Naturalization
Records
The United States is a nation of immigrants. The interaction between
new arrivals and the local population influenced the growth of this
country and is a fascinating study, whether taken from the point of
view of the individual immigrant or from the larger perspective of demographics.
Naturalization records provide vital data for such a study.
Before 1790 a person always remained a citizen of his native land, no
matter where he lived. Since 1790 a variety of legislation has governed
the naturaliza-tion process, but until the 20th century, no effort was
made to keep the process uniform from place to place. The Ohio records
discussed here may vary from those kept in other states.
Federal law required that aliens wishing to become citizens file a Declaration
of Intention after at least a three-year's residence in the United States.
This document is often referred to as "first papers." Then,
after residing in the state or territory for one year prior to naturalization
and a minimum of five years' residence from the date of immigration,
an alien could be naturalized. Any court of record could perform this
function as an agency of the federal government. In Ohio prior to 1856,
the record of naturalization is usually found in the Court of Common
Pleas Journal. The amount of information in the early entries depended
upon the court, judge, and clerk. Often only a list of aliens and the
oath of allegiance they took would be recorded in the journal, without
a mention of their native county or any personal identification. Any
papers giving these details may only have been "kept on file"
in the court office, easily subject to loss or destruction. After 1856,
the Probate Court began to take over this task, often keeping separate
ledgers for Declarations of Intention and Naturalizations. These ledgers
sometime record more information, depending upon their use: name of
alien, age, country of origin and date of immigration can often be learned.
Minor children became citizens when their father was naturalized, although
their names were not recorded on his petition. Citizenship was also
extended to the family if the alien died after filing a Declaration
of Intention, but before he could obtain citizenship. Aliens who resided
in the United States for at least three years prior to their twenty-first
birthday and two years after could be naturalized without having to
file a Declaration of Intention first. Likewise, honorably discharged
veterans were not required to file "first papers," if they
showed proof of service. All these "proofs" were attested
to in the entry in the court record, but were not attached to the naturalization
itself. The Minors' and Soldiers' Records may give the name, age, country
of origin and date of immigration.
Women took the citizenship of their husbands. Thus, foreign-born women
became citizens when they married American men or when their husbands
were naturalized, but no paperwork was filed. In 1868 Blacks became
citizens under the 14th Amendment. Until 1922, American-born women lost
their citizenship by marrying foreign-born men. Soon after women won
the right to vote, however, they were responsible for filing their own
citizenship papers regardless of their marital status. In 1940 the American
Indian was granted full citizenship privileges.
Immigration patterns changed toward the end of the nineteenth century,
with more immigrants arriving from the eastern and southern Europe and
from non-European countries. Along with a demand for closer monitoring
of this new population came a desire of uniformity in the naturalization
process. A greatly revised law taking effect in 1906 sought to address
both issues. Once again, the Common Pleas Court handled the process,
taking over from the Probate Courts. Gradually, by the 1930's, the U.
S. District Courts assumed the function. Records for aliens entering
the country after June, 1906 now included a Certificate of Arrival which
listed the port of entry, name of immigrant, date of arrival, and name
of ship or rail line. Additional questionnaires included the alien's
address, date and place of birth, occupation, port of embarkation, destination
in the United States, and family information. The family information
included the spouse's name, date and place of birth and marriage, and
vital information on each child. The new declaration of intention now
included a physical description of the alien and vital information about
his spouse. The Petition of Citizenship [combined on a single form with
the Certificate of Naturalization] also listed the name, date and place
of birth of alien, his spouse, and each child. Name changes could be
documented on this form as well. Witnesses were listed by name, occupation,
and address. With some modifications, this is the form in use today.
Naturalizations could be a complex and intimidating process for the
prospective citizen. Names and spellings were frequently Americanized
or garbled by busy clerks. National borders changed. Immigrants moved
between the time they filed their " first papers" and their
final naturalization. Servicemen filed at the base where they were stationed,
rather than their private residence. Some aliens waited many years before
becoming citizens, and others were never naturalized. Originally, only
"free white persons" could be naturalized. A law passed in
1943 allowed Chinese people to be naturalized. Persons from India and
the Philippines became eligible for U.S. citizenship in 1946. The Immigration
and Nationality Act of 1952 removed all racial bars to naturalization
in the United States.
Even though information on early entries may provide no link to the
old country or to the rest of the family, it is an important landmark
in family history, and helps other researchers understand the social
make-up of the communities.
Immigrants living in any American territory could become naturalized.
Therefore, an examination of territorial papers is strongly encouraged.
For those naturalized after September 27, 1906, the researcher should
write to: Immigration and Naturalization Services, 425 I Street N. W.,
Washington, D.C. 20536. Other naturalizations may be found in the National
Archives. Many of the late 19th Century and the 20th Century naturalizations
from the U.S. District Courts in Ohio are kept at the National Archives
in Chicago.
Reprinted with permission from The Center of Archival Collections,
Bowling Green State University. Information obtained from articles printed
in the "Archival Chronicle" August 1986 and December 1991,
and World
Book Encyclopedia.