Series 84156

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 documentation of the final steps of becoming a United States citizen. They include petitions for naturalization, certificates of citizenship, and accompanying documentation.

The first volume contains only certificates of citizenship. Each form gives the date, applicant's name, former town and country, current residence, and a standardized summary that the applicant had conformed to the legal requirements of producing necessary evidence and taking the necessary oaths. The judge then signed admitting the applicant as a citizen.

By late 1903, the preprinted application forms consisted of an applicant's affidavit and witness affidavits, as well as a certificate of citizenship. The applicant's affidavit gave his name, birthplace, sovereign, date and court where he had declared his intention to become a citizen, and date of entrance to the United States. Occasionally, the original declaration of intention is filed in the book as documentation. The affidavit included an oath of renunciation of allegiance to his former sovereign and a declaration that the applicant is not insane, epileptic, a pauper, beggar, contagious, a felon, guilty of moral turpitude, a polygamist, anarchist, or pimp. The affidavits of two witnesses confirmed the applicant's statements and declared his worthiness to become a citizen. A copy of a certificate of citizenship form was then completed reiterating this information and ordering his admittance as a citizen.

After 1906, courts were required to use pre-printed forms in volumes furnished by the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization of the Department of Commerce and Labor. The volumes from 1906 to 1935, when the court relinquished jurisdiction, are held by the agency. A microfilm copy can be located in series 10146, DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION AND NATURALIZATION RECORD BOOKS.

ARRANGEMENT: Volumes and entries are chronological.

RELATED RECORDS: A microfilm copy of the 1906-1935 portion of this series is series 10146, DECLARATION OF INTENTION AND NATURALIZATION RECORD BOOKS. The declarations of intention issued starting in 1896 by this court may also be found there or in series 10149, DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION RECORD BOOKS. CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATE STUBS for certificates of citizenship issued after 1906 for Wasatch county are located in series 85182. The minutes for the the 4th District Court will discuss these naturalization hearings.

Between 1895 and 1906 Wasatch County residents could have filed papers in any county. Consult the series catalog for specific series. Prior to 1896 declarations of intention could have been filed in the records of any of the district courts, the Supreme Court, or the Wasatch County Probate Court. Since Wasatch County was part of the 1st district throughout the territorial period, records of this court would be most likely to contain citizenship papers of county residents.

The researcher may want to consult the DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION RECORD BOOKS 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 CERTIFICATES OF CITIZENSHIP RECORD BOOKS 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: The volumes have incomplete indices at the beginning. Entries are alphabetic by the first letter of the petitioner's surname. An electronic index was compiled in 1999 by the State Archives.

PROCESSING NOTE: The series was partially microfilmed in 1981, and the paper copy for 1903-1906 acquired in 1989. Archival processing was done by A.C. Cone in 1989. A second reel of film filmed by the Wasatch County clerk in 1991 was determined to belong to a new series (10146) rather than being part of this because the reel also included declarations of intention. An electronic index was completed in 1999.

CONTAINER LIST