Declaring Their Intent at 336 East 115th Street, Chicago

Databases and indexes have their limitations. Items can be overlooked. Names can be transcribed incorrectly. Putting those problems aside (while not forgetting them), databases created from original records can afford us the opportunity to make discoveries that would be nearly impossible if a manual search of the records were necessary. Databases can save a great deal of time.

Such is the case with the database of declarations of intention on the Cook County (Illinois) Clerk of the Circuit Court’s website. The individual in question, Panagatios (Peter) Verikios indicated he was living at 336 East 115th Street in Chicago at the time he made out his declaration of intention to become a United States citizen on 12 April 1928. The database allows for searches by address and Peter was the only individual listed with an address of 336 East 115th Street.

Until a search was conducted for 336 E. 115TH ST. That’s when a much longer list of declarants was returned. They were all natives of Greece. Several were natives of Saint/Santa Maura, the same location Peter provided on his declaration. Other indicated Lefkada as a place of birth, which is the same location Peter provided on another document that requested his place of birth.

Now I need to look at the names of the witnesses on Peter’s declaration and naturalization documents.

I also need to figure out what was going on at 336 East 115th Street.

I also most did not look at the database as I already had Peter’s declaration of intent and his naturalization papers.

One more lesson: it doesn’t hurt to search databases you “don’t think you need.” You never know what you may discover while searching them.

What follows is the list of men who gave the same address Peter gave when he declared his intention to become a citizen.