Û Naturalization - Declarations of Intent

Declarations of Intent (First Papers) 1858-1892

Transcribed by Diania Rigby with help from Joanne Wilken. These records were transcribed from Jones county courthouse and may be also accessible on LDS microfilm.

The Naturalization Process

In the United States, before 1952, the naturalization process began with a Declaration of Intent to become a citizen. This declaration is also referred to as "First Papers." Three years after this declaration was filed, and five years after arriving in the country, a Petition for Naturalization ("Second Papers") could be filed in the same or a different court. A Certificate of Citizenship could then be issued.

Until 1922, a foreign-born woman married to a naturalized citizen was automatically made a citizen. Until 1940, a child under the age of 21 was granted citizenship based on the status of his father. After 22 Sept 1922 an alien woman who married a US citizen could skip the Declaration of Intention and file for a Naturalization Petition. But if an alien woman married an alien man she would have to start her naturalization proceedings at the beginning with a Declaration of Intention.

What the Records Include

The early 1858-1892 naturalization records provide little information. Only the name, country of origin and date signed are included. Later records include much information: birthplace, physical description, immigration and residence information. The same is true for the Petitions for Naturalization. The early records are sparse, but after about 1900 a considerable amount of information is available.

Notes for theses Jones County Records

The employees in the county clerk's office may not be familiar with these naturalization records. If you would like copies of the papers, you can try contacting the Jones County Genealogical Society to see if someone can help you obtain them.

"I think that some people completed papers more than once. It is hard to tell because parents named their children after ancestors and so the same names were used over & over.... We are not certain that we transcribed all of the naturalization records at the Jones County courthouse. We plan to continue to hunt for further records." - Joanne