Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Giles County's loose naturalization records, 1849-1871, are digitized and available through the Naturalization Records Digital Collection on the Library of Virginia website. Please use digital images.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Giles County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1849-1871. Local government records collection, Giles County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Giles County.

Processing Information

Loose naturalization records, 1849-1871, were processed and indexed for the purpose of inclusion in the Library of Virginia's Naturalization Records digital collection by Library of Virginia staff.

Encoded by G. Crawford: September 2015; updated by M. Long: October 2024.

Historical Information

Context for Record Type: 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. Prior to the Naturalization Act of 1906, the naturalization process primarily occurred in local and state courts. 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. This document typically preceded proof of residence or a petition to become a citizen by two or more years.

Locality History: Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia in 1806 when the county was created from Montgomery, Monroe (now in West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Several subsequent additions were made from Wythe (1808), Monroe in 1829 and Mercer in 1841 (both now in West Virginia), Craig (1880), and Tazewell (1826 and 1836) Counties. The county seat is Pearisburg.

Scope and Content

Giles County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1849-1871, consists of loose naturalization records filed in the local court. Loose naturalization records may include affidavits, reports for naturalization, declarations of intent to become United States citizens, and notices of application for admission of citizenship. The reports are narrative accounts made by applicants summarizing their journey to the United States. 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. Affidavits, signed by those who knew the applicant and could vouch for their loyalty to the United States, may also be filed with the reports and declarations.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Related Material

Additional Giles County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Adjunct Descriptive Data