Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Gloucester County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1887, 1890. Local government records collection, Gloucester County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Gloucester County.

Historical Information

Gloucester County was named probably to honor Henry, duke of Gloucester, the third son of King Charles I, or it may also have been named for the English county. It was formed from York County in 1651. The county seat is Gloucester.

Prior to 1906, naturalizations could be recorded in any court — federal, state, county, or city. Declarations of intent were the record by which an applicant for U.S. citizenship declared their intent to become a citizen and renounced their allegiance to a foreign government. A declaration of intention normally preceded proof of residence or a petition to become a citizen by two or more years. Beginning in 1795, a person could declare their intent to become a citizen at any time and in any place after they arrived in the United States.

Scope and Content

Gloucester County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1887, 1890, include declarations of intent and reports to become United States citizens and notices of application for admission of citizenship. The declarations of intent record the person's name, place of birth, age, country of previous citizenship, renunciation of allegiance and fidelity to the nation of which the person is currently a citizen, and the date the intention was sworn.

Arrangement

Arranged chronological.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Gloucester County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Immigrants -- Virginia -- Gloucester County.
• Naturalization -- Virginia -- Gloucester County.

Geographical Names:

• Gloucester County (Va.) -- History.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records -- Virginia -- Gloucester County.
• Naturalization records -- Virginia. -- Gloucester County.