Klickitat County, Washington Genealogy

From FamilySearch Wiki


Guide to Klickitat County, Washington ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Goldendale
Organized: December 20, 1859
Parent County(s): Skamania, Walla Walla
Variant Spellings: Clicatat, Clicitat, Klikitat, or Clickitat
Neighboring Counties
Benton • Gilliam (OR) • Hood (OR) • Morrow (OR) • Sherman (OR) • Skamania • Wasco (OR) • Yakima
See County Maps
Courthouse
Washington, Klickitat County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Wa-klickitat.png

Trout Lake, Klickitat County, Washington

County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

The county was named for the Klickitat tribe of the Yakama Native Americans. The county is located in the south-central area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Klickitat County Courthouse
205 S Columbus Avenue Room 204
Goldendale, WA 98620
Phone: 413-459-4580
Klickitat County Website

County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records.
County Auditor has marriage records. [2]

Klickitat County, Washington Record Dates[edit | edit source]

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1882 1867 1891 1880 1863 1882 1850
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1907. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

Populated Places[edit | edit source]

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]

Cities
Unincorporated communities
  • Appleton
  • Blockhouse
  • Glenwood
  • Husum
  • Stindale
  • Towal
  • Wahkiacus
  • Warwick
American Indian Communities
Census-designated places
Ghost towns
  • Alderdale
  • Gilmer
  • McCredie
  • Moonaz

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

History Timeline[edit | edit source]

Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library[7]

Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Paula Becker. Klickitat County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7800.

  • The area was once home to the Klickitat and Wishram tribes, both of which ceded the land to the U.S. government
  • 1852 The earliest non-Indian settlement in Klickitat County was the Erastus S. Joslyn farm near present-day White Salmon.
  • 1850s Many early settlers to the future Klickitat County came east from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
  • 1853-March 2 U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
  • 1859 December 20 The County of Clickitat (after 1869 spelled Klickitat) was formally organized.
  • Early settlers raised Durham and Shorthorn cattle, selling large herds to supply miners in Idaho and British Columbia.
  • 1870 The Klickitat Valley's first fruit orchards were planted.

Resources[edit | edit source]

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

Biographical information is often found in Local Histories and in Genealogies (please see those headings). See also Washington Biography.

Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries of Klickitat County, Washington online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Washington Cemeteries for more information.


Census Records[edit | edit source]

See Washington Census for online censuses, including territorial. For more information, see United States Census.

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 230 —
1870 329 43.0%
1880 4,055 1132.5%
1890 5,167 27.4%
1900 6,407 24.0%
1910 10,180 58.9%
1920 9,268 −9.0%
1930 9,825 6.0%
1940 11,357 15.6%
1950 12,049 6.1%
1960 13,455 11.7%
1970 12,138 −9.8%
1980 15,822 30.4%
1990 16,616 5.0%
2000 19,161 15.3%
2010 20,318 6.0%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".
Federal: 1910
Territorial: 1860, 1870, 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889
State-funded: 1892

Church Records[edit | edit source]

The information church records provide depends upon the church practices and the record keepers. Records may include names, ages, and dates of events such as baptism, marriage, or burial. See Washington Church Records.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Highly variable in personal information, court records can mention relatives, occupations, or pinpoint residences and dates. See Washington Court Records for the various courts used through the years.

Online Court Indexes and Records

The court procedure of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of Washington Territory. The index has many abstracts that provide names and what is happening in disputes, settlements in civil and criminal cases as well as probate, equity and admiralty cases.

Directories[edit | edit source]

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

American Indian
The Yakama Indian Reservation is located primarily in Yakima County, with a small portion in Klickitat County.

Japanese

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

Many local libraries and societies have collections of family genealogies. Local histories or biographies often include brief genealogies of the featured persons. See also Washington Compiled Genealogies.

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by Probate or District courts. See Washington Court Records and Washington Probate Records.

Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

Local histories for Klickitat County may include biographies, history of churches, schools, local government with names of officials, military information, and more. See Washington Local Histories.

