Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Madison   County   (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1870. Local government records collection, Madison   County   Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

This item came to the Library of Virginia in a shipment of court papers from Madison   County .

Historical Information

Madison   County   was named for James Madison  , a prominent Virginian and a member of Congress in 1792 when the county   was formed from Culpeper County  .

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

Madison   County   (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1870, includes an affidavit, a report for naturalization, and a declaration of intent to become a United States citizen made by Gottlieb Mayer, who immigrated in 1868 from Zurich, Switzerland.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Madison   County   (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Immigrants -- Virginia -- Madison   County  .
• Naturalization -- Virginia -- Madison   County  .

Geographical Names:

• Madison   County   (Va.) -- History -- 19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

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