This is my great grandfathers original Declaration of Intention Paper.  My great aunt gave it to me before she passed away.  She called me one day, and told me she had something for me, but she wouldn't tell me over the phone.  When I got there, she gave this to me, along with some newspaper clippings, a letter from my dad's sister, & a death certificate of my great grandmother.  Below this document, I typed it out so you could read it better. I will have a "?" to a few parts, I can't make out. This paper is 87 years old. :) I also want to mention that my great grandfather did not fill this out himself.  I was told by one of his daughters that he could not read or write.  I believe her because, from the way "Nick Kostelec" was signed at the bottom of the paper, it looks like that of someone who couldn't write very well, almost like a child's writing.   I'm going to order the microfilm of the passenger list to see who came over with him.  No one in the family knows of his parents or any of his brothers & sisters.   And "Agreu", Austria, I believe to be spelled "Agren", I looked at some Microfiche and that is the only spelling that came close to Agrew or Agreu.

Under "United States of America" is a hand written note,

"Uncle John died 1950 Aug 14th"

DECLARATION OF INTENTION   

(Invalid of all purposes seven years after the date hereof)

I Nick Kostelec, aged 33 years,

occupation Coal Miner, do declare on oath that my personal

description is:  Color White, complexion Fair, height 5 feet 8 inches,

weight 174 pounds, color of hair Brown, color of eyes Brown

other visible distinctive marks None

I was born in Agreu, Austria

on the 15 day of Aug, anno Domini 1878;   I now reside

at Sagamore, Pa (note: "/Brother Evan Born 1874")

I emigrated to the United States of America from Rotterdam (not sure of the spelling), Germany

on the vessel Rotterdam (not sure of the spelling); my last

foreign residence was Agreu, Austria

It is my bona fide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign

prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to Francis Joseph Emperor of

Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary, of whom I am now a subject;

I arrived at the port of New York, in the

State of New York, on or about the 7th day

of April, anno Domini 1903; I am not an anarchist; I am not a

polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy; and it is my intention in good faith

to become a citizen of the United  States  of  America and to permanently reside therein:

SO HELP ME GOD                                                    Nick Kostelec

Subscribed and sworn by me this 27

day of Nov, anno Domini 1911

F.R. Ashe

Clerk of the Common Pleas Court

  My great aunt (one of Nick's daughters) told me some family stories. I haven't researched any of the information she told me, but I thought I'd share it with you. I love to hear about the lives of my ancestors.
  According to her, my g.grandfather, Nick met my g.grandmother (Anna) in church. They were both in the choir. But Anna was the younger sister, and her father said he had to marry the oldest. Somehow, Nick got his brother, John to marry Anna's sister, I think her name was Teresa. So that means brothers married sisters. Once they came over to the states, Anna's sister had allot of marital trouble. When she lost her baby, she supposedly boarded a ship back to Austria, never to be seen or heard from since.
  Nick had at least one other brother that died in Austria on the farm. And no one seems to know the name of Nick or Anna's parents. Anna's parents was to have died when she was young and she was adopted by relatives. I believe she kept her natural last name.
 
**If anyone has done research in Austria, I'd love to talk to you. I would like to find out my great grandparents family, alive or deceased.