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Spokane County, Washington Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Spokane
Organized: January 29, 1858
Parent County(s): Stevens
Neighboring Counties
Benewah (ID) • Bonner (ID) • Kootenai (ID) • Lincoln • Pend Oreille • Stevens • Whitman
See County Maps
Courthouse
Washington, Spokane County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Wa-spokane.png

Glaiser Conservatory, Spokane County, Washington

County Information

Description

The county was named for the Spokane tribe. The county is located in the east-central area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Spokane County Courthouse
1116 W. Broadway
Spokane, WA 99260
Phone: 509-477-5790
Spokane County Website

County Auditor has birth and death records, 1890-1907, marriage records from 1890 and land records
County clerk has divorce, probates, and court records.[2]

The Spokane County Courthouse was completed in 1895, see history of building.

Spokane County, Washington Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1891 1859 1891 1882 1883 1887 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
  • Amber
  • Buckeye
  • Chattaroy
  • Colbert
  • Dartford
  • Denison
  • Dynamite
  • Elk
  • Espanola
  • Greenacres
  • Hazard
  • Marshall
  • Mica
  • Milan
  • Newman Lake
  • Nine Mile Falls
  • Orchard Prairie
  • Peone
  • Plaza
  • Spokane Bridge
  • Tyler
  • Valleyford
Census-designated places
Ghost towns
  • Mock
  • Rodna


History Timeline

  • 1810 British fur trader and explorer David Thompson of the North West Company sent two men, Jaco Finlay and Finan McDonald, to establish a trading house in the territory of the Spokanes.
  • 1840s-1850s The trickle of white settlers into the area became more persistent, ultimately leading to increased conflict with the indigenous population.
  • 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
  • 1858 A group of Spokanes and Coeur d’Alenes surprised U.S. troops under the command of Colonel Edward Steptoe.
  • 1858 In retaliation, the Army dispatched Colonel George Wright, who came north from Fort Walla Walla.
  • 1858 Wright met with tribal representatives under the pretense of seeking peace but instead captured the warrior Qualchan.
  • 1858 Wright’s campaign effectively ended resistance among the Plateau tribes and opened the region to further American settlement and development.
  • 1858 January 29, Spokane County (extinct) was created by legislative act four times. Twice it was not organized by the agents appointed for that purpose.
  • 1859 January 18, An act named new commissioners for the proposed new county all to hold office till the next election. No location for a county seat was specified.
  • 1860 January, The geopolitical entity known as Spokane County came into existence. County seat was temporarily located “on the land claim of Dr. Bates.” in the Colville valley.
  • 1864 January 19, Spokane County (extinct) dissolved, lost all territory to Stevens County.[7]
  • 1870s Spokane became the hub for the mining, timber, and railroad industries of the Inland Northwest.
  • 1881 Spokane County boomed during the 1880s with the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
  • Three bands of Spokane Indians -- Upper, Middle and Lower -- called the Spokane River watershed home at the time of first contact with European and American explorers.

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 Spokane 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.

 

Spokane Cemeteries

Census Records

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

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 996 —
1870 2,000 100.8%
1880 4,262 113.1%
1890 37,487 779.6%
1900 57,542 53.5%
1910 139,404 142.3%
1920 141,289 1.4%
1930 150,477 6.5%
1940 164,652 9.4%
1950 221,561 34.6%
1960 278,333 25.6%
1970 287,487 3.3%
1980 341,835 18.9%
1990 361,364 5.7%
2000 417,939 15.7%
2010 471,221 12.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".
Federal: 1910
Territorial: 1885, 1887

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.

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

  • Dishman
  • Spokane
  • Spokane Central
  • Spokane N.

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.

Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images) Includes Order appointing guardian 1911 Dec-1927; Record of bonds 1880 Apr-1892; Record of bonds and oaths 1890-1895.

Land and Property Records

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

Local histories for Spokane 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

Whitman CountyLincoln CountyStevens CountyPend Oreille CountyBonner CountyKootenai CountyBenewah CountyWA SPOKANE.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.

Also check:

Obituaries from the Spokesman Review newspaper have been indexed by the Spokane Public Library. Search by name. Results include name/date/newspaper/page number needed to obtain the obituary. Contact the library at telref@spokanelibrary.org for an image of the actual obituary. The obituaries are complete from January 1, 2008, with additional obituaries added from requests. To find date of death search the Washington State Archives.

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

  • 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
  • 1856-2009 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. Images; Includes Certificate of will 1912-1928 Probate bonds 1933-1951; Probate records 1911-1951Real property rolls 1893-1897; and Record of probate claims 1917-1920.
  • Courthouse has probate files from 1880 to present.

  • Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

School Records

Online School Indexes and 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.

Online Tax Indexes and Records

Includes Personal property assessment rolls 1893; Personal tax rolls 1892 and Tax rolls 1888.

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.[8]

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

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

Liberty Lake Municipal Library
23123 East Mission Avenue
Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Phone: 509-232-2510
Website

Spokane Public Library (Downtown Branch)
906 W Main Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: 509-444-5300
Website
Genealogy area
Ned M. Barnes Northwest Room

Museums

Spokane Valley Heritage Museum
12114 E Sprague Ave
Spokane Valley, WA 99206
Phone: 509-922-4570
Website
Facebook

Societies

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

Eastern Washington Genealogical Society
PO Box 1826
Spokane, WA 99210-1826
Website
Facebook

Websites

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

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Spokane County, Washington," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spokane_County,_Washington. accessed 18/07/2019
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Skamania County, Washington page 734, 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), Spokane 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, "Spokane County, Washington," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spokane_County,_Washington, accessed 26 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Durham, Nelson W. Spokane and the Inland Empire. Published 1912, p 265.
  8. ↑ Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Birth Records, About this Collection & Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Death Records About Death Records
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