General
The Taylor County Naturalization Records consist of Declarations of Intention, Certificates of Naturalization, Petitions, and indexes to these records. Ancillary records include Repatriations and Petitions Granted and Denied.
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 contents list below gives the volume 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. All records are available both in original format and on microfilm.
Indexes
The starting point for using these records is the “Index to Citizenship,” (Vol. [1] or the last volume on reel 3) which gives the date, volume, page number, and number of Certificate of Naturalization or Petition for those individuals who completed the naturalization process in Taylor County between 1877 and 1954. Entries are arranged in alphabetical segments by the first letter of the surname and more or less chronologically thereunder.
Many people in nineteenth century Wisconsin did not go beyond the Declaration of Intention stage of the naturalization process because filing the declaration was sufficient to confer the right to vote. These people, therefore, will not appear in the “Index to Citizenship.” Thus, if a name can not be located there, the researcher should check the “Index to Declarations, 1875-1906,” (Vol. [2] or the first volume on Reel 1). Entries are arranged in alphabetical segments and chronologically thereunder and give the Declaration number for documents in Volumes 1-3 of Declarations (Reel 1).
The third index in this series is the “Index to Certificates of Naturalization, 1878-1903” (Vol. [3] or the first volume on Reel 2). It should be used only as a last resort because it appears to be less complete than the “Index to Citizenship.” It is also arranged in alphabetical segments and gives the date and number of the Certificates in Volumes 1-4 of Certificates (Reel 2).
Records
The DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION, 1875-1952, are arranged chronologically by date filed. Each declaration was assigned a unique number. Note that beginning in October 1906, the numbering system began anew, starting with number 1. Pre-1906 volumes do not contain a name index. If the researcher cannot locate a declaration in the bound volumes he should try looking in the group of 1865-1907 Petitions (boxes 5-8 or reels 9 and 10), because some declarations attached to petitions are found there.
PETITIONS, circa 1865-1907 (boxes 5-8 or reels 9 and 10) consist primarily of Petitions with some declarations attached, and are arranged alphabetically. Only declarations may exist for some individuals. These declarations may or may not duplicate those in Declarations Volumes [1]-4.
PETITIONS, 1907-1955, are arranged by filing date, and beginning in 1907 were assigned a unique number. Declarations are attached, and all volumes include a name index.
All CERTIFICATES, 1877-1927, are arranged by date filed. Through 1906 the certificates are in bound volumes (indexes included) and from 1908-1927 are in the form of certificate stubs.
ANCILLARY RECORDS consist of Repatriations, 1941-1945, and Petitions Granted and Denied, 1929-1955. Entries in each volume are arranged by date filed. The volume of Repatriations includes a name index, however the Petitions volume does not include an index.
