My Name Is Difrient

On November 19, 1888, Karl hitched his horse to his wagon and went to the Hinds County Courthouse which was located in Jackson. He found the office of the Clerk of the Court for Hinds County, Mississippi. Karl introduced himself to Clerk Potter and explained what he wanted to do. He indicated that he did not have a criminal record. Potter asked a few questions and appeared to feel comfortable about the sixteen years of time Karl had been in the United States. Clerk Potter went about helping fill out the documents using information that Charles provided. A big step was when Clerk Potter asked if Karl would swear his allegiance to the United States of America and renounce his German citizenship. There was never any question in Karl’s mind about what he would do. “One more thing,” Karl said, “I want to get my name stated properly and it will be different. I want my name to be Charles Difrient.” The Clerk obliged with the name selection and applied seals and signatures to make it an official document. Charles left the courthouse happy and with a feeling of fulfillment. He wanted to rush home and tell his wife and children about the events of the day. He had been in the United States for 16 years. He always tried to follow laws and not create a situation that would result in an arrest; this was a good step for him. The way he immigrated by separating from his family and bringing it back together, working hard, and trying to do the right things was often a challenge but it worked for him. Now, “My Name Is Charles Difrient.”