moral character...and is in every way qualified, in their opinion, to be admitted a citizen of the United States. Anton and wife Sophia (née Donaker, and sister to his brother Frank's wife Barbara) have five children at this time, four of them natural children: Anna (b. 1902, and the adopted child of Anton's late sister Mary Leisz Minnichsoffer, who died in 1903), Sophia (b. 1903), Anton (b. 1906), Julia (b. 1908) and Henry (b. 1911, actually 1910). Anton took the oath to become a U.S. citizen on Oct. 11, 1909.

Michael filed a Declaration of Intention on June 30, 1909 at the courthouse in Barron County, Wis. Michael's Petition for Naturalization is dated July 1, 1911, and is witnessed by his brothers Joseph and Frank. This document shows Michael and wife Rosa (née Prosser), born in Minnesota, have one child, Edward (b. 1910). The date that Michael took his oath of citizenship is illegible on the copy this website has, but appears to be March 11 (year illegible). His Certificate of Naturalization was issued on March 14, 1912, following a continuance from October 1911 with with no explanation given.