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Sherman CountyWasco CountyHood River CountyGilliam CountyMorrow CountyBenton CountyYakima CountySkamania CountyWA KLICKITAT.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration[edit | edit source]

Most residents came to Washington from other states or crossed the border from Canada. (See Seattle Passenger Lists for those who came from other countries.) Although few other migration records exist, try:
• Censuses: (use birthdates and places of children as clues)
• Land Records: (1st deed may reveal previous residence)
• Death-related records of children may give town or county of birth
• Records of relatives and neighbors

Military Records[edit | edit source]

Indian Wars

World War I

World War II

Japanese

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. Note: Until 1922 in the United States, women's citizenship was based on that of their husbands.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Small town newspapers provide historical content and contain obituaries, birth or death notices, legal notices, and community news, such as visits to or from out-of-town relatives. See Washington Newspapers for tips, resources, and details.

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

Obituaries may mention birth, marriage, spouse, parents, living family members, education, occupation, and more. See Washington Obituaries for state level collections and United States Obituaries for tips and insights.

Other Records[edit | edit source]

Public Records

Voting Records

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Probate records identify heirs of the decedents, give the (approximate) death dates, and provide specifics about property holdings. The records were kept by the county judge.

These include wills, inheritance records, dockets, and other documents regarding property and estates of individuals who have died. See also Court Records for civil actions involving estates. Also see Washington Probate Records.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records[edit | edit source]

Online School Indexes and Records

Social Security Records[edit | edit source]

Tax Records[edit | edit source]

Washington tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Washington Taxation.

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

In 1891, coroners, physicians, and midwives were to "return" births and deaths to the county auditor. Many went unrecorded. On July 1, 1907, the State Center for Health Statistics assumed this responsibility.[8]

Birth[edit | edit source]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Death[edit | edit source]

Divorce[edit | edit source]

The county clerk has the divorce records. To order certificates, see Washington State Department of Health.

Research Facilities[edit | edit source]

Archives[edit | edit source]

Listed below are archives in Klickitat County. For state-wide facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries[edit | edit source]

Local public libraries—even smaller ones—often have Unique Genealogical Collections that are not online for the area they serve. Many libraries in Washington have an area dedicated to local history and genealogy. Listed below are libraries in Klickitat County. For state-wide library facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

Resources for Klickitat County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.

Libraries
Ellensburg Public Library
209 North Ruby Street
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Phone: 509-962-7252
Website

Kittitas Public Library
2nd Pierce Sts
Kittitas, WA 98934
Phone: 509-968-0226
Website

Roslyn Public Library
201 S. First St.
Roslyn, WA 98941
Phone: 509-649-3420
Website

Goldendale Community Library
131 West Burgen
Goldendale, WA 98620
Phone: 509-773-4487
Website

White Salmon Valley Community Library
5 Town Country Square
White Salmon, WA 98672
Phone: 509-493-1132
Website

Museums[edit | edit source]

Presby Museum and Klicktat County Historical Society
127 W. Broadway
Goldendale, WA 98620
Phone: 509-773-4303
Email: presbymuseum@gorge.net
Website

Societies[edit | edit source]

Listed below are societies in Klickitat County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Washington Societies.

Klickitat County Historical Society
127 W. Broadway
Goldendale, WA 98620
Phone: 509-773-4303
Website
Facebook

Websites[edit | edit source]

Check back often with websites. Local societies and libraries may know of other websites.

Research Guides[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Kittitas County, Washington," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittitas_County,_Washington. accessed 17/07/2019
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Klickitat County, Washington page 733, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Klickitat County, Washington . Page 732-735 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 733-734.
  4. ↑ The Evolution of Washington Counties by Newton Carl Abbott, Fred E. Carver, 1979. Published by the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society and Klickitat County Genealogical Society.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Klickitat County, Washington," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klickitat_County,_Washington, accessed 13 March 2019.
  7. ↑ John H. Long, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries (Chicago: Newberry Library, 2006) online.
  8. ↑ Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Birth Records, About this Collection & Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Death Records About Death Records
v • d• e
Links to Washington-related articles
Topics
Counties
Extinct Co.
Major
 Repositories
Early Paths

This table contains the dates the local or state government began recording in the county or county equivalent. Use substitute records for earlier dates. If you believe there is an error, email us at wikisupport@familysearch.org.

County boundary maps are currently unavailable. Download information instead.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

“Current” indicates records are available as recently as privacy laws allow. This date can change from year to year. To determine the exact dates available, contact the respective organization/repository.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

Retrieved from "https://integration-ru.familysearch.org/en/wiki/index.php?title=Klickitat_County,_Washington_Genealogy&oldid=6303858"