Using the "Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index, 1850-1950" to Locate Original Naturalization Records

Many have used the "Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index, 1850-1950" available through www.familysearch.org.  In this collection you may have discovered an index card for one or more of your ancestors.  However, did you know this card can lead to more than just the date of arrival and naturalization?  You may also discover further information the person abstracting the information did not index.  Take for instance the following index card for John Maslan.

From this index card we see that John Maslan naturalized on December 13, 1915.  His citizenship was granted by the Will County Circuit Court in Joliet, Illinois.  However, missing from the index card is the date and port of arrival.  Not to fret though; this card gives us all the information we need to locate the original record!  In order to locate the original record you must contact the following: 

Will County Circuit Court Archives*

806 N. Nicholson St.

Joliet, Ill.  60435

(815)-774-7494

You may submit a written request to the address above, or make a request via the phone number above.  When making a request provide the following:  name of the individual (as it appears on the card), certificate/volume/page number, and date of naturalization.  Additionally, if submitting a written request provide your name, address, and phone number.  The phone number will help if the archivist searching has any questions regarding your request.  

Once the search has been completed you will be notified of the findings.  In some cases; although rare,  the document may have been lost or misfiled.  If the documents are found you will be charged a copy fee.  Payment** must be received before they will mail copies of any records.  

In the case of John Maslan his "Petition for Naturalization" was located with the indexed information.  

From this we learn additional information regarding John and his family.  We learn the ship he arrived on; the date he arrived; and the port he arrived in.  Also, is listed the place of his wife's birth, and name and birth dates of his children.  He also stated that he made his "Declaration of Intent" at the circuit court in Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois (If the "Declaration of Intent" and "Petition for Naturalization" were both filed in Will County the archivist will generally provide copies of both).  

With the information from this document you have the option of locating several more documents.  You may write the circuit court in which the "Declaration of Intent" was made, and request copies of that document.  Also, available is the original ship manifest from his arrival to the United States.  In the case of John it was located on www.ellisisland.org.  

*The Will County Circuit Court Archives is a separate facility maintained by Will County.  Admittance is by appointment only, and access to records is limited to archivist.  

**The Will County Circuit Clerk only accepts payments in the form of cash or money orders.  Personal checks are not accepted by the circuit court.  

What is in a "Return of a Marriage" ?

Recently I had a client looking for a marriage license for her deceased aunt.  They wanted to locate this marriage license because of the "Return of a Marriage" portion of the license.  The reason for locating this was because of privacy laws in Illinois.  The birth certificate is not yet 75 years old and the death certificate is not yet 20 years old.  Making these records only available to the parents, children, and grandchildren of the individual.  However,  marriage records are an open record in the state of Illinois. Although, some restrictions do apply on applications under 50 years old.  

In a previous blog (Illinois Marriage Certificates, 1860-1917)  I showed the progression of marriage licenses in Illinois.  Starting with simple forms only asking the name of the bride and groom.  Sometimes containing an affidavit by the groom stating the bride and groom were of legal age to marry.    In 1877 Illinois counties started to include a "Return of a Marriage" with the marriage license they filed.  This is a form that asked biographical information of both parties.  It also contains the signature of the bride and groom.  As well as the signature of witnesses.  In many cases the witnesses may be relatives of the bride and groom.  It should be noted that this is different from a marriage application.  That was a separate document filed.

For the biographical information it asked the name, age at next birthday, residence, parents names, race, place of birth, and number of marriages.  It does ask the maiden name of the bride in the case she was a widow.  For the groom his occupation was asked.  This information was supplied by the bride and groom, however, it is not always 100% accurate.  It should verified with any other sources you may have.

This can prove useful when a birth certificate was not filed for an individual.  In the state of Illinois birth certificates were not strictly mandated until 1916.  This would be helpful if the parties were of marrying age before 1916.  A birth certificate might not have been filed but the "Return of a Marriage" could have been.  Additionally the names of parents are not always filled out on a death certificate.  This is due to several factors.  The death certificate was filled out by a person in hospital records.  In most cases the very basic of vital information is filled out about the individual.  Another situation might be it was filled out by a child of the deceased.  The grandparents could have been deceased before the birth of the child.  In this case the child of the deceased may have not known or remembered the names of their grandparents.

A "Return of a Marriage" from 1892.

A "Return of a Marriage" from 1910.

A "Return of a Marriage" from 1917.

