William Röeser's naturalization papers, 1847 — the document pair that settles it

These papers belong to William Röeser — the Baden shoemaker Johann Michael Wildermuth crossed the Atlantic with in 1847 and was still living with in Marietta in 1860. They are not Wildermuth documents at all.

They are also the thing that resolves the question the archive went back and forth on twice: whether Johann Michael’s 1853 sheet was a declaration of intention or a completed naturalization.

The covering letter

“In reply to your letter, please find enclosed a photocopy of the declaration of intention and petition of naturalization for William Röeser, together with your receipt for payment.” — Lee Stanley, Archivist I, 25 October 1983

Two documents, named separately, in the archivist’s own words. The City of Philadelphia held a declaration of intention and a petition of naturalization for each man, as distinct records. That is the structure — and it is why the same office, writing about Wildermuth seven weeks earlier, quoted a price for “the declaration of intention” alone. Robert Earl read that as meaning no petition existed. It meant he had only ordered one of the two.

1. The declaration of intention

United States of America. State of Pennsylvania.

Be it Remembered, That on this first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, before me, the Clerk of the Court of General Quarter Sessions, for the City and County of Philadelphia, personally appeared William Röeser, who being duly sworn according to law, upon his solemn oath did declare, depose and say that he is a Native of Germany, now residing in the County of Philadelphia, aged twenty-six years, or thereabouts, and that it is bona fide his intention to become a Citizen of the United States, and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty whatsoever, and particularly to the Grand Duke of Baden, of whom he is now a subject.

Seal of said Court, this first day of October in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven. — John Thompson, Clerk

A one-page form, headed Be it Remembered, sworn before the Clerk, signed by the Clerk. This is what a declaration of intention looks like.

2. The petition of naturalization

To the Honourable Oswald Thompson, and his Associates, Justices of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia.

The Petition of William Röeser, a Native of Germany, respectfully sheweth, that he declared on oath before the Clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions for the City and County of Philadelphia, on the first day of October A.D. 1847, that it was and still is bona fide his intention to become a Citizen of the United States … and particularly to the Grand Duke of Baden, of whom he was at that time a subject …

He therefore prays, that on his making the proof, and taking the oath prescribed by law, he may be admitted a Citizen of the United States of America.

[signed] Wilhelm Röeser

A different form entirely — addressed to the Justices, headed The Petition of, reciting the earlier declaration made before the Clerk, and praying for admission.

Why this settles the Wildermuth question

Set the two structures side by side and the ambiguity disappears:

	Declaration of intention	Petition of naturalization
Heading	Be it Remembered	The Petition of…
Addressed to	the Clerk	the Justices
Signed by	the Clerk	the petitioner
Function	states an intention	asks to be admitted

Johann Michael’s 1853 sheet is unmistakably the second kind: “The Petition of John M. Wildermuth”, addressed to Oswald Thompson and his Associates, reciting a declaration made before the Clerk “on the first day of November”, praying to be admitted, and carrying the oath of allegiance sworn in open court beneath.

And the index Robert Earl found in Orlando supplies the missing year: 11-01-1852 for the declaration. The petition is dated 1 November 1853. Two documents, one year apart, exactly as with Röeser — whose own pair sits six years earlier and proves the pattern.

Johann Michael Wildermuth was naturalized on 1 November 1853. The archive states it plainly.

Two incidental confirmations

Röeser was from Baden. The declaration has him renouncing “the Grand Duke of Baden” — matching the 1860 census, which gives his origin as Baden while his wife Frederika’s is Württemberg. Two independent records, thirteen years apart, agreeing on a detail that mattered to Robert Earl because it was the basis for his hunch that Frederika, not William, was the Wildermuth relative.

And his age. Twenty-six “or thereabouts” in October 1847, so born about 1821; the 1860 census makes him 38, so born about 1822. Consistent.

He declared on 1 October 1847 — the same year Johann Michael landed, and the year the two men arrived together. Röeser was 26 and married with a child on the way; Johann Michael was 17 and would wait five years to start the same process.

Source: City of Philadelphia Department of Records, supplied to Robert Earl Wildermuth 25 October 1983; filed DOCUMENT 21 / W-8. Photographed 2026.