Declarations of Intent for Clatsop County, Oregon to 1888: Finns and Russians

Compiled by Liisa Penner

These are people who filled out their first papers for U.S. citizenship. They were listed as being citizens of Russia, but most of them were actually Finnish. The declaration of intent forms can be ordered from the Clatsop County Clerk, 749 Commercial, Astoria, OR 97103. They have been microfilmed by members of the L.D.S. Church. Unfortunately, the papers before 1906 have little useful information.

One page of the original records had dates that were out of order (1880 & 1881). The reason for this is unknown. Many of the names appear to be misspelled, but I tried to keep them as they appeared in the original indexes.

The main reason the Finns became naturalized, I believe, was so they could get homestead land. Many of the names here are also in the homestead indexes. A book on the Clatsop County homesteads is available through the Clatsop County Genealogy Society, c/o the Astoria Public Library, 450 Exchange, Astoria OR 97103. Homestead records are also available through the L.D.S. Church.