Series 83896

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 declarations of intention for Weber County residents to become United States citizens.

The Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization of the Department of Commerce and Labor (later the Naturalization Service of the U.S. Dept. of Labor) furnished 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, additional blanks were inserted to record his marital status, and if married, his wife's name, birthplace and birthdate. He was to take an oath that he was not an anarchist or a 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 clerks who served as witness.

Naturalization regulations were revised again in 1929 and new forms were issued. The old form books became obsolete and the remaining blank forms in volume 6 were cancelled.

ARRANGEMENT: Entries are arranged numerically by case number within consecutively numbered volumes.

RELATED RECORDS: Naturalization records for Weber County showing admission as citizens for those whose declarations are in this series may be found in series 83892, NATURALIZATION RECORD BOOKS. A log of court actions taken in relation to these declarations is in Series 83454, Weber County NATURALIZATION MEMORANDUM RECORD BOOK. It also acts as an index to this series.

Citizenship records of Weber County residents created prior to 1906 could be in other series. The archives has no information about the location of certificates of citizenship or declarations of intention from Weber County created between 1895 and 1906, but Weber County residents could also have filed in any other county. Consult the series catalog for specific series.

Prior to 1896 citizenship papers of Weber County residents might be found in the records of any of the district courts, the Supreme Court, or the Weber County Probate Court. Since Weber County was part of the 4th district just prior to statehood, part of the 2nd in 1851, part of the 1st from 1851-1859 and again from 1880-1892, and the 3rd from 1859 to 1880, records of these courts would be likely to contain citizenship papers of county residents. 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, series 85169. The last will specifically contain declarations recorded in Ogden during the period when Weber County was part of the First and Third Districts as well as when it was part of the Fourth. The CERTIFICATES OF CITIZENSHIP for the same courts in the territorial period are in series 83895, 85175, 85110, and 85170. 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 other possible sources consult the Research Guide to Naturalization records.

FINDING AIDS: Each volume has a name index at the beginning, with entries indexed under the initial letter of the alien's surname. The Weber County clerk's NATURALIZATION MEMORANDUM, Series 83454, can also be used as an index to all volumes after 1906: Locate the individual's name in the memorandum index then consult the memorandum to find the declaration number. The declaration can then be located by number in this series.

PROCESSING NOTE: The series was transferred to the Archives in 1989 and scheduled by Pat Scott. Archival processing by A.C. Cone was finished the same year. The series was microfilmed in 1998.

CONTAINER LIST