General
The Clark County Naturalization Records, 1857-1955, consist of indexes to Petitions and Declarations, Declarations of Intention, Petitions, Certificate Stub Books, Repatriation Forms, and an Order Book.
The original system of numbering volumes was retained because the indexes are often keyed to this system. 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, folder number and reel number for location purposes. Volume numbers that appear in brackets [ ] are numbers that were assigned by the archivist.
Records
Researchers should begin by using the INDEX TO PETITIONS, 1860-1955 (pages titled “Lien Docket”). It is the most comprehensive of the indexes. Arranged by the first letter of the applicant's name and thereunder by volume, the index refers to petitions filed after 1895 (volumes 1/2, 2, and 1-17). Researchers should be aware that although the index refers to pre-1895 petitions in volume 1/2, there actually are no pre-1895 petitions in volume 1/2. The index gives the volume and “page number,” which is actually the document number, for petitions in volumes 2 and 1-7. Find the petition according to the document number because the volume number is not always accurate. Entries pointing to petition volumes 8-17 give the volume and petition number (no page number). The index also notes the date of the petition.
The INDEX TO PETITIONS, 1860-1903 (labeled “Index to Admissions”) duplicates the information found in the above Index to Petitions. It can be a secondary source if the researcher is unable to locate petitions from the more comprehensive index.
The INDEX TO DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION, 1857-1906, is arranged in alphabetical segments by the first letter of the last name and chronologically thereunder. It gives the date the Declaration was filed. The State Historical Society does not have the Declarations from 1857-1891 that this volume refers to, and only a portion of the 1892-1906 Declarations (Box 8).
The DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION, 1892-1906 (Box 8) are arranged alphabetically by last name. DECLARATIONS, 1907-1951, are arranged chronologically by date filed. Each volume contains a name index.
PETITIONS date 1895-1954 and are arranged chronologically by date filed. There are two numbering sequences of petition volumes. The Clerk of Courts office began numbering the volumes with “Volume 1/2” and then “Volume 2,” and then started a strict numerical sequence beginning with “Volume 1.” Each volume contains a name index. Beginning approximately October 1906, a copy of the Declaration was often attached to the Petition. The Petitions from 1905-1906 (Box 8) were fugitive documents found in the courthouse years after the initial transfer to the Historical Society. They are arranged alphabetically and are only for individuals whose last name begins with the letter “P”. Volume 17 also contains a small amount of correspondence regarding several hearings that were pending in 1955 when the Clark County Circuit Court stopped hearing naturalization cases.
CERTIFICATE STUB BOOKS date 1907-1927 and consist of the certificate stub retained by the circuit court. The arrangement is chronological. A complete certificate can be obtained from the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service.
ANCILLARY RECORDS include Repatriations (also called Application to Take Oath of Allegiance), 1940-1949; and an Order Book containing Orders Granting and Denying Petitions, 1929-1954. Neither volume contains a name index.
