General
The Iron County Naturalization Records consist of Declarations of Intention, Petitions, Certificates of Naturalization, Orders Granting and Denying Petitions, 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 dismantled 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. Almost all records are available in both original format and on microfilm.
Indexes
The CARD INDEX TO NATURALIZATIONS, 1893-1954, is arranged alphabetically by last name and may list address, certificate number; date and port of arrival; date of naturalization; names of witnesses; date and place of declaration; and other remarks. The cards may also list the petition number, volume, and page number. References to “blue books” mean petition volumes. References to “red volumes” mean certificate volumes. Citations to volumes that do not specify a color are generally petition volumes. The CARD INDEX TO NATURALIZATIONS, 1893-1954 (box 7) appears to duplicate the cards for the “red books” in the other card index. However, unlike boxes 1-3, the cards in box 7 include the individual's country of birth and birth date.
The [VOLUME] INDEX TO NATURALIZATION PAPERS, 1893-1937, lists petitions and certificate volumes. Entries are arranged by first letter of last name and then chronologically by volume. The red books (certificate volumes) are listed first for each letter and then blue books (petition volumes). The entries for each volume give name and page number.
Records
DECLARATIONS, 1897-1952, are arranged chronologically by date filed. The index cards may indicate the date of the declarations. Each volume has an index at the front.
PETITIONS, 1893-1954, are arranged by date filed, and beginning in 1906, each petition is assigned a unique number. Note that beginning in 1906 and 1930 the court began a new numbering scheme for the volumes, starting with “1.” Therefore when requesting a volume, include not only the volume number, but also the type of record (e.g. “Petitions”) and dates.
Petitions are indexed by both the card and volume indexes and each volume contains an index at the front. The indexes refer to the petition volumes as “blue books.” The Volume designated 2* contains both certificates and petitions for the years 1903-1906. If an applicant had a 1903-1906 certificate and petition in the Petition/Certificate Vol. 2*, the index will refer to the volume as a “red book.” If the applicant only had a petition in the Petition/Certificate Vol. 2*, the index will refer to the volume as a “blue book.” The post-1906 volumes often include Certificates of Arrival with the petition, and may include Declarations.
CERTIFICATES, 1893-1906, are arranged chronologically by date filed. Volume 2* of the certificates contains petitions as well as some declarations. As indicated above, if an applicant had a 1903-1906 certificate and petition in the Petition/Certificate Vol. 2*, the index will refer to the volume as a “red book.” If the applicant only had a petition in the Petition/Certificate Vol. 2*, the index will refer to the volume as a “blue book.”
ORDERS GRANTING AND DENYING PETITIONS, 1929-1953, are arranged alphabetically and contain lists of people who were granted or denied citizenship.
