California, San Francisco, Immigration Office Special Inquiry Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
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| Record Description | |
| Record Type | Special Inquire Office Records |
| Record Group | RG 85: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization |
| Collection years | 1910-1941 |
| Microfilm Publication | M1388. Registers of Persons Held for Boards of Special Inquiry at the San Francisco, California, immigration Office, February 1910-May 1941. 4 rolls. |
| Arrangement | Arrival Date and by Ship Name |
| National Archives Identifier | 4468084 414 |
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What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of registers of persons held for Boards of Special Inquiry at the San Francisco, California, Immigration Office, February 1910-May 1941. This collection corresponds to NARA Publication M1388 and is part of Record Group 85 Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The collection is arranged by arrival date, and by ship
To Browse This Collection
| You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for California, San Francisco, Immigration Office Special Inquiry Records, 1910-1941. |
What Can These Records Tell Me?
The records may contain:
- Name of ship
- Port of embarkation
- Date and seaport of entry
- Final destination
- Whether or not ticket to final destination
- Name of passenger
- Birth place
- Age in years and months
- Gender
- Civil status
- Occupation
- Whether or not can read and write
- Nationality
- Last permanent residence
- Destination
- Who paid for passage
- Declaration of money in possession
- Whether or not has been in U. S. before
- Whether or not passenger has been in prison
- Whether or not passenger is a polygamist
- Name and address of relative or friend passenger plans to join
- Whether or not under contract to labor
- General condition and statement of health
- Description of passenger
Collection Content
Sample Image
Record of Aliens Held for Inquiry
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How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
- The name of your immigrant ancestor
- The approximate age or date of immigration
If you do not know this information, check the census records after 1900.
Search the Index
Search by name on the Collection Details Page.- Fill in the search boxes in the Search Collection section with the information you know
- Click Search to show possible matches
View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page:
- Select the Volume and Year Range to view the images.
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More images are available in the FamilySearch Catalog at California, San Francisco, Immigration Office Special Inquiry Records, 1910-1941. Click on camera icon to see images. |
How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.
What Do I Do Next?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record, if you can, to verify the information and to find additional information.
I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?
- Use the information found in the record to find other port records, and ship’s manifests
- Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
- If applicable, search for military records
- Search for naturalization records
I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?
- If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
- If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, try searching other possible localities or ports of entry
- Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
- Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names
- Look for the Declaration of Intent soon after the immigrant arrived. Then look for the naturalization petition five years later, when the residency requirement would have been met. Look for naturalization records in federal courts, then in state, county, or city courts. An individual may have filed the first and final papers in different courts and sometimes in a different state if the person moved. Immigrants who were younger than 18 when they arrived did not need to file a Declaration of Intent as part of the process
Record Finder
Consult the California Research Tips and Strategies and its Record Finder to search other records
Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.
- Collection Citation
"California, San Francisco, Immigration Office Special Inquiry Records, 1910-1941." Database and images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 28 July 2017. Citing NARA microfilm publication M1388. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.
| Record Citation: When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information. |
| Image Citation: When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen. |