Stevens County, Washington Genealogy

United States

Washington

Stevens County

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

Washington Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Colville Organized: January 20, 1863 Parent County(s): Walla Walla Neighboring Counties British Columbia (Canada) • Ferry • Lincoln • Pend Oreille • Spokane See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Long Lake Dam, Stevens County, Washington State

County Information

Description

Stevens County was named for Isaac Stevens, the first governor of Washington Territory. The county is located in the northeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse

Stevens County Courthouse
215 S. Oak St
Colville, WA 99114
Phone: 509-684-7527
Stevens County Website

County auditor has birth and death records, 1891-1907, marriage records from 1861 and land records from 1883.
County clerk has probate, divorce and court records from 1889.

Stevens County, Washington Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
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

County Seat: Colville Parent County: On 29 January 1860, Stevens County originally called Spokane County (listed by the Newberry Library as Spokane Original) and formed from Walla Walla County. 1863 On 20 January 1863, portion of Stevens County was also created from Walla Walla County but did not organize. 1864 On 19 January 1864, the original Spokane County and Stevens County were merged keeping the Original Spokane commissioners, Pinkney City courthouse, and the Stevens County name Interactive Map of Washington County Formation History (1790-1897) - animated maps illustrating Washington county boundary changes Stevens County, Washington Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library

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:

Cities
Chewelah	Colville	Kettle Falls
Towns
Marcus	Northport	Springdale
Unincorporated communities
Arden Bluecreek Cedonia Daisy Echo Evans Ford Fruitland	Gifford Grays Hunters Marble Maud Nine Mile Falls Onion Creek	Orin Rice Suncrest Tumtum Velvet Ward Wellpinit
Census-designated places
Addy Clayton	Loon Lake	Valley
Ghost towns
Bossburg Cedarville	Godfrey Pinkney City	Ryan

History Timeline

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. Stevens County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7995.

• 1811 David Thompson, Northwest Company visited the area bringing in seed to the Marcus area.
• 1814 Ross Cox visits the area and local tribes
• 1818 With the signing of the Treaty of 1818, British and American jointly claimed the area which includes Stevens County.
• 1825 Hudson's Bay Company began construction of Fort Colvile.
• 1828 Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Colville existed from 1828 to 1856. A map of the Hudson Bay Company land claims for Fort Colvile and their trappers is available at the Stevens County Historical Society.
• 1838 Missionaries Walker and Eells established Tshimakain Mission near present day Ford.
• 1845 Catholic missionaries established a mission near Chewelah.
• 1846 Aug 5 Oregon Treaty ended border dispute between US and Great Britain creating a border between the two countries along the 49th parallel.
• 1848 Aug 14 The U.S. portion was organized as the Oregon Territory
• 1853 Feb 8 The Washington Territory was formed February 8, 1853.
• 1854 Apr 25 Walla Walla County was created 25 April 1854 from Clark County and Skamania County. The area included current Stevens County.
• 1856 Prior to 1856, the Hudson's Bay Company controlled most of the land in what is now Stevens County. Their records are available through The Manitoba Archives and The National Archives (UK). Map showing HBC Fort Colvile holdings at Crossroads on the Columbia.
• 1858 Jan 29 Spokane County (including current area of Stevens County) was created from Walla Walla County.
• 1858 A gold strike in British Columbia brought miners through the area, which triggered unrest with the local Indians and started the Indian War of 1858.
• 1859 Harney's Depot, US Army Fort Colville established along with Pinkney City and the first post office; Fort Walla Walla Fort Colville Military (Wagon) Road built by Brevet Major Pinkney Lugenbeel and U.S. Army soldiers.
• 1859 U. S. Northwest Boundary Commission moved to Pinkney City and the British Boundary Commission moved to Marcus for their respective portions of the boundary survey from Port Roberts to the summit of the Rocky Mountains.
• 1860 Spokane County seat was located near Pinkney City.
• 1863 Jan 20 Stevens County was created. It covered current Okanogan and Ferry Counties and the portion of current Stevens County between the Kettle River and Columbia River.
• 1864 Jan 19 Spokane County was disorganized and placed under Stevens County. County went from summit of Cascade Mountains to the Wenachee River, to the Columbia River, along the Snake River, to the Idaho Territory, then up to the 49th parallel.
• 1871 Hudson's Bay Company Fort Colvile ended its occupation
• 1879 Spokane County broken off from Stevens County
• 1881 1st Lt Thomas Symons examinated the Columbia River and reported on its navigability.
• 1882 US Fort Colville disbanded.
• 1889 Nov 11 Washington State was formed November 11, 1889.
• 1892-1893 The railroad was completed in 1892-93.
• 1899 Feb 21 Ferry County was created from Stevens County.
• 1909-1910 Colville River dredged opening up agriculture in the area
• 1911 Mar 1 Pend Oreille County was created bringing us to what is Stevens County today.

