Henry Ostien's Naturalization Record

This is an image of the original naturalization record for Henry Ostien. His name was incorrectly spelled as the similar-sounding but more common surname Austin.

Courtesy of Henry C. Ostien

Henry Ostien was born in 1840 in Lauschied, Bavaria (now Germany). He and his brother Frederick immigrated to the U.S. aboard the Plymoth Rock, arriving in New York City on 13 April 1864.

Henry originally petitioned to become a citizen on 3 October 1868 in Pittsburgh. He married Kunigunda (Mary) Lichauer in 1869, then became a naturalized citizen on 11 September 1872 in Pittsburgh, PA. A year later he purchased his first tract of land in Turtle Creek.

However, it appears that Henry was naturalized twice, in a way. A second naturalization certificate was issued on 1 November 1886 to a Henry Ostien. We suspect that the original naturalization record, having been filed under the name Austin, was either considered invalid, or could not be relocated in the county records due to the misspelling.

Frederick Ostien also petitioned to became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. on 11 June 1872, and received citizenship on 12 June 1876. On the day his brother Henry first became a citizen, Phillip Ostien filed his own petition for citizenship on 11 Sept 1872. We don't have a record of his naturalization, however, and no petitions or naturalization records have been found for Jacob Ostien.

Jacob, Henry, Frederick, and Phillip's parents were Jacob Ostien and Catharina Mueller.