This was the first step in the old 2 step process of becoming a United States citizen. The immigrant petitioned the local court to indicate their interest in pursuing naturalization, and to relinquished allegiance to their emigrated land. 

Not all people who went through this first petitioning step actually continued to the second step of being granted citizenship. Thus the information found on these petitions may be the only first hand documentation of it's kind on an individual.
Although the vast majority of these petitions were initiated by males, there are occasional female petitioners. 

These petitions usually contain:

The full name of the immigrant (sometimes spelled more than one way).
The date and year of birth of the immigrant.
The emigrant country name and leadership.
The port and year of entrance into the United States.
The date of petition application.
The date and name of the county and state where the petition was submitted.
The signature or witnessed "mark" of the immigrant petitioning applicant.

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Volume 13  #2000 - 2299

Volume 13  #2300 - 2499

Volume 13  #2500 - 2796 1/2

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