General
The Juneau County Naturalizations include Declarations, Petitions, Certificates, and indexes to these records.
The original system of identifying volumes by number or letter was retained because the indexes are often keyed to this system. To eliminate confusion when requesting a particular volume, the researcher should specify not only the volume number but also the type of volume (e.g. Declarations or Petitions) and dates.
For preservation purposes some volumes have been disbound and placed in boxes. For these volumes the list below gives the volume number in parentheses ( ) for identification purposes, and the box number for circulation purposes. Volume numbers that appear in brackets [ ] are numbers that were assigned by the archivist. Most records are also available on microfilm.
Indexes
The following indexes are listed from most useful to the least useful.
The INDEX TO DECLARATIONS AND PETITIONS, 1859-1929, was created by the Juneau County Historical Society. It is arranged in two sections: declarations and petitions. Each section is then arranged alphabetically by last name. Entries list the name, date and place of birth, date and port of entry, and date of the declaration or petition.
The CARD INDEX, 1929-1957, points to petitions and certificates. These petitions and certificates are only found on Reel 9: the originals are not in archival custody. A note included with the cards states that as of 1957 the original records were at the Immigration and Naturalization Service office in Milwaukee. Entries list name, address, date of birth or age, date of order of admission, petition number, date the certificate was issued, alien registration number, and location of the court. The set contains two types of cards that vary slightly in appearance.
The INDEX TO CITIZENSHIP, 1849-1921, indexes declarations, petitions, and a few certificates. It is arranged alphabetically by last name. Entries list the name; date of declaration, petition, or certificate; and sometimes volume and page number. Most list the dates of declarations and petitions and very few note volume and page numbers.
LISTS OF RECORDS ON OBSOLETE MICROFILM, 1849-1921, was created by the Clerk of Court to index records their office filmed. This film is no longer in use and is not part of this series; however the index was retained in the unlikely event that a name cannot be found in the other indexes. Entries are arranged by the reel number of the obsolete microfilm and thereunder alphabetically by last name. Entries list the name, birth place, and year. Some dates are inaccurate. The number to the left of the name corresponds to the red number that has been written on some of the documents. This index should be used as a last resort. It was not filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah.
DECLARATIONS INDEX, circa 1857- circa 1906, largely duplicates the other indexes but was included in case it contains unique information. Entries are arranged alphabetically by first letter of last name and thereunder chronologically. The entries list the date of declaration, name, country and date of birth, and declaration number (the “x” number: e.g. “x2504”). This index is only on Reel 9; the original is not in archival custody.
Records
The DECLARATIONS, circa 1852-1951, consist of loose and bound declarations. The loose declarations, circa 1852-1906, are arranged alphabetically by surname. When alphabetizing the declarations, the archivist used the signature of the declarant rather than the clerk's spelling when he/she filled out the form, so be aware of variant spellings. The declarations that were originally bound, 1906-1929, are arranged chronologically by date filed. Each volume has an index at the front.
When Volume (A) was filmed (at the end of Reel 3), the index and declarations 1-33 were filmed and then the index and declarations 1-33 were filmed again and continued through declaration #43. Declarations 34-41 were filmed again on Reel 8 but there is no need to use Reel 8 since all of Volume (A) is on Reels 3-4.
Declarations, 1930-1951, exist only in microfilm format on Reel 9. These declarations must have been in several original volumes since indexes are interspersed throughout the declarations, presumably separating the volumes. Be aware that there is an index at the very end of the film.
To find a particular person, first consult the INDEX TO DECLARATIONS AND PETITIONS, 1859-1929, or the INDEX TO CITIZENSHIP, 1849-1921, to find the declaration date, and then look in the appropriate declaration box or volume. The researcher should then consult the INDEX TO DECLARATIONS, circa 1857- circa 1906, if they still can not find the person they are looking for.
PETITIONS, circa 1855-1954, consist of loose and bound petitions. The loose petitions, circa 1855-1901, are arranged alphabetically by the surname of the signature of the petitioner. The petitions, circa 1857-1902, on Reel 9 are most likely the same as the circa 1855-1901 but were retained in case they contain additional names. The circa 1857-1902 petitions should be consulted if a name cannot be found in the circa 1855-1901 petitions. The bound petitions, 1906-1929, are arranged chronologically by date filed and each petition is assigned a unique number. Each volume has an index at the front. Petitions, 1929-1954, exist only in microfilm format (Reel 9) and unfortunately are out of focus and difficult to read. As with the declarations on this reel, the originals must have been in several separate volumes since indexes are interspersed among the petitions. The volumes may also contain declarations of intention, certificate stubs, certificates of naturalization, and miscellaneous documents that pertain to the petitions such as depositions of witness.
The CERTIFICATES, 1903-1906, volume is labeled Naturalization Record. The certificates are arranged chronologically by date filed. In addition, the volume also contained loose petitions and some declarations. These petitions and declarations were arranged alphabetically by surname and placed in Box 6. The page number of the corresponding certificate in the volume was written in brackets [ ] at the top of the declaration or petition. Some certificates and certificate stubs may also be found with the corresponding petition in the petition volume. A photocopied ORDER BOOK is also present, as is some MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE.
