The Chippewa County Naturalization Records consist of Declarations of Intention, Petitions, Naturalization Certificates, various volume indexes and a card index to these records; Depositions [of Witnesses], Petitions Granted and Denied, and Applications to Take the Oath of Allegiance.
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 and dates.
For preservation purposes some volumes have been dismantled and placed in boxes. For these volumes the contents list below gives the volume number in parentheses ( ) for identification purposes, and the box number for location purposes.
Researchers should begin by using the CARD INDEX, circa 1854-1963. The index consists of cards created by the Clerk of Courts office (pre-printed “Immigration and Naturalization Service”) and cards created as a volunteer project by members of the Chippewa County Genealogical Society. The cards were loaned to the State Historical Society for filming by the Genealogical Society of Utah, therefore they are available on microfilm only. The originals are at the Chippewa County Genealogical Society.
Arranged alphabetically by surname, they index Declarations, circa 1854-1906, all petitions and all certificates. Each card references all documents (except ancillary documents) pertaining to that person. However, they do not specifically list post-1906 declarations volumes because a copy of the declaration can be found attached to the petition. An entry giving a file followed by a year (e.g. “File 1874”) refers to a petition filed between 1870-1906. These petitions are arranged by year and thereunder alphabetically.
The INDEX TO DECLARATIONS, 1856-1872, is arranged in alphabetical segments by the first letter of the individual's last name and gives the date, volume, and page number for declarations in Volumes A and B. The INDEX TO DECLARATIONS, 1854-1888, is arranged in alphabetical segments by the first letter of the last name, but not chronological thereunder. It indexes Volumes A through E of Declarations, duplicating information in the 1856-1872 index, but covers a wider span of time. The INDEX TO CITIZENSHIP, 1868-1915, contains entries for individuals filing petitions after 1906. It lists the date and place of declaration, the date the petition was filed, and the date citizenship was granted.
The DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION date 1850-1959, and are arranged chronologically by date filed. Note that a small number of declarations pre-date the indexes. If the researcher is looking for records, 1850-circa 1855, go directly to Box 1 or Reel 8. Each volume of Declarations except A through D contain a name index.
PETITIONS date 1870-1963. Pre-1906 petitions are arranged by year and thereunder alphabetically by last name, while post-1906 petitions are arranged by filing date and assigned a unique number. Beginning approximately October 1906, a copy of the Declaration was often attached to the Petition. Each volume contains a name index.
CERTIFICATES date 1871-1923, and are in the form of certificates in bound volumes for 1871- 1906, and certificate stub books, 1907-1923. The pre-1906 certificates are arranged by date filed and the post-1906 certificate stubs are arranged by certificate number which is usually chronological. Volumes contain an internal name index, except for Volume 4A. Certificate volumes were erroneously filmed twice. Volumes 1A - 4A appear on reels 4 and 4A and were re-filmed on reels 13 and 14.
ANCILLARY RECORDS include Depositions [of Witnesses], 1916 and circa 1932-1942, Petitions Granted and Denied, 1929-1963, and Applications to Take [the] Oath of Allegiance, 1938-1958. Documents within each type of record are arranged chronologically by the date filed. Of these ancillary records, only the Oaths of Allegiance include a name index.
