Series 3942
TERRITORIAL SUPREME COURT [868]DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION AND CERTIFICATES
OF CITIZENSHIP RECORD BOOKS, 1851-1895.0.75 cu. ft. (5 vols.), and 3 reels of microfilm
A separate
agency
history
is available.
DESCRIPTION: To become a citizen of the United States, an
individual normally filed a "declaration of intention to become a citizen" at
least two years prior to applying for citizenship. The next step was the
naturalization hearing at which the candidate and witnesses either made oral
statements or filed written petitions and affidavits attesting to the
applicant's character, worthiness to become a citizen, and the validity of
statements made to the court. If the judge found the applicant eligible to
become a citizen, an oath was administered and the individual renounced his
former citizenship. At this point a certificate of citizenship was issued
documenting the fact.
These books contain copies, or rarely, originals,
of the signed statements of individuals' intentions to become citizens of the
United States (1851-1895). The first volume also contains a record of
certificates of citizenship issued to newly naturalized citizens (1851-1869).
The records were kept by the court clerk in volumes of preprinted forms.
The declarations of intention have blanks for the insertion of the
individual's name, his former sovereign, date, and signatures of the individual
and/or the court clerk witnessing the statement.
The certificates of
citizenship which constitute the second half of volume A document aliens'
applications for citizenship. Each form gives the date, applicant's name,
ruler's name, names of those testifying, and a standardized summary of the
procedures. The applicant swore that he had filed his declaration of intention
to become a citizen, or if a minor when he entered the U.S., that it had been
his intention for three years. Two U.S. citizens testified that the applicant
had resided in the territory for a year and in the United States for at least
four years prior to that. They further swore that he was of good moral
character and attached to the principles of the U.S. Constitution. The
applicant then took an oath to support the U.S. Constitution and renounced
allegiance to any foreign sovereign, and particularly to the ruler whose
subject he had been. The court clerk served as witness.
In the first
volume, interspersed among the declarations and certificates recorded by the
Supreme Court, are those recorded by the First District Court (1852-1856) and
the Third District Court (1859-1860). The presence of these district court
records probably results from the fact that the Supreme Court consisted, during
the territorial period, of all of the district court judges sitting together.
One of the judges may have recorded his district business in it as well.
ARRANGEMENT: Volumes
are arranged chronologically. Entries are chronological except in volume A
which is divided into declarations, certificates, and certificates for those
who were under 18 at the time of entry into the United States; within the
categories, entries are roughly chronological. The volumes are labeled
alphabetically.
RELATED RECORDS: For other territorial declarations of
intention for the Third District Court, consult series 85111, DECLARATIONS OF
INTENTION RECORD BOOKS; for those in the First District Court, consult series
85113, DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION RECORD BOOKS. For territorial certificates of
citizenship issued to newly naturalized citizens by the First District Court,
consult series 83895, CERTIFICATES OF CITIZENSHIP RECORD BOOKS. Third District
Court certificates are in series 85110. Since an individual could apply for
citizenship in any court of record during this period, series produced by the
other two district courts and individual county probate courts could also be
consulted in the search for a naturalization record.
FINDING AIDS: Volume A and volume D
each contain a name index. Volume C contains a name index for volumes B and C.
Entries are alphabetical by the first letter of surname.
PROCESSING NOTE:
The volumes were microfilmed in 1981 and 1982. Archival processing was
completed in 1989 by A.C. Cone. In July 2005, Volume D from this series was
found in the office of the Utah Supreme Court. That record book was
subsequently processed, microfilmed and added to this series by Jim Kichas in
October 2005.
CONTAINER LIST
| Reel
|
Box
|
Description
|
| 1 |
1 |
Volume A; Index |
| 1 |
1 |
Volume A; Declarations of
Intention; Sep 23, 1851-May 29, 1873 |
| 1 |
1 |
Volume A; Citizenship
Certificates, Adult; Nov 30, 1853-Jul 20, 1869 |
| 1 |
1 |
Volume A; Citizenship
Certificates, Minor; Oct 18, 1851-Sep 6, 1869 |
| 2 |
1 |
Volume B, Oct. 28, 1872-Jan. 1,
1876 |
| 2 |
1 |
Index
to Volumes B and C |
| 2 |
1 |
Volume C, Aug. 9, 1878-Aug. 19, 1893 |
| 3 |
1 |
Volume D, Sep. 2, 1890-Jan. 2,
1896 |
| 2 |
1 |
Volume
E, Sept. 23, 1893-Oct. 30, 1895 |
