Summary Information
Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Oconto County): Naturalization Records
1857-1952
- Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Oconto County)
Oconto Series 21
7.8 c.f. (7 archives boxes, 21 volumes) and 14 reels of microfilm (35mm)
UW-Green Bay Cofrin Library / Green Bay Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Records of naturalization cases in the Circuit Court of Oconto County including declarations of intention (1857-1949), petitions (1875-1949), certificates of naturalization (1882-1927), indexes (1857-1943) to these records, and orders granting and denying petitions (1929-1952).
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-ocon0021 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
See a general description of the naturalization process and naturalization records.
Scope and Content Note
General
The Oconto County Naturalization Records consist of Declarations, Petitions, Certificates of Naturalization, Certificate of Naturalization Stub Books, various indexes to these records, and a volume of Orders Granting and Denying Petitions.
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 of Intention) and dates.
For preservation purposes some volumes have been dismantled and placed in boxes. These volume numbers are designated by parentheses in the list below for identification purposes; the box number is listed for circulation purposes.
Most records are available in both original format and on microfilm.
Indexes
The INDEX TO DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION, 1857-1887 (Volume 1), and the INDEX TO DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION, 1887-1909 (Volume 2) provide access to Declarations for that time period contained in boxes 2-4 and Volumes 14-17 of Declarations. Each index is arranged in alphabetical segments by first letter of surname and thereunder by Declaration number. Entries list the Declaration filing date as well as the Declaration number. Note the Declaration number because it is the key to finding the original record.
Declarations for part of this same time period (1875-1899), as well as the petitions, can also be found through the INDEX TO DECLARATIONS AND PETITIONS, 1875-1899. Although they cover some of the same time period as previous indexes, they do not duplicate them. Entries are alphabetical by last name and the “file” number listed is the petition number that together with the corresponding declaration, can be found in Boxes 5 and 6. These Declarations and Petitions were found in Oconto County Civil Case Files and interfiled within this series.
The INDEX TO CERTIFICATES OF NATURALIZATION, 1882-1910, gives the petition numbers for Volume 1A of Petitions and the certificate number for Volume 1 of Certificates. It gives the Volume and page number for Petitions found along with their Certificates in Volumes 2 - 8 (through the year 1910) of Petitions.
The CARD INDEX TO CITIZENSHIP, 1859-1943, is photocopies of cards created by the Oconto County Circuit Court. Originals are at the Oconto County Courthouse. Cards are arranged alphabetically by last name and photocopied four to a page. It is the primary index to Petitions and Certificates, 1882-1943 (Volumes 1A through 14 and the certificate stubs in Box 7). For Certificates and Petitions in the 1882-1906 period, the Card Index gives the volume, page, and Certificate Number. For Volumes 2-7, where Petitions and Certificates are together, this provides access to both documents. For Volumes 1 and 1A, where Certificates and Petitions for the same individuals are contained in separate volumes, an extra step beyond the Card Index is necessary. The Card Index references only Volume 1, containing Certificates. To access the corresponding Petitions, which often contain more information than the Certificates, the researcher must turn to the INDEX TO CERTIFICATES OF NATURALIZATION, 1882-1909 (Volume 3). In addition to information about Certificates, the page number for Petitions in Volume 1A is given.
For Petitions in the 1907-1943 period (Volumes 8-14), the Card Index provides the Petition number, and through 1929 (Volumes 8-11) also gives the volume and page number. Comparing the Petition number on the index card to those listed on the list below leads the researcher to the proper volume. To find Petitions filed in 1943-1949, use the index in front of Volume 14 of Petitions.
Generally the Card Index will also give the Certificate of Naturalization number for post-1906 naturalizations. This provides access to the Certificate of Naturalization Stub Books (Box 7).
Records
DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION, 1857-1949, are arranged by Declaration number which is assigned roughly by date filed. The key finding aid to Declarations of Intention is the Declaration number, however, the filing date of the Declarations is also important because three separate sequences of Declaration numbering result in some numbers being used twice. As can be seen on the Container List, Declarations in Volumes 1-13 (1857-1886) are numbered 1-2796; Volumes 14-16 (1887-1906) begin numbering again with 2000 and continue through 3558; and Volumes 17-20 (1906-1949) again start a new sequence from 1 to 1020. Thus, if the index indicates the desired Declaration is numbered “2000” and was filed in 1887, the researcher must be sure to request Volume 14 of Declarations and not Volume 9, which has number 2000 from an earlier date.
There is no master index for Declarations after 1909 (Volumes 17-20); however the front of each volume contains an index to that particular volume. Entries are arranged in alphabetical segments and give the page and/or Declaration number. Note that the latest index to Declarations (the “Card” Index) ends in 1943 and the Declarations continue through 1949. Consult the index in the front of Volume 20 for Declarations issued circa 1943-1949.
PETITIONS, 1875-1949, are arranged chronologically by date filed. Petitions #1290-4763, 1875-1899 (Boxes 5 and 6), have Declarations attached. Volume 1A, 1882-1903, contains Petitions only. Petitions #5084-5897, 1903-1906 (Volumes 2-7), contain two pages for each petitioner: a copy of the Petition on one page facing a copy of the Certificate on the opposite page. A copy of the Declaration is sometimes attached. Petitions #1-1286, 1907-1949 (Volumes 8-14), are petitions only. Although Declarations attached to the 1875-1899 Petitions (Boxes 5 and 6) cover the same time period, they do not necessarily duplicate the Declarations found in Boxes 3 and 4 and Volumes 14 and 15.
