PUBLIC "-//Library of Virginia//TEXT (US::Vi::vi06448::A Guide to the Wise County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1916)//EN" "vi06448.xml" A Guide to the Wise County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1916 Wise County (Va.) Naturalization Records McKenzie Long Library of Virginia © 2025 By The Library of Virginia. All Rights Reserved. Machine-readable finding aid derived from being created directly into EAD, created by McKenzie Long, 5 December 2025 Description is in English A Guide to the Wise County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1916 A Collection in the Library of Virginia

Library of Virginia 2025 M. Long Library of Virginia Descriptive Summary The Library of Virginia Wise County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1916 Library of Virginia .1 cu. ft. (1 box) English Wise County (Va.) Circuit Court Administrative Information Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Wise County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1916. Local government records collection, Wise County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in an undated transfer of court papers from Wise County.

Processing Information

Loose naturalization records, 1916, were processed and indexed for the purpose of inclusion in the Library of Virginia's Naturalization Records digital collection by M. Long.

Encoded by M. Long: December 2025.

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: Wise County was named for Henry Alexander Wise, governor of Virginia from 1856 to 1860. It was formed in 1856 from Lee, Scott, and Russell Counties. Its area is 415.6 square miles, and the county seat is Wise.

Scope and Content

Wise County (Va.) Naturalization Records, 1916, 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.

Primarily consists of a 1916 certificate submitted by U.S. resident Jozsef Estefán, verifying that he could support the immigration of 18-year-old Róza Estefán of Hungary.

 Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Series I: Loose Naturalization Records, 1916, arranged chronologically.

Adjunct Descriptive Data Related Material

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

Contents List Loose Naturalization Records, 1916 .1 cubic feet (1 box)

Arranged chronologically.

Naturalization Records, 1916