Illinois Marriage Certificates, 1860-1917

Today I thought I would share copies of marriage certificates that have occurred over time in the state of Illinois.  A majority of these marriages occurred in Will County.  However, there are a few that occurred outside of the county.  Prior to 1877 a marriage license provides little genealogical information.  After 1877 the marriage certificate includes a "Return of a Marriage to the County Clerk".  This document includes questions that both the bride and groom had answer.  This includes parental information, birth information, age, and number of marriages.  Although that does not mean they were always answered.  Or answered truthfully by both parties.

Marriage certificate for a couple married in Will County in 1861.

Filing information for the couple married in Will County in 1861.  The witnesses to the marriage signed just above where the words Marriage License is printed.  

Marriage certificate for a couple married in Will County in 1865.

Filing information for the couple married in Will County in 1865.  Once again the witnesses signature are present above the words Marriage License.  

Marriage certificate of a couple married in Will County in 1872.  

Filing information for the couple married in Will County in 1872.

Affidavit of marriage for couple married in Will County in 1872.  

Marriage certificate for a couple married in Kankakee County in 1876.  However, the marriage license was applied for and on file at the Will County Clerk's Office.

Affidavit for marriage of couple married in Kankakee County in 1876.  

Marriage certificate for a couple married in Will County in 1892. 

Filing information and "Return of a Marriage to County Clerk" for a couple married in Will County in 1892.

Marriage certificate for a couple married in Kane County in 1910.

Filing information for a couple married in Kane County in 1910.

"Return of a Marriage to County Clerk" for a couple married in Kane County in 1910. 

Marriage certificate for a couple married in Kane County in 1917.

Filing information and "Return of a Marriage to County Clerk" for a couple married in Kane County in 1917.  

Marriage affidavit for a couple married in Kane County in 1917. 

The "Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900"can be an aide in locating marriages that occurred in Illinois.  Marriages are searchable by the bride and grooms name.  Searches can be narrowed by county as well.  Currently 90 of Illinois' 98 counties are fully indexed and searchable.  Only four of the 98 counties have no entries.  Additionally, some counties go beyond the cutoff year of 1900. 

Illinois Death Certificates, 1877-1916

The official recording of deaths began in December 1877 in Will County, Illinois.  However, this does not imply that all deaths were recorded when they happened.  Stricter enforcement of death registration was not enforced until 1916.  At this time heftier penalties were applied for not registering deaths when they occurred.  Below are examples of deaths certificates spanning the years 1888 through 1918.  With the passing of time more information was required when a death certificate was filed.

Death Certificate filed in Will County, Illinois 26 August 1888

Death Certificate filed in Will County, Illinois February 1902

Death Certificate filed in Will County, Illinois 20 February 1904

Death Certificate filed in Will County, Illinois 01 May 1910

Death Certificate filed in Will County, Illinois 26 December 1914

Death Certificate filed in Will County, Illinois 17 July 1918

Still-Birth Certificate filed in Will County, Illinois 17 December 1887

There is currently a database named "Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950" available from the Illinois State Archives.  This page also includes a detailed history on the registration of deaths in the state of Illinois.  Also, available from the state archives is a database named "Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916".  This is an ongoing project by state archives.  Will County is not currently available in this index.  These databases do not provide actual images of the certificates.  However, names, date of death, and place of place can be discovered.  With this information the death certificate can be retrieved from the appropriate county clerk.  

Illinois Naturalization Records

Below is a chronological series of images featuring naturalization records that occurred in Illinois. As time progressed and laws changed more information was required for a naturalization.  For further information regarding naturalization records read "Types of U.S. Naturalization Records"

Naturalization that occurred in the circuit court of Will County, Illinois.

Naturalization of a Civil War Veteran that occurred in the county court of Grundy County, Illinois.  The normal residency requirement was waived for honorably discharged veterans.

A naturalization that occurred in 1876 in the county court of Will County, Illinois.  This man waited the required residency before he could naturalize. 

It is unusual that a married woman gained citizenship separate from her husband.  Prior to 1906 alien woman gained citizenship through their husband.  Margaret's husband had naturalized on October 03, 1866 in Grundy County, Illinois.  They had married October 26, 1865 in Syracuse, N.Y.  

A "Declaration of Intent" filed in the Will County, Illinois court in 1892.

Following the "Declaration of Intent" a "Petition for Naturalization" was filed.  This naturalization was filed in the Will County, Illinois court in 1894.

A "Petition for Naturalization" filed in the circuit court of Will County, Illinois in 1915.

A "Certificate of Arrival" for a "Declaration of Intent" filed in the circuit court of Will County, Illinois.

A "Declaration of Intent" filed in the circuit court of Will County, Illinois in 1939.

A "Petition for Naturalization" filed in the circuit court of Will County, Illinois in 1942.