Resources

Biographies

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

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

• 1898-1936 Manuscript Group 234 Northport Smelting and Refining Company (1898-1936) at The University of Idaho

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Stevens County, Washington online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find a Grave WA Tombstone Transcription Project BillionGraves USGenWeb Archives WAGenWeb
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find a Grave FamilySearch Places
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.	%±
1860	996	—
1870	734	−26.3%
1880	1,245	69.6%
1890	4,341	248.7%
1900	10,543	142.9%
1910	25,297	139.9%
1920	21,605	−14.6%
1930	18,550	−14.1%
1940	19,275	3.9%
1950	18,580	−3.6%
1960	17,884	−3.7%
1970	17,405	−2.7%
1980	28,979	66.5%
1990	30,948	6.8%
2000	40,066	29.5%
2010	43,531	8.6%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

• 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
• 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)
• 1885-1892 FS Library film 7418560; images (scroll to Film/Digital Notes section and click on camera icon to open images for only Stevens County).
• Census indexes at Washington State Archives

Federal: 1870, 1910

Territorial: 1878, 1885, 1887, 1889

State-funded: 1892

Special: 1966

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

• Colville 260 E. Juniper, Colville, WA 99114.

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

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

• Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; Includes Appearance docket 1896-1962; District and Superior Court records 1889-1892; District Court records 1882-1889; Miscellaneous court records 1977-1983.
  

County Commissioner's Minutes

• Stevens County Board of Commissioners, Meetings, 1860-1913, 2005-2009 - Full minutes with an extraction of the records to 1905 in the "Finding Aids" section; originals located at Stevens County Commissioner's Office, 230 East Birch St, Colville; Phone 509-684-3751.

Inventories of Court Records

• Inventory of the county archives of Washington, no. 33. Stevens County (Colville) at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• Stevens Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Archives; 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.

• Stevens County Clerk
  215 S Oak
  Colville, WA 99114
  Phone: 509-684-7575
  

Holds records for divorce, naturalization, and court cases from 1889. NeWGS volunteers may access the probate microfilms and make copies of these records upon request.

• Stevens County Auditor
  215 S Oak St, Room 106
  Colville, WA 99114
  Phone: 866-513-2741
  

Holds records including military discharges (restricted to family only). The Office can provide copies of marriage licenses, although the actual records were transferred to the State Archives at Cheney.

Directories

• 1867 Pacific Coast Directory, 1867 is available at Ancestry.com ($).
• 1909-1910 R.L. Polk's Directory of Stevens County, Washington, 1909-1910, at SCHS.
• 1911-1912 R.L. Polk's Directory of Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry Counties 1911-1912 at Crossroads on the Columbia
• 1916-1917 R.L. Polk's Directory of Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry Counties 1916-17, at SCHS.
• 1929-1930 Telephone Directories for Stevens, Ferry and Pend Oreille Counties for 1929 and 1930
• Other telephone directories available at Crossroads on the Columbia

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

American Indians
Many Indian tribes came to the area to fish at Kettle Falls. Colville Indians oversaw the salmon catch at Kettle Falls. The Spokane Indians and Spokane Indian Reservation is located in southwestern Stevens County. A small group of the Kalispel Indians lived at Indian Ridge south of Chewelah.

• 1815-1917 Washington State University's Guide to the William Parkhurst Winans Papers 1815-1917 includes an unpublished 1870 census of the Indian tribes in northeastern Washington (Territory), including the Okanagans, Calispels (or Pend’ Oreilles), San Poils and Nespelems, Senijexsees or Lakes, Wenatchees and Isle d'Pierres, Mishouies, Spokanes, and the Swielpees (or Colvilles) which includes detailed verbatim reports on speeches given by chiefs in tribal councils, descriptions of the social and economic situation of the region’s tribes, and notes on how the Indians viewed white people and white society.
• 1887-1902 Indian Census: Colville Reservation, Couer d'Alene Tribe, 1887-1902 at Washington State Archives
• 1887-1941 Indian Census: Colville Reservation, Columbia Tribe, 1887-1914 at Washington State Archives
• 1890-1907, 1911-1914 Census: Colville Reservation, Colville Tribe, 1890-1907, 1911-1914 at Washington State Archives
• 1890-1914 Indian Census: Colville Reservation, Lake Tribe, 1890-1914 at Washington State Archives
• 1911-1919 Washington, Applications for Enrollment and Adoption of Washington Indians, 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Japanese

• 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Funeral Homes

• Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory. NeWGS and SCHS have extractions of these funeral home records.