CERTIFICATES for 1882-1903 (#2375-5083 in Volume 1) are the Certificates that correspond to Petitions in Volume 1A of Petitions. Certificates for circa 1903-1906 are part of the Petitions in Volumes 2-7 of Petitions. Certificates for 1907-1927 are in the form of stub books. The original Certificates and all Certificates after 1927 must be obtained from the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Ancillary Documents consists of ORDERS GRANTING AND DENYING PETITIONS, 1929-1952, which are arranged chronologically and contain lists of petitions noting petition numbers granted or denied and name change if applicable. There is no name index to these documents.
Contents List
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Series: Indexes, 1857-1943
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Volume
1
Reel
1
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Index to Declarations of Intention, 1857-1887
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Volume
2
Reel
1
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Index to Declarations of Intention, 1887-1909
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Box
1
Reel
1
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Index to Declarations and Petitions, 1875-1899
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Box
1
Reel
1
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Card Index (photocopied pages of cards), 1859-1943
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Volume
3
Reel
1
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Index to Certificates of Naturalization, 1882-1910
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Series: Declarations of Intention, 1857-1949
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Volume
(1), in Box 2
Reel
1
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, 1857-1859 (#1-200)
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Volume
(2), in Box 2
Reel
1-2
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, 1859-1868 (#201-400)
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Volume
(3), in Box 2
Reel
2
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, 1867-1869 (#401-578)
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Volume
(4), in Box 2
Reel
2
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, 1865-1870 (#767-1000)
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Volume
(5), in Box 2
Reel
2
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, 1870-1874 (#1001-1200)
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Volume
(6), in Box 3
Reel
2
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, 1872-1874 (#1201-1400)
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Volume
(7), in Box 3
Reel
2
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, 1874-1876 (#1401-1600)
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Volume
(8), in Box 3
Reel
2
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, 1876-1877 (#1601-1800)
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Volume
(9), in Box 3
Reel
2-3
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1877-1880,1887 (#1801-2000)
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Volume
(10), in Box 3
Reel
3
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, 1880-1882 (#2001-2200)
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Volume
(11), in Box 4
Reel
3
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, 1882-1884 (#2201-2400)
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Volume
(12), in Box 4
Reel
3
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, 1884 (#2401-2600)
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Volume
(13), in Box 4
Reel
3
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, 1884-1886 (#2601-2796)
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Volume
14
Reel
3
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, 1887-1892 (#2000-2639)
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Volume
15
Reel
3
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, 1892-1905 (#2640-3276)
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Volume
16
Reel
3-4
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, 1902-1906 (#3280-3558)
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Volume
17
Reel
4
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, 1906-1918 (#1-500)
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Volume
18
Reel
4
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, 1918-1926 (#501-800)
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Volume
19
Reel
4
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, 1926-1929 (#801-848)
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Volume
(20), in Box 4
Reel
4
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, 1930-1949 (#849-1020)
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Series: Petitions, 1875-1949
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Box
5
Reel
4
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, 1875-1876 (#1290-1476)
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Box
5
Reel
4
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, 1876-1877 (#1478-1628)
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Box
5
Reel
4
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, 1877-1879 (#1629-1963)
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Box
5
Reel
4
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, 1879-1881 (#2057-2259)
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Box
5
Reel
4-5
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, 1881-1883 (#2260-2571)
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Box
5
Reel
5
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, 1884-1885 (#2662-2799)
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Box
6
Reel
5
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, 1885-1891 (#2800-3495)
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Box
6
Reel
5
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, 1892-1899 (#3513-4763) 8 2 misc
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Volume
1A
Reel
6
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1882-1903
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Volume
2
Reel
6-7
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, 1903-1906 (#5084-5331) and Certificates
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Volume
3
Reel
7
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, 1906 (#5332-5452) and Certificates
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Volume
4
Reel
7
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, 1906 (#5453-5546) and Certificates
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Volume
5
Reel
7-8
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, 1906 (#5547-5662) and Certificates
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Volume
6
Reel
8
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, 1906 (#5663-5792) and Certificates
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Volume
7
Reel
8-9
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, 1906 (#5793-5897) and Certificates
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Volume
8
Reel
9
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, 1907-1914 (#1-248)
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Volume
9
Reel
9-10
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, 1914-1917 (#251-500)
: Reel 10 begins with retakes from Vol. 9.
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Volume
10
Reel
10-11
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, 1917-1920 (#501-750)
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Volume
11
Reel
11-12
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, 1920-1929 (#751-981)
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Volume
(12), in Box 6
Reel
12-13
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, 1930-1936 (#982-1031)
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Volume
(13), in Box 6
Reel
13
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, 1936-1940 (#1032-1131)
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Volume
(14), in Box 6-7
Reel
13
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, 1940-1949 (#1132-1286)
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Series: Certificates, 1882-1927
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Volume
1
Reel
13-14
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, 1882-1903 (#2375-5083)
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Box
7
Reel
14
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, 1907-1927 (#16631-1861850)
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Series: Ancillary Documents, 1929-1952
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Box
7
Reel
14
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Orders Granting and Denying Petitions, 1929-1952
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