US Naturalizations Before the 1906 Act

The United States Naturalization Act of 1906 made significant changes to naturalization procedures in the United States. One of the key changes for genealogists is that prior to the Act, any court of record could naturalize. After the act, generally only federal courts could perform naturalizations. And in some places and time periods before 1906, certain courts were not as stringent in their procedures than others–especially if there was an impending election.