Whitman County, Washington Genealogy: Difference between revisions

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*[http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections/TitleInfo/238 Whitman Frontier Justice.] Part of "''Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889'' at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)
**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  ====
==== Directories  ====

Revision as of 14:27, 23 January 2014

United States Gotoarrow.png Washington Gotoarrow.png Whitman County [[Image:Template:WAWhitmanPalouse]]

Guide to Whitman County, Washington Genealogy genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1871, when the county was formed.

County QuickStart:



Template:DCWAmapbuttonR

Whitman County, Washington
Map
Map of Washington highlighting Whitman County
Location in the state of Washington
Map of the U.S. highlighting Washington
Location of Washington in the U.S.
Facts
Founded November 29, 1871
County Seat Colfax
Courthouse
Address Whitman County Courthouse
N 404 Main Street Box 390;
Colfax, WA 99111-2031
Phone: 509.397.6240
Whitman County Website


County Overview[edit | edit source]

Tip
 Before the newly-formed county was fully operational, search records of the parent county(s).

Parent County(s)[edit | edit source]

Whitman County, Washington was created 29 November 1871 from Stevens County.[1]

County Seat: Colfax [2]. See also Towns and Communities in Whitman County, Washington Genealogy. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]

Whitman County, Washington Genealogy is surrounded by: Adams | Asotin | Columbia | Garfield | Franklin | Lincoln | Spokane | Walla Walla | Idaho counties: Benewah | Latah | Nez Perce

Template:WAWhitman County Clickable Neighbors

Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Whitman County Courthouse
N 404 Main Street Box 390
Colfax, WA 99111-2031
Phone: 509–397–6240

County Clerk has marriage records 1872-1891, probate records from 1870, divorce and court records from 1864, and naturalization records 1862-1942.
County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907 and land records.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in Whitman County, Washington Genealogy.

Dates of Major County Records[edit | edit source]

Beginning dates for major county records[4]
Birth
Marriage
Death
Land
Probate
Court
1873*
1872*
1891*
1874
1878
1871
* For earlier dates, try... Church | Obituaries | Cemeteries
Record Loss[edit | edit source]

Topics for Whitman County, Washington Genealogy[edit | edit source]

The topics or headings on this page describe records that are used for genealogy and family history. They include links to web sites with indexes, images, or information about the county.

Tip
 Don't overlook Whitman County, Washington Genealogy items in the FamilySearch Library Catalog. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see Archives and Libraries.

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Biography[edit | edit source]

Biographical information is often found in state and local histories or genealogies. See also Washington Biography.

Business and Commerce[edit | edit source]

  • 1885-1979 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Albion Cemetery
Bethel Cemetery
Coleman Cemetery
Colfax Cemetery
Colton Cemetery
Colyar Cemetery
Dusty Cemetery
Eaton Cemetery (Rock Lake Cemetery)
Eden Valley Cemetery
Elberton Cemetery
Ewartsville Cemetery (Lone Pine Cemetery)
Farr Cemetery
Garfield Cemetery
Goldenrod Cemetery, Tekoa
Greenwood Cemetery
Gresham Cemetery
Hatley Cemetery
Hay Cemetery
Holy Rosary Cemetery
Johnson Cemetery
Lone Pine Cemetery
McConnell Cemetery
Mountain View Cemetery (Endicott)
Mountain View Cemetery (Farmington)
Myers Family Cemetery
Oakesdale Cemetery
Old German Methodist Cemetery
Onecho Cemetery
Pine City Cemetery
Pullman I.O.O.F. Cemetery
Riggs Cemetery
Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery
Saint Boniface Cemetery
Saint John Cemetery
Selbu Cemetery
Sheahan Cemetery (Old Thornton)
Silver Creek Cemetery
Thornton Cemetery
Uniontown Community Cemetery
Whelan Cemetery
Winona Cemetery
Zion Lutheran Cemetery

Whitman County, Washington Genealogy cemeteries from state and national resources
Online County-wide Name Searches
Published Grave
Transcripts
Lists of Cemeteries
(Several will also link to names)
FindAGrave (Add a name to the search) FamilySearch Library Click Cemeteries. Press space bar to select town FindAGrave
WA State Archives - Digital Collections Click any cemetery for search window, select county, enter name(s). WorldCat Interment.net
Billion Graves Switch to "Person Lookup" Washington Periodicals Washington State Digital Archives Put county name in Search box
Linkpendium
Billion Graves
USGenWeb Tombstone Project
Genealogy Trails
See Washington Cemeteries for details about these and other sites.

Census[edit | edit source]

Template:WA Census

FYI
 For censuses prior to 1872, look under Stevens County.

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.

  • Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for Whitman County, Washington Genealogy are listed in the FamilySearch catalog. (Press space bar to select town.)

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can clarify family relationships, places of residence, occupations, and family history. See Washington Court Records for courts used through the years.

