Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Wythe County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1828-1834. Local government records collection, Wythe County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a 2022 transfer of court papers from Wythe County under the accession number 53665.

Processing Information

Naturalization Records, 1828-1834, were removed from a transfer of court papers from Wythe County and then processed and indexed as a distinct unit by M. Long for the purpose of inclusion in the Library of Virginia's Naturalization Records Digital Collection.

Encoded by M. Long: November 2023.

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: Wythe County was named for George Wythe, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and chancellor of Virginia in 1789 when Wythe County was formed from Montgomery County. Part of Grayson County was added in 1825.

Scope and Content

Wythe County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1828-1834, 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

Naturalization records for Wythe County (Va.) and other localities are available through the Library of Virginia's Naturalization Records Digital Collection and can be found by searching the Digital Collections Discovery section of the Library of Virginia website.

Additional Wythe 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