I'm looking for some guidance on where to look or have a volunteer look in Natrona Co., WY for naturalization paperwork and see if my great granduncle and possibly my great grandfather started their paperwork there. They both received their certificates of naturalization in Butte, MT, in 1904. The certificate for my great grandfather actually indicates a petition number, but after contacting every regional branch of the NARA, nobody can locate the pre-certificate paperwork. I think my great granduncle may be in Wolton, Natrona Co., WY in 1910. It's a very close fit if it isn't my guy. I know my great grandfather was said to have been in Rock Springs, WY, and I have checked Sweetwater Co., WY with no luck. Who would have these records in Natrona Co., WY? Trying to locate paperwork/petitions on Matte/Matt Stokan and his brother, Michael/Mike Stokan.

Thank you for any tips or guidance you can provide.

Hi,
I live in Natrona Co. I'm not sure about the paperwork but i'll see if I can find out.
I do know that Wolton is now called Hiland and it is almost a ghost town. It is literally a few bulidings on the side of the road!
I have a book from the library with info about Wolton, like it moved in about 1904 a couple of miles to be closer to the railroad. Wolton was mainly a sheepherders spot.
What did your Uncle and Grandpa do for a living. Helping build the railroad maybe? Sheep Herders? Do you have any more info on them?
If I can help in any way just let me know. I'll write your name's down in case I ever come across them.

Thank you so much for your help!

You know... I was just in the middle of a big response to your post and I just ran across the response from Wyoming State Archives saying they couldn't find Matt Stokan in Sweetwater Co., WY, but if I had any other counties for her to look in she'd be happy to do so. Let me try that for Michael, before I send anyone off on a wild goose chase.

We don't know much about Michael, other than he died of TB in Galen, MT, in 1928. I'm trying to piece together his life before that. Matt, my great grandfather, was allegedly conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian army, had served in Turkey, was sent with a shipment of his general's horses to Canada, allegedly jumped ship with another troop in Vancouver Island (possibly Victoria), worked in coal mines and on the Canadian Railroad, then went to Rock Springs, WY to work in a coal mine, then went to Butte, MT. At one time it was said he and a buddy hitchhiked to the Dakotas looking for work, and Matt carried his shoes so he wouldn't wear a hole in them. This is all I "know", so I'm trying to find the papertrail to hopefully figure out if this is family lore or not. I chased a Mato Stokan in PA thinking it was my guy, but they archives told me it wasn't. The naturalization certificate is the first I have found of Matt in the US. After that, his wife joins him in Butte in 1906, and I have a pretty good trail from there on. Just trying to figure out where he was before.

Thank you again for your offer to help. I'll get back to you after I contact the WY State Archives.

For those of you interested, here's the contact information for the WY State Archives.

Wyoming State Archives
Barrett Building
2301 Central Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7826
(307) 777-7044 FAX

Thanks for the info.
I hope you find the what you are looking for. Like I said I too will keep an eye out for the name. I have also been researching family in Butte and other parts of Montana.
Sounds like they were miners. I know there was a mine on Casper Mountain for a few years and a town, Eadsville, was born. It didn't last long and I can't remember what they were mining.