Family Tree USA – September 2019

72 FAMILY TREE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2019

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the rest is history

It shall be the duty of the said Bureau

to provide, for the use at the various immigration stations

throughout the United States, books of record.

The Naturalization Act of 1906 created the Bureau of Immigration and Natu-

ralization. A centralized, federal department, the Bureau standardized and docu-

mented naturalization proceedings nationwide. Prior to 1906, each court had its

own set of standards and procedures. But beginning on September 27, 1906, all

courts used the same set of naturalization forms—a major boon for researchers.

E

Those seeking American citizenship had to

fi ll out two primary forms: the declaration of

intention, and the petition for naturalization.

For more on these and other naturalization

forms, see <www.familytreemagazine.com/

premium/naturalization-records>.