Series 85169

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 record declarations of intention, the first step in the process.

These volumes record individuals' vows to later become United States citizens and to renounce their current citizenship. The volumes have standardized forms for declarations of intention with blanks for insertions of the individual's name, former sovereign, date, and signatures of the individual and the court clerks witnessing the statement.

The volumes were used in Ogden by a court clerk and were passed along as Weber County was assigned to different court districts over the years. Thus the first volume was used by the Third District Court from 1878 through 1879 and then by the First District Court from 1880 to 1892 before being passed to the Fourth District Court.

ARRANGEMENT: Entries are chronological.

RELATED RECORDS: Series 85170, from the Fourth District Court contains CERTIFICATES OF CITIZENSHIP RECORD BOOKS with entries for some of the individuals whose declarations were recorded in this series during territorial years. Copies of these declarations may also be found in the case files of the Fourth District Court. County probate courts held concurrent jurisdiction in citizenship cases during this time and records of these could also be checked. At statehood in 1896, the district courts began keeping separate series of naturalizations and declarations of intention in each county. The DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION and the NATURALIZATION RECORD BOOKS for Weber County appear in series 83896 and 83892 of the Second District Court. For other possible sources consult the Research Guide to Naturalization records.

The CERTIFICATES OF CITIZENSHIP RECORD BOOKS from the other district courts might also contain records of individuals whose declarations are in this series: the 1st District, series 83895; the 2nd District, series 85175; and the 3rd District, series 85110. Declarations of intention of Weber County residents could have been filed in any district court during the territorial period. The researcher may also want to consult DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION RECORD BOOKS of the First District Court, series 85113; the Second District Court, series 85174; and the Third District Court, series 85111. 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.

FINDING AIDS: An electronic index is available.

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

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