The Naturalization Process

In the United States, before 1952, the naturalization process began with a Declaration of Intent to become a citizen. This declaration is also referred to as "First Papers." Three years after this declaration was filed, and five years after arriving in the country, a Petition for Naturalization ("Second Papers") could be filed in the same or a different court. A Certificate of Citizenship could then be issued.

Until 1922, a foreign-born woman married to a naturalized citizen was automatically made a citizen. Until 1940, a child under the age of 21 was granted citizenship based on the status of his father. After 22 Sept 1922 an alien woman who married a US citizen could skip the Declaration of Intention and file for a Naturalization Petition. But if an alien woman married an alien man she would have to start her naturalization proceedings at the beginning with a Declaration of Intention.

Jill Cruse provided the images of indexes to original Declarations of Intent from 20 Dec 1855 to 2 Mar 1880. They were transcribed by Don Kelly (A-K) and edited and formatted by Richard Harrison. Original images are included when available. Volunteers are needed to transcribe the remaining documents.

Copies of Naturalization papers or Declaration of Intent can be obtained from the Des Moines County Genealogical Society, PO Box 493, Burlington, Iowa, 52601, for a modest fee, or from the Des Moines County Courthouse.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


SURNAME
GIVEN NAME
BIRTHPLACE
FILE DATE
NOTES
CALLAHANJ.Ireland15 Aug 1857 
CALLAHANJohnIreland31 Jul 1856 
CALLIHANMichaelIreland20 Dec 1870 
CAMPBELLBryceScotland31 Jan 1862 
CAMPBELLEbenezerEngland6 Aug 1859 
CAMPBELLWilliamIreland2 Mar 1878 
CAMPBELLWilliamEngland1 Aug 1856 
CANDYJohn BurgeEngland21 Apr 1871 
CARLEWilliamIreland26 Jun 1856 
CARLSONA. N.Sweden12 Oct 1868 
CARLSONAndrewSweden19 Feb 1867 
CARLSONAugustSweden19 Feb 1867 
CARLSONAugustSweden28 Feb 1870 
CARLSONAugustSweden17 Oct 1877 
CARLSONC. P.Sweden31 Jul 1871 
CARLSONG. P.Sweden6 Mar 1874 
CARLSONJ. H.Sweden11 May 1872 
CARLSONJ. H.Sweden5 Nov 1872 
CARLSONJohn H.Sweden4 Feb 1867 
CARLSONJohn P.Sweden11 Mar 1878 
CARLSSONG. F.Sweden1 Jun 1874 
CARLSSONGustof JakobSweden17 Sep 1872 
CARLSTROMGustafSweden15 Sep 1870 
CARNEYWilliamIreland1 Feb 1858 
CARROLLJno. H.Canada5 Nov 1879 
CARROLLMichaelIreland31 Jul 1856 
CURRUNThomasIreland11 Oct 1856 
CARSLOWDonleyIreland30 Jul 1856 
CARSONJohnIreland7 Oct 1851 
CARTERCharlesEngland15 Jul 1856 
CASPERJohnSweden12 Mar 1873 
CAUSMANAugustHanover7 Oct 1865 
CAVANAGHThomasIreland5 Apr 1858 
CAYTONJamesIreland7 Apr 1859 
CELLERWm.Nassau23 Feb 1861 
CHAMBERSJohn P.Ireland28 Jan 1858 
CHARLSSONSolomonSweden18 Oct 1876 
CHRESTONSONNelsDenmark27 Feb 1874 
CHRISTJohnSwitzerland22 Mar 1858 
CHRISTJohnSwitzerland17 Apr 1858 
CHRISTJoseph AntoineSwitzerland21 Sep 1864 
CHRISTENSENJ. P.Denmark6 Nov 1876 
CHRISTENSENLorenDenmark21 Feb 1880 
CHRISTIANHenryDenmark18 Oct 1876 
CHRYSTALLJamesScotland28 Nov 1876 
CLANSONBoiDenmark23 Feb 1876 
CLASSONJohnSweden26 Feb 1868 
CLAYTONAlfredEngland20 Mar 1878 
CLEMENTSGeorgeEngland9 Oct 1876 
COCKRELLJamesEngland25 Mar 1876 
CONNERSJamesIreland8 Oct 1859 
CONNERSJohnIreland13 Sep 1856 
CONRADWormendalHesse–Darmstadt1 Feb 1858 
CONSEDINEJamesIreland4 Oct 1856 
COOKAdamBavaria3 Nov 1856 
COOKJohan FriederichGermany21 Oct 1856 
COONSConradSwitzerland6 Apr 1857 
COOPAndrewSwitzerland31 Dec 1867 
CORCORANJohnIreland7 Oct 1868 
CORNELLPatrickIreland2 Aug 1856 
CORROLSONAndrewSweden1 Oct 1859 
CORTENPeter C.Denmark3 Mar 1869 
COSTELLOJohnIreland1 Feb 1869 
COTTLEThos.Ireland12 Dec 1856 
COXPaulIreland25 Nov 1857 
CRAWFORDArchibaldIreland6 Aug 1859 
CRAWFORDDanielIreland24 Sep 1862 
CREELMANRobertIreland18 Oct 1878 
CRIBBJamesEngland28 Aug 1856 
CRONEJosephEngland22 Jan 1862 
CROPLEYJohnEngland1 Oct 1866 
CURRINPatrickIreland1 Feb 1858 

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