Wasco County, Oregon Genealogy
(Redirected from Wasco County, Oregon)
Guide to Wasco County, Oregon ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Wasco County was named for a local tribe of Native Americans, the Wasco, a Chinook tribe who lived on the south side of the Columbia River. The county is located in the north-central area of the state. [1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Wasco County Courthouse
511 Washigton Street
The Dalles, Or 97058
Phone: 541-506-2700
Wasco County Website
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Wasco County, Oregon Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1865 | 1854 | 1865 | 1848 | 1854 | 1854 | 1845 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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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:[4]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| American Indian Communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
- 11 January 1854 Wasco county was created from Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Lane, Linn and Marion Counties . Named for the Wasco (or Wascopam), a Chinook tribe on the south side. (Ore. Terr. Special Laws 1853, 5th reg. sess., pp. 26-27), [5]
- 14 January 1857 Gained very small area near the head of Eagle Creek and Bradford's Island from Multnomah [change too small to map]. (Ore. Terr. Laws 1856-1857, 8th reg. sess., pp. 78-79)
- 14 February 1859: Lost to Washington Territory when the United States created the state of Oregon from Oregon Territory. (U.S. Stat., vol. 11, ch. 33[1859], secs. 1-2/pp. 383-384 Ore. Laws 1860, 1st reg. sess., pp. 28-30)
- 22 September 1862 Lost to creation of Baker. (Ore. Laws 1862, 2nd reg. sess., p. 112)
- 27 September 1862 Lost to creation of Umatilla. (Ore. Laws 1862, 2nd reg. sess., p. 91)
- 14 October 1864 Lost to creation of Grant. (Ore. Laws 1864, 3rd reg. sess., p. 43)
- 24 October 1874 Lost to creation of Lake. (Ore. Laws 1874, 8th reg. sess., pp. 38-41)
- 24 October 1882 Lost to creation of Crook. (Ore. Special Laws 1882, 12th reg. sess., p. 178)
- 16 February 1885 Lost to creation of Morrow. (Ore. Special Laws 1885, 13th reg. sess., pp. 239-243)
- 25 February 1885 Lost to creation of Gilliam. Creation left a small strip of Wasco County along the southeastern line of Gilliam which remained until...
- 20 February 1891 Gained by Gilliam County. (Ore. Special Laws 1885, 13th reg. sess., p. 404)
- 25 February 1889 Lost to creation of Sherman. (Ore. Laws 1889, gen., 15th reg. sess., p. 82)
- 19 February 1891 Lost more land to Sherman. (Ore. Laws 1891, gen., 16th reg. sess., pp. 68-69)
- 20 February 1891 Lost to Gilliam. The gain was a small strip that was inadvertently separated from Wasco County when Gilliam County was created on 25 February 1885. (Ore. Laws 1891, gen., 16th reg. sess., p. 76)
- 25 February 1895 Boundary with Multnomah adjusted within Section 22 of Township 2 North, Range 7 East [change too small to map]. (Ore. Laws 1895, 18th reg. sess., p. 88)
- 23 June 1908 Lost to creation of Hood River. (Ore. Laws 1909, gen., 25th reg. sess., ch. 5/pp. 39-43)
- 25 February 1925 Boundaries redefined [no change]. (Ore. Laws 1925, gen., 33rd reg. sess., ch. 108/p. 164)
- 13 September 1967 Redefined to substitute "boundary of the state" for middle of the main channel of the Columbia River.
- 19 June 1967 Approved by the Governor.
- 13 September 1967 Became effective. (no change). (Ore. Laws 1967, 54th reg. sess., ch. 421/pp. 930-931)
- 11 January 1854 Wasco county was created from Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Lane, Linn and Marion Counties . Named for the Wasco (or Wascopam), a Chinook tribe on the south side. (Ore. Terr. Special Laws 1853, 5th reg. sess., pp. 26-27), [5]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 1,689 | — |
| 1870 | 2,509 | 48.5% |
| 1880 | 11,120 | 343.2% |
| 1890 | 9,183 | −17.4% |
| 1900 | 13,199 | 43.7% |
| 1910 | 16,336 | 23.8% |
| 1920 | 13,648 | −16.5% |
| 1930 | 12,646 | −7.3% |
| 1940 | 13,069 | 3.3% |
| 1950 | 15,552 | 19.0% |
| 1960 | 20,205 | 29.9% |
| 1970 | 20,133 | −0.4% |
| 1980 | 21,732 | 7.9% |
| 1990 | 21,683 | −0.2% |
| 2000 | 23,791 | 9.7% |
| 2010 | 25,213 | 6.0% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1854 Clerk Circuit Court has Divorce, Probate and Court Records, from 1854. [6]
- County Records Inventory lists record collections and locations held.
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
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Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1854+ County Clerk has land records from 1854.
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
A wiki article describing an online collection is found at: Oregon, Wasco County Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to and from Wasco County for European and African American settlers included:
- Columbia River
- Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon[7]
- Barlow Road 1846 from The Dalles to Oregon City
Rivers and Waterways
Details about the rivers and waterways where farms and settlements are often found along them. See "Rivers and Waterways"
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Oregon, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
World War I
- 1919-1920 Oregon, World War I, County Military Service Records, 1919-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1921-1938 Oregon, World War I, Veteran State Aid Applications, 1921-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1868-1991 United States, Oregon, Naturalization Records, 1868-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Oregon Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.
- 1800s-Current Oregon, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1833-1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Many early marriages are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.
Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1842-1917 Oregon, Oregon State Archives, Births, 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry ($)
- 1855-1970 Oregon, U.S., County Births and Deaths, 1855-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1860-1952 Oregon Births, 1860-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1876-1940 Oregon, Center for Health Statistics, Birth Records, 1903-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1826-1975 Oregon, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1841-1964 Oregon, Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1849-1884;1991-2006 Oregon Marriage Index, 1849-1884; 1991-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1906-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Marriages, 1906-1968 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
- Marriage Index 1885-1896 Actually is a book of affiants reporting the marriages. Historical Records Collection
- 1854+ County Clerk has marriage records from 1854.
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1855-1970 Oregon, U.S., County Births and Deaths, 1855-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1864-1967 Oregon, Oregon State Archives, Death Records, 1864-1967 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1864-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Deaths, 1864-1968 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1841-1964 Oregon, Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Wasco County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Oregon 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
- The Dalles Oregon FamilySearch Center
- Jefferson County Oregon Library District - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Wasco County. For state-wide library facilities, see Oregon Archives and Libraries.
The Dalles-Wasco County Public Library
722 Court St
The Dalles OR 97058
541-296-2815
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Wasco County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Oregon Societies.
Wasco County Historical Society
300 W 13th St
The Dalles, OR 97058
541-296-1867
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Wasco County GenWeb, part of OR GenWeb
- USGenWeb Archives
- Oregon, Waco County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Wasco, Oregon" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasco_County,_Oregon accessed 29 Nov 2018
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wasco County, Oregon page 574, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wasco County, Oregon . Page 572-574 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), 563-564.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Wasco County, Oregon" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasco_County,_Oregon, accessed 20 January 2019.
- ↑ WorldCat 50140092 ▲ FS Catalog Collection Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.] (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002)
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wasco County, Oregon page 574, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Jim Tompkins, "The Oregon Trail 1841-1848 Map VI" in Oregon Trail Landmarks at http://www.oregonpioneers.com/OTMap6.jpg (accessed 18 July 2011).