Series 85108

DISTRICT COURT (THIRD DISTRICT : SALT LAKE COUNTY) [1688]

DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION RECORD BOOKS, 1896-1959
6.6 cu.ft. (43 vols.) and 20 reels microfilm

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 declarations of intention of individuals to become United States citizens.

In the declaration an applicant vows that he plans 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 sovereign, date, and signatures of the individual and the court clerks 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.

These 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 (altered to allow for "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 signatures of the court clerks who witnessed his oath.

By the 1930s, more blanks were added for sex, race, present nationality, marriage date and place, the number of children with their names, birthdate, birthplace, and residence; any previous declaration of intention, with number, location, and court; and his or her name at entry.

In 1941, the Immigration and Naturalization Service was moved to the U.S. Department of Justice. A sentence was added regarding any departures from the United States with a table in which to record dates of departure and return, the ports used, and the vessel name. The anti-polygamy clause was dropped from the oath, but the statement regarding anarchy was expanded.

In 1952, the filing of a declaration of intention became an optional rather than a mandatory step in naturalizations. By 1957, the forms were simplified to include name, residence, age, birthdate, birthplace, sex, complexion, eye color, haircolor, height, weight, visible marks, citizenship, spouse name, admission place for permanent residence, name at entry, date, and ship name. The oath simply verified the accuracy of the form's completion and the individual's intention to become a citizen.

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

RELATED RECORDS: The final process for naturalizations in the Third District Court in and for Salt Lake County is recorded in NATURALIZATION RECORD BOOKS, series 3573. Citizenship records of Salt Lake County residents created prior to 1906 might be located in other series. Between 1895 and 1906 residents could have filed in any county, so all certificates of citizenship for county residents may not necessarily be found in series 3573. Consult the series catalog for specific series in other counties.

Prior to 1896 citizenship records of county residents could be in the records of any of the district courts, the Supreme Court, or the Salt Lake County Probate Court. Series 85109, DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION AND CERTIFICATES OF CITIZENSHIP RECORD BOOK, covering the years 1858-1872, consists of records from the probate court. Since Salt Lake County has been part of the 3rd district since 1856 and part of the lst district from 1851 through 1855, records of those two courts would be most likely to contain citizenship papers of county residents, but residents could still file in any court of record. 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 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 whose seat was Salt Lake County. For other possible sources consult the Research Guide to Naturalization records.

FINDING AIDS: Most volumes have their own index. After volume 25, several are indexed only in a composite intentions/petitions index, located in series 3573. Volumes 20 through 43 seem to be in the composite index; several also have individual indices. Entries are alphabetical by the first letter of the individual's surname.

PROCESSING NOTE: The series was microfilmed in 1981 and 1991. Archival processing by A.C. Cone was completed in in 1989.

