Very briefly, the Declaration of Intent - sometimes called "First Papers" - was the first of a two step process to becoming a citizen. After residing in this country for two years, the alien could file a Declaration of Intent in any court of record, usually on the county level. After waiting a minimum of three years, the alien could then petition the court to become a citizen and receive his naturalization papers. These two steps did not have to take place in the same court or the same location. The process appears to have improved after 1906. For a description of the naturalization process and some of it's exceptions over the years, go to www.rootsweb.com Click on RootsWeb's Guide to Tracing Family Trees under the Getting Started Menu. The menu will lead you to naturalization explanations. Another site is www.nara.gov Good luck! Jean