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Lewis County, Washington Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Chehalis
Organized: December 21, 1845
Parent County(s): Clark
Neighboring Counties
Cowlitz • Grays Harbor • Pacific • Pierce • Skamania • Thurston • Wahkiakum • Yakima
See County Maps
Courthouse
Washington, Lewis County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Wa-lewis.png

Lower Falls Lewis River, Lewis County, Washington

County Information

Description

The county was named for Meriwether Lewis. The county is located in the southwest area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Lewis County Courthouse
345 West Main Street
Chehalis, WA 98532
Phone 360-740-1333
Courthouse Website

Records from 1848 to the present County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907 and marriage records from 1850.
County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1870’s. [2]

Lewis County, Washington Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1891 1847 1891 1847 1855 1855 1850
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1907. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss

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

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

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
Towns
Unincorporated communities
  • Adna
  • Alpha
  • Boistfort
  • Bunker
  • Ceres
  • Cinebar
  • Cora
  • Curtis
  • Doty
  • Dryad
  • Ethel
  • Evaline
  • Forest
  • Galvin
  • Glenoma
  • Harmony
  • Klaber
  • Kosmos
  • Lacamas
  • Littell
  • Marys Corner
  • Mayfield
  • McCormick
  • Meskill
  • Nesika
  • Newaukum
  • Randle
  • Riffe
  • Saint Urban
  • Salkum
  • Silver Creek
  • Swofford
  • Wildwood
American Indian Communities
Census-designated places
Ghost towns
  • Lindberg
  • Mendota
  • Walville

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

History Timeline

  • Native Americans calling themselves Chehalis and Meshall lived along the banks of the Chehalis River.
  • 1818-1846 The United States and Great Britain jointly occupied Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
  • 1838 The Hudson's Bay Company established the Puget Sound Agricultural Company.
  • 1838 Late, Cowlitz Farms, a part of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, represented the first white settlement in the future Lewis County.
  • 1845 December 21, The Oregon Territorial Legislature delineated Lewis County.
  • 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
  • 1855 February, Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens convinced coastal tribes to sign the Quinault Treaty with the U.S. government.

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

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

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Lewis 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

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

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1850 558 —
1860 384 −31.2%
1870 888 131.3%
1880 2,600 192.8%
1890 11,499 342.3%
1900 15,157 31.8%
1910 32,127 112.0%
1920 36,840 14.7%
1930 40,034 8.7%
1940 41,393 3.4%
1950 43,755 5.7%
1960 41,858 −4.3%
1970 45,467 8.6%
1980 56,025 23.2%
1990 59,358 5.9%
2000 68,600 15.6%
2010 75,455 10.0%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".
Federal: 1910
Territorial: 1847, 1850,1851,1857, 1871, 1883, 1887, 1889.
State-funded: 1892

Church Records

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.

Assembly of God

  • They do not have records, nor do they send records to a central repository.

Catholic Church

  • Old records had been sent to the Archdiocese in Seattle.
  • Local churches have only current records but that because the persons are still living, all local records are private and not for the public.
  • Anyone researching would have to contact the archdiocese. There is a fee.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

  • Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Chehalis

Lutheran

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

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

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

American Indians

Japanese

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

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

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

Online Land Indexes and Records

NOTE These are labeled as direct (grantor/seller) and indirect (grantee/buyer) indexes, yet several include copies of the deed books. After selecting the years you need, explore various images to determine if the deeds are included.

Local Histories

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

Online County Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Wahkiakum CountyCowlitz CountySkamania CountyYakima CountyPierce CountyThurston CountyGrays Harbor CountyPacific CountyWA LEWIS.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

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

Indian Wars

World War I

World War II

Japanese

Naturalization and Citizenship

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

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

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

Public Records

Voting Records

Periodicals

Probate Records

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

Online School Indexes and Records

The school census from 1907 and older has just an age for each student as well as their parents or guardians. Starting in 1908, the actual birthdate for each student is listed.
The districts are listed by a number that was assigned to them by ESD 113 (The governing body for Lewis County and surrounding counties). If you don't know what school district the parents were in, it can be hard to decide where you need to look.
Schools:
  • 1918-1992 Adna
  • 1911-1928 Twin Oaks
  • 1920-1933 Brier Hill
  • 2883-1983 Evaline (2books)
  • 1860-1939 Knob
  • 1925-1975 Centralia College
  • 1936, 1950, and 1853-1932 Greenhill - The Lewis County History Museum has a binder titled: GREENHILL SCHOOL – “The new leaf 1936 State training school,” “The new leaf 1950,” and a leaflet of the "History of Washington state Human resources of 1853-1932.” The two New Leaf pamphlets were written by boys at the school.
  • Name of the schoolhouse (Schools in Washington state)
  • Lewis County School Review
  • 1935 Early Schools of the Washington Territory
  • 1908-2010 School annuals starting from 1908-2010

Social Security Records

Tax Records

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

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.[7]

Birth

Marriage

Death

Divorce

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

Research Facilities

Archives

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

FamilySearch Centers

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

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 Lewis County. For state-wide library facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

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

  • Timberland Regional Library - Lewis County
Website
Reference Database Results
  • Centralia Timberland Library
  • A selection of Veterans' History Project DVDs on local veterans (contact library for details)
  • Polk Directories for Pacific and Lewis Counties, and Centralia and Chehalis from 1912 to present
  • A selection of individual family histories and histories about the Wobbly War (contact library for details)
  • A selection of individual family histories and histories about the founding of Centralia (contact library for details)
  • The Chronicle (county-wide newspaper) from 1887 to 2010 on microfilm.
  • Chehalis Timberland Library
  • Maintains an uncatalogued collection of local historical and family photos which they will hand search upon request without charge.
  • Salkum Timberland Library
  • Maintains local history maps as well as Lewis County and local historical reference materials.
  • Morton Timberland Library
  • Maintains local history resources.
  • Packwood Timberland Library
  • Maintains a link through the Timberland Library website for doing your family genealogy in the Packwood area.
  • Toledo Timberland Library
  • Maintains a room at the library dedicated to the history of Toledo and some Lewis County history.
  • Winlock Timberland Library
  • Maintains some reference materials on Winlock and Lewis County.

Museums

  • Lewis County Historical Museum
Churches available at the historical museum
  • 1883-1983 First Baptist Church
  • 1910-1986 History of St. Mary's Church - Centralia
  • 1910 - 2011 History of St. Mary's Church-Centralia
  • 1940 History of Westminster Presbyterian
  • Pe Ell Methodist
  • Sy. Mary's Parish celebrating 10 years
  • Local Church Ministries
  • Sacred Heart church- Morton
  • Lewis County Catholic church History
  • Historical Directory-St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, St. Mary's
  • Methodist Westminster Presbyterian Church
  • Early Churches of Washington
  • Adna Evangelical Church

Societies

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

Lewis County Genealogical Society
PO Box 782
Chehalis, WA 98532

Websites

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

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Lewis County, Washington," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_County,_Washington. accessed 18/07/2019
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Lewis 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), Lewis 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, "Lewis County, Washington," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_County,_Washington, accessed 13 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Birth Records, About this Collection & Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Death Records About Death Records
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