General
The Washburn County Naturalization Records consist of Declarations of Intention, Petitions, Certificates, and Indexes to these records. Also included are a Naturalization Order Book and Repatriations.
The original system of identifying volumes by number was retained because the indexes are 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 disbound 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. All records are available both in original paper form and on microfilm.
Indexes
The INDEX TO DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION, 1883-1906, lists the name and date of declaration. It indexes Declaration Volumes 1 and 2.
The INDEX TO CITIZENSHIP, 1880-1925, lists the name, date, and volume number for declarations, petitions, and certificates. This index refers to some volumes and certificate numbers not contained in this series. The volume is incomplete: it does not index very many names and some entries are incomplete. This volume duplicates some of the entries found in the Naturalization Index Cards.
The NATURALIZATION INDEX CARDS, 1882-1954, consists of two types of cards: unofficial typed index cards, and official printed Immigration and Naturalization Service forms. The cards may contain the name; country of origin; date and port of arrival; current residence; occupation; date of birth; name of wife and children; names of witnesses; date of petition; date of order of admittance; and certificate number, date, volume and page number. Some of the unofficial cards contain a number in the top right hand corner that does not seem to correspond with anything. The other number on the unofficial cards refers to the certificate number.
The INDEX TO CERTIFICATES OF NATURALIZATION, 1883-1903, lists the names and dates of the certificates. It indexes Volumes 1 and 3 of the certificates.
The INDEX TO NATURALIZATION RECORDS, 1886-1903, also lists the names and dates of certificates. It primarily duplicates the Index to Certificates of Naturalization, 1883-1903, although there are a few different names.
Records
The DECLARATIONS OF INTENTION date 1883-1952 and are arranged chronologically by date filed. The Declarations for 1883-1901 (Volume 1) and 1901-1907 (Volume 2) do not contain a name index at the front of the volumes. The rest of the volumes include a complete index.
PETITIONS, 1878-1954, are also arranged by filing date and beginning in 1906, each petition was assigned a unique number. The Petitions, 1878-1903, do not contain an index at the front of the volume. The rest of the volumes contain a complete index. The index in the front for 1931-1939, Volume (5), also contains some references to the petitions in the volume for 1939-1944, Volume (6). Petitions #266-402 include as attachments some declarations, certificates of arrival, and photos.
The microfilm (reel 1) shows the rough drafts of the unofficial index cards before Petition Volume 4.
The CERTIFICATES span 1883-1906. Volume 1 of the Certificates does not contain an index. Volume 3, however, does contain a complete index at the beginning of the volume.
The ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS consist of a Naturalization Order Book, 1929-1954, containing Lists #1-33, and Repatriations, 1941-1946.