CONTAINER LIST

Reel	Box	Description
1	1	Jan. 31, 1896-Sept. 26, 1906
2	2	Vol. 1, #1-100, Dec. 12, 1906-Apr. 17,1907
3	2	Vol. 2, #101-400, Apr. 17, 1907-Jan. 7, 1908; Vol. 3, #401-557, Jan. 7, 1908-May 15, 1909
4	2	Vol. 3, #557-900, July 7, 1908-May 15, 1909; Vol. 4, #901-1400, May 15, 1906-Sept. 6, 1910; Vol. 5, #1401-1575, Sept. 7, 1910-Jan. 17, 1911
5	2	Vol. 5, #1575-1900, Jan. 17, 1911-Aug. 7, 1911; Vol. 6, #1901-2400, Aug. 7, 1911-Dec. 3, 1912
5	3	Vol. 7, #2401-2589, Dec. 9, 1912-Aug. 15, 1913
6	3	Vol. 7, #2589-2896, Aug. 15, 1913-Aug. 7, 1914; Vol. 8, #2897-3396, Aug. 7, 1914-Nov. 29, 1915; Vol. 9, #3397-3651, Dec. 1, 1915-July 19, 1916
7	3	Vol. 9, #3651-3896, July 19, 1916-Feb. 9, 1917; Vol. 10, #3897-4396, Feb. 9, 1917-June 8, 1917; Vol. 11, #4397-4731, June 9, 1917-Jan. 22, 1918
8	3	Vol. 11, #4731-4896, Jan. 22, 1918-Apr. 27,1918; Vol. 12, #4897-5396, Apr. 29, 1918-Feb. 21, 1919; Vol. 13, #5397-5739, Feb. 24, 1919-Nov. 8, 1919
9	3	Vol. 13, #5739-5896, Nov. 8, 1919-Jan. 30, 1920
9	4	Vol. 14, #5897-6396, Jan. 31, 1920-Jan. 31, 1921; Vol. 15, #6397-6739, Jan. 31, 1921-Jan. 11, 1922
10	4	Vol. 15, #6739-6896, Jan. 11, 1922-Sept. 1, 1922; Vol. 16, #6897-7392, Sept. 1, 1922-Sept. 21, 1923; Vol. 17, #7393-7703, Sept. 22, 1923-Mar. 25, 1924
11	4	Vol. 17, #7703-7892, Mar. 25, 1924-Nov. 10, 1924; Vol. 18, #7893-8392, Nov. 10, 1924-Mar. 5, 1926; Vol. 18, #8393-8745, Mar. 6, 1926-Dec. 27, 1926
12	4	Vol. 19, #8745-8892, Dec. 27, 1926-Apr. 14, 1927
12	5	Vol. 20, #8893-8994, Apr. 14, 1927-Sept. 6, 1927; Vol. 21, #8995-9094, Sept. 8, 1927-Dec. 13, 1927; Vol. 22, #9095-9194, Dec. 15, 1927-Apr. 2, 1928; Vol. 23, #9195-9295, Apr. 2, 1928-Aug. 13, 1928; Vol. 24, #9296-9397, Aug. 13, 1928-Nov. 13, 1928
13	5	Vol. 25, #9398-9497, Nov. 14, 1928-Mar. 22, 1929; Vol. 26, #9498-9642, Mar. 23, 1929-June 28, 1929; Vol. 27, #9643-10042, Sept. 15, 1929-Nov. 14, 1934; Vol. 28, #10,043-10175, Nov. 14, 1934-Mar. 14, 1935
14	5	Vol. 29, #10443-10842, Jan. 14, 1936-June 25, 1937
14	6	Vol. 30, #10843-11242, June 26, 1937-Apr. 19, 1939; Vol. 31, #11243-11297, Apr. 21, 1939-July 19, 1939
15	6	Vol. 31, #11298-11642, July 20, 1939-Dec. 7, 1940; Vol. 32, #11643-12222, Dec. 7, 1940-Dec. 14, 1943; Vol. 33, #12223-12246, Dec. 15, 1943-Dec. 29, 1944
16	6	Vol. 33, #12247-12422, Jan. 3, 1945-Jan. 26, 1948; Vol. 34, #12423-12622, Jan. 27, 1948-Jan. 27, 1949; Vol. 35, #12623-12800, Jan. 28, 1949-July 23, 1949
16	7	Vol. 36, #12801-13000, July 26, 1949-Mar. 28, 1950; Vol. 37, #13001-13200, Mar. 29, 1950-Nov. 13, 1950; Vol. 38, #13201-13202, Nov. 14, 1950-Nov. 15, 1950
17	7	Vol. 38, #13203-13400, Nov. 18, 1950-Apr. 14, 1951; Vol. 39, #13401-13600, Apr. 14, 1951-Sept. 4, 1951; Vol. 40, #13601-13800, Sept. 4, 1951-Apr. 25, 1952
18	7	Vol. 41, #13801-13950, Apr. 25, 1952-July 30, 1952
19	7	Vol. 42, #13951-14298, July 30, 1952-May 22, 1957
20	7	Vol. 42, #14299-14468, May 28, 1957-Sept. 28, 1959