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Okanogan County, Washington Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Okanogan
Organized: February 2, 1888
Parent County(s): Stevens
Neighboring Counties
British Columbia (Canada) • Chelan • Douglas • Ferry • Grant • Lincoln • Skagit • Whatcom
See County Maps
Courthouse
Washington, Okanogan County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Wa-okanogan.png

Crawfish Lake, Okanogan National Forest, Okanogan County, Washington

County Information

Description

The county was named for the Okanagan language place name ukʷnaqín. The name Okanogan (Okanagan) also refers to a part of southern British Columbia. The county is located in the north-central area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Okanogan County Courthouse
149 3rd N
Okanogan, WA 98840
Phone: 509-422-7170
County Website

County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1908, marriage and land records from 1891, and patents from 1892.
County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1896.[2]

Okanogan County, Washington Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1891 1891 1891 1896 1891 1896 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
American Indian Communities
Census-designated places
Ghost towns

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

Indian Reservation

The Colville Indian Reservation is located in southern Ferry and southern Okanogan Counties

History Timeline

  • Prior to 1805 - For at least several hundred years prior to contact with Europeans, the indigenous peoples of the Okanogan consisted of three major bands of a group called the Northern Okanogans or Sinkaiek, the Tokoratums, the Kartars, and the Konkonelps.
  • 1782-1783 A smallpox epidemic may have cost the lives of a third to a half of the people in the Okanogan.
  • 1805 William Clark of the (Lewis and Clark expedition) Corps of Discovery was the first to map the Okanogan River.
  • 1811 July, David Thompson was the first European to visit the Okanogan River.
  • 1811 David Stuart and Alexander Ross built a log cabin at the mouth of the Okanogan River and called it Fort Okanogan.
  • 1814 Fort Okanogan was taken over by the North West Company.
  • 1821 Fort Okanogan was sold to the Hudson Bay Company.
  • 1853-March 2 U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
  • 1855-May Territorial Governor Issac Stevens signed the Walla Walla Treaty.
  • 1858 Gold strikes in New Caledonia in British Columbia attracted prospectors from California to the aea.
  • 1859 The Army established Fort Colville at Mill Creek in the Colville Valley.
  • 1858-1861 Surveyors from the Royal Engineers and the U.S. Army established a boundary between Canada and the U.S.A.
  • 1871 Congress authorized the president to establish reservations by executive order.
  • 1872 Pres. Ulysses Grant created the Colville Indian Reservation.
  • 1886 Colville Indian Reservation was reduced in size to its current size making possible non Indian settlement.
  • 1888-Feb 2 Okanogan County came into being.
  • 1888 Ruby was the first county seat of Okanogan County.
  • 1888 The county seat was moved to Conconully.
  • 1893 Repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act/ ended the mining boom in Okanogan County.
  • 1890-1900 The population nearly tripled
  • 1900-1910 The population nearly tripled again.
  • 1906 The first rail service came into Okanogan County.
  • 1914 Okanogan became the county seat of Okanogan County.
  • 1934-1942 A big spurt to the economy of the county and the state of Washington was the construction of Grand Coulee Dam.

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 Okanogan 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. %±
1890 1,467 —
1900 4,689 219.6%
1910 12,887 174.8%
1920 17,094 32.6%
1930 18,519 8.3%
1940 24,546 32.5%
1950 29,131 18.7%
1960 25,520 −12.4%
1970 25,867 1.4%
1980 30,639 18.4%
1990 33,350 8.8%
2000 39,564 18.6%
2010 41,120 3.9%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".
Federal 1910

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.

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 Indian
The Colville Indian Reservation is located in southern Ferry and southern Okanogan Counties.

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

The County Recorder's Office has deeds, mining claims, copies of county plat maps and records dating back to 1878, prior records having been destroyed in a fire.

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

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

This book has numerous errors and its facts should viewed with circumspection.

Maps and Gazetteers

Whatcom CountySkagit CountyChelan CountyGrant CountyDouglas CountyLincoln CountyFerry CountyBritish ColumbiaWA OKANOGAN.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

  • World War II enlistments. Select search codes for state and county. These are partial lists. The NARA website cautions: "This series does not contain records of all World War II Army enlistees."

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

Includes Probate petitions 1888-1894; Special Naturalization 1944-1953.

School Records

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

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

The public libraries in Okanogan County are part of North Central Regional Library. Their Research and Homework Center includes Heritage Quest. Library cards and passwords may be required for access.

Brewster Community Library
108 S Third Brewster
Brewster, WA 98812
Phone: 509-689-4046
Website

Okanogan Library
228 Pine
Okanogan, WA 98840
Phone: 509-422-2609
Website

Omak Community Library
30 S Ash
Omak, WA 98841
Phone: 509-826-1820
Website

Oroville Community Library
1276 Main St
Oroville, WA 98844
Phone: 509-476-2662
Website

Pateros Community Library
174 Pateros Mall
Pateros, WA 98846
Phone: 509-923-2298
Website

Tonasket Community Library
209 S Whitcomb
Tonasket, WA 98855
Phone: 509-486-2366
Website

Twisp Community Library
201 N Methow Valley Hwy
Twisp, WA 98856
Phone: 509-997-4681
Website

Winthrop Community Library
509 State, Rt 20
Winthrop, WA 98862
Phone: 509-996-2685
Website

Museums

Societies

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

Okanogan County Historical Society
1410 2nd Avenue North
Okanogan, WA 98840-1129
509-422-4272
Website
Facebook

Websites

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

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Okanagan County, Washington," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okanogan_County,_Washington. accessed 18/07/2019
  2. ↑ 'Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Okanogan 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), Okanogan 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, "Okanogan County, Washington," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okanogan_County,_Washington, accessed 20 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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