Series 6176

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 volumes contain only the declarations of individuals' intentions to become United States citizens in which an applicant vows to later become a U.S. citizen and to renounce his current citizenship.

The first volume contains preprinted forms which have blanks for the insertion of the individual's name, his former sovereign, date, and signatures of the individual and the court clerk witnessing the statement. Beginning in 1906, the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization of the Department of Commerce and Labor (later the Naturalization Service of the U.S. Dept. of Labor) was to furnish the court clerks with the necessary blank forms. The forms were furnished in bound volumes as a court record. Each volume was to be indexed and the declarations numbered consecutively beginning with number 1 in volume 1. Loose sheets were also furnished so the duplicate copy could be given to the declarant and the triplicate copy mailed to the Bureau of Naturalization.

The forms contain blanks for the name and location of the court; the individual's name, age, occupation, color, complexion, height, weight, hair color, eye color, visible distinctive marks, birthplace, birthdate, and current residence; the location from which he emigrated to the United States and the vessel name; his last foreign residence; the name and title of the ruler to whom he would be renouncing allegiance; and the port and date of arrival in the United States.

By 1916, the applicant's marital status was inserted, and if married, his wife's name (or "spouse's name" after 1922 when married women could seek citizenship on their own instead of automatically assuming the nationality of their husbands), birthplace and birthdate. He was to take an oath that he was not an anarchist or polygamist, and that it was his intention to become a United States citizen and make the country his permanent residence. Blanks were provided for his signature and for the date and signature of the court clerk who witnessed his oath. By the 1930s, naturalization laws had been revised, and new forms were issued.

ARRANGEMENT: Volumes and their entries are chronological. After 1906, the entries are also by case number in sequentially numbered volumes.

RELATED RECORDS: For records of those admitted as citizens by the First District Court in and for Cache County, consult series 85173, NATURALIZATION RECORD BOOKS. Declarations of intention and certificates of citizenship filed by Cache County residents before 1896 could be in the records of any of the district courts, the Supreme court, or the Cache County Probate Court. County residents could also file in other districts until 1906. Since Cache County was in the first district from 1856-1858, and again from 1880-1891; the third district from 1859-1879; and the fourth district from 1892-1895; the series from those courts would be most likely to contain citizenship records of Cache County citizens. The researcher may want to consult the DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION for the First District Court, series 85113, the Second District Court, series 85174, the Third District Court, series 85111, and the Fourth District Court 85169. The CERTIFICATES OF CITIZENSHIP for the same courts in the territorial period series 83895, 85175, 85110, and 85170 should also be consulted. In addition, the Supreme Court kept DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION AND CERTIFICATES OF CITIZENSHIP RECORD BOOKS, series 3942, which included first district records from 1852-1856 and third district records from 1859-1860 as well as those of the Supreme Court. For additional help consult the Research Guide to Naturalization records.

FINDING AIDS: Each volume has its own index. Entries are alphabetical by the first letter of the individual's surname. The 1896-1906 volume index is a separate volume and more extensive, giving number, declaration date, and nationality as well as name and page.

PROCESSING NOTE: Microfilmed by the LDS Genealogical Society in 1966. Archivally processed by A.C. Cone in 1989.

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