General
The Columbia County Naturalization Records consist of Declarations of Intention: Petitions; final citizenship applications and papers; card index to naturalizations; Declarations of Intention Registry; Index to Naturalizations, Register of Citizenship, lists of petitions granted or denied; and certificate stub books.
The original system of numbering volumes was retained because the indexes are keyed to this system. The exception is the volume numbers supplied for the Declarations of Intention Registry and Index to Naturalizations. Volume numbers for these two indexes were assigned by the archivist and appear in brackets [ ]. When requesting a particular volume, the researcher should specify not only the volume number, but also the type of record (e.g. Declarations, Petitions).
For preservation purposes some volumes have been dismantled and placed in boxes. For these volumes the Container List gives the volume number in parentheses ( ) for identification purposes, and the box and folder number for location purposes.
Indexes
The CARD INDEX TO NATURALIZATIONS, circa 1855-1941, is arranged alphabetically by last name. It lists the name, country of birth or allegiance, age, date of naturalization, names of witnesses, date of declaration, and volume and page number in either Volume A, Register of Citizenship; Volume A, Citizenship Final Papers; or Volume B, Naturalization Record. For Petitions after 1907, the Card Index provides the researcher with the date of the naturalization, which should be helpful in locating the document. It does not provide the Petition Volume number. Note: Some cards include roll and meter number. The roll and meter numbers do not apply to the Genealogical Society of Utah film roll numbers, so they should be ignored.
DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION REGISTRY, 1845-1942, is a cumulative index arranged in alphabetical segments and provides the individual's name and year, month, and day of declaration.
INDEX TO NATURALIZATIONS, 1855-1953, is a typewritten copy of the original, handwritten Register of Citizenship. Since the typewritten Index is clearer and easier to use, and covers a longer time period than the single Register in Archives custody, researchers should reference this volume first. Both indexes are arranged in alphabetical segments and provide surname and given name; volume and page numbers in Citizenship Final Papers (1889-1903), Naturalization Record (1903-1906), or Petition volumes; and the day, month, and year the petition was filed.
REGISTER OF CITIZENSHIP, 1855-1936, indexes volume A and B of Final Papers, Petition volumes and loose Petitions in the boxes. It is arranged alphabetically by first letter of last name and chronologically thereunder. It lists the name, month, day and year.
CERTIFICATE STUBS, 1919-1953, function as another card index. The cards are arranged alphabetically by last name. The cards list the name and may give address, age, declaration date or number, petition date or name, date of order of admission, and date the certificate was issued.
Records
DECLARATIONS, 1836-1906, are arranged alphabetically by first letter of last name. DECLARATIONS, 1906-1952, are arranged chronologically by date filed. These volumes contain an alphabetical index at the front of each volume. DECLARATIONS, 1950-1952 (#984-1002), are on microfilm only; the originals for these years are not archival custody.
Records in PETITIONS are in two chronological sub-series. Petitions for 1848-1944 (Boxes 14-15) are arranged by first letter of last name. The sub-series actually contains Petitions, 1848-1906; Applications to become citizens; and Depositions and Oaths, 1907-1954. The Petitions that correspond to the Depositions and Oaths can be found in Petition Volumes (1)-(15). PETITIONS, 1907-1954 (Boxes 18-19 and Volumes 2-10), are arranged chronologically by date filed. There is a name index at the front of each volume. Some Petitions include the corresponding declarations.
FINAL PAPERS, 1889-1906, are arranged by date filed. Volume A does not include a name index at the front of the volume, while Volume B does.
ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS include Lists of Petitions Granted (1931-1946) and Granted or Denied, (1943-1955). Lists include name changes, if any, and some include names of witnesses. Certificate stub books are arranged by date filed. Miscellaneous correspondence, 1917-1919, is of an administrative nature and is filed chronologically.