ArrowGreen.svg.png

For specialized court records, see Divorce · Guardianship · Land · Naturalization · Probate

  • Whitman Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)
    • 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]

Election Records[edit | edit source]

  • 1892-1938 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

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

American Indian[edit | edit source]
Japanese[edit | edit source]

World War II Files, 1942-1946

Public Welfare/Social Security Department, (Japanese Internment) Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 from the Washington State Archives – Digital Archives

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Template:WA Gazetters Intro

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

Many local libraries and societies have collections of family genealogies. County histories or biographies often include brief genealogies of the featured persons.

A FamilySearch Community Tree is available for this place.

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

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

History[edit | edit source]

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

Washington State University is located in Pullman.

History Timeline[edit | edit source]

Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library[5]

Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Wilma, David. Whitman County -- Thumbnail History,History Link.org Essay 7327.

  • Whitman County, was home to bands of Palouse and other Sahaptin-speaking people, including the Nez Perce tribe.
  • 1805 - October 11-13, Lewis and Clark canoed on the Snake River along the southern boundary of Whitman County.
  • 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
  • 1859 - June, The first recorded Euro-American exploration along Union Flat Creek, the birthplace of settlement for Whitman County, by Lieutenant John Mullan of the United States Army.
  • 1871 - November 29, The county was formed from Stevens County.
  • 2002 - The county has a primarily agricultural history, with an emphasis on wheat (today it ranks first in wheat production among Washington counties and second among counties in the nation).

Land and Property[edit | edit source]

Maps[edit | edit source]

Wawhitman.jpg
This map highlights the county within the state of Washington. The map soon will have inter-active links.

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[edit | edit source]

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.

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.

Finding More Washington Newspapers

Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Whitman County, Washington Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:

  • WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
  • Do a search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog. To select a county in Washington, add a comma, slide way down to the county list, then click Search. (Almost every state seems to have a Washington County)

Walla Walla Statesman newspaper, online at the Washington State Library, may have articles covering early Whitman County.

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.

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.

  • Probate Records 1876-1967 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
    • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
    • Includes Probate bonds 1877-1951; journal 1897-1967; minute book 1885-1954; Real estate index 1877-1882; Wills 1892-1937; Wills and bonds 1876-1878.

Public Records[edit | edit source]

Public records are documents created by civil authorities that either don't fit comfortably in another topic, or that could fit in several topics.

  • Public Records 1876-1938 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
    • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
    • Includes Certificates of election and oath of office 1876-1930; Record of general elections 1892-1938; Record of primary elections 1892-1924.

Repositories[edit | edit source]

School Records[edit | edit source]

  • School Records1881-1932 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
    • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
    • Includes School census records 1894-1932; School vouchers and orders paid 1881-1889

Taxation[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]

The county auditors in Washington kept records of birth, marriage, and death. The county clerk has the divorce records - the earliest dates to the present.

Visit the Washington State Department of Health website to order a Washington Birth, Death, Marriage or Divorce Certificate. See Washington Vital Records for details and history of the records. .

Birth[edit | edit source]
  • 1891-1907 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)
  • Birth Records, 1873-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)
  • Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Whitman County Birth Records. This database contains the names and birth records of people who were born in Whitman County from 1890 to 1907.
  • Births from Whitman County Jan. 1875 to Aug 1907.[6]

Template:WA Birth Tips

Marriage[edit | edit source]
  • Marriage Records 1877-2001 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
    • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
    • Includes Marriage affidavits 1917-1939;; certificates 1872-1925; record index 1873-1947 register 1891-1943.
FYI
 Witnesses or affiants may be relatives or close family friends. The affidavits also include physician's certificates.
Divorce[edit | edit source]

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

Death[edit | edit source]

Voting Registers[edit | edit source]

Websites[edit | edit source]

Check back often with websites. Local societies and libraries may know of other websites. Sites with online indexes or images of records:

  • WAGenWeb Whitman County
  • USGenWeb
  • Current Collections at Washington State Digital Archives (Free) Type county name, click Search, then select a collection. Collections were posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page in November, 2013.
  • Historical Collections at FamilySearch.org. (Free) Click "Last Updated." Collections through October 2013 have been posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page.
  • Web Sites at RootsWeb -Whitman WA (Free)

Sites that search the Internet for Whitman County, Washington Genealogy records online:

Major catalogs to offline genealogical records:
Catalogs refer to books, microfilm, manuscripts, and/or Internet images and indexes for various topics.

Archives, Libraries, etc.[edit | edit source]

Listed below are archives in {{{1}}} County. For state-wide facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

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

Family History 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.

FYI
 A library's Unique Collections may include card indexes of local records, newspapers, scrapbooks, genealogy papers, files of a genealogical or historical society, and other unpublished manuscripts.


  • Pullman (Niell Public Library)
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]

Listed below are societies in {{{1}}} County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Washington Societies.

Towns and Communities[edit | edit source]

See a list of towns and communities in Whitman County per Wikipedia.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
  3. ↑ John H. Long, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries (Chicago: Newberry Library, 2006) online.
  4. ↑ Alice Eichholz, Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 2004), 733-734. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004.
  5. ↑ John H. Long, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries (Chicago: Newberry Library, 2006) online.
  6. ↑ Lemper, Margaret, Births from Whitman County, Washington, Lewiston, Idaho, Ilo Register, 1979
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