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.

Genealogy Research Aids

• Basic Guide for Genealogy Research in Stevens, Ferry and Pend Oreille Counties by Nancy Wright, Susan DeChant, and Shirley Dodson of NeWGS.

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

For additional resources, see Wiki article Washington Land and Property.

Online Land Indexes and Records

• 1918-1984 Washington, Stevens County, Chattel Mortgage Index, 1918-1984 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
• Stevens County Map Search
• Stevens County Property Search
• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Land Records
Stevens County Assessor's Office
215 S Oak St, Room 101
Colville, WA 99114
Phone: 509-684-6161

Property assessment records. The Stevens County Historical Society has digital copies of the old assessor worksheets covering the 1960s, 1970s, and some 1980s, including some of the maps held in these records. Assessment worksheets show who owned the building, but there is no tracking of ownership over time. The maps show some property ownership for select townships/ranges in the northernmost portions of the county.

Stevens County Auditor's Office
215 S Oak St, Room 106
Colville, WA 99114
Phone: 866-513-2741

Homesteads, land records from 1862 to present. Earliest land records were recorded under the Preemption Act of 1841. Land deed records have been digitized, but are not available online. Auditor's office can provide digital images upon request. SCHS has digital copies of deeds up to 1985. The Stevens County Auditor also holds deeds and recordings for Stevens County's "daughter" counties; for example, 50 years of the history of current neighbor Pend Oreille County are in Stevens County records. All Pend Oreille County cities were incorporated while part of Stevens County. Those records were digitized by the county, and Stevens County Historical Society (SCHS) has digital copies of those deeds.

Missing Land Records

• Volume D of the deed books is missing; check the grantor or grantee index to obtain the abbreviated land description, and grantor and grantee names.

Homestead and Patents

• Patent and Homestead Search at Bureau of Land Management General Land Office.
• Land Status & Cadastral Survey Records - Willamette Meridian - for Oregon and Washington States
• Description of the Rectangular Survey System - Township/Range:

• BLM Rectangular Survey System
• Rectangular Survey System Wiki page
• Wikipedia

• BLM Spokane Office (Fancher Road) - Have NARA microfilms of the railroad land transactions for their assigned area that includes Stevens County
• Earthpoint - Convert latitude and longitude of the desired location to township/range
• Stevens County includes: the northwest corner of the county is in township 40N Range 36E; the northeast corner is township 40N range 42E; the southwest corner is township 28N range 35E; and the southeast corner is in township 27N range 42E.

Local Histories

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

• Illustrated History of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan Counties, State of Washington. [Spokane, Washington?] : Western Historical Publishing Company, 1904. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
• History Of The City of Spokane and Spokane County, Washington. 3 volumes. By Nelson Wayne Durham. Tucson, Arizona : W.C. Cox & Co., 1974. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library. First 13 chapters include the Stevens County area.
• WorldCat.org - list of Stevens County history books and availability in libraries.

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Department of Geography University of Alabama Map Library - An extensive collection of Oregon Territory, Washington Territory, and Washington State maps
• 1883 1883 Map of the Colville agricultural area from the Washington State Library
• 1941 Historic USGS topographical maps. The 1941 maps along the Columbia River show the river and towns prior to Lake Roosevelt forming as well as the lake after it forms.
• 1880 map of Oregon & Washington Territory, issued by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Co. is available at Ancestry.com($)
• 1890 map of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company including Eastern Washington is available at Ancestry.com($)
• 1910 Map of the Spokane Indian Reservation is available at Ancestry.com($)
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

• Atlases, Gazetteers, Maps held by Stevens County Historical Society

-Two early County Engineer's maps

-Undated early partly platted lower British Columbia, Columbia River

-1810-1871 coast-to-coast territory covered by artist Paul Kane for Hudson Bay

-1863 state map showing which areas have been surveyed

-1863 county map showing place names

-1870 Colville and north end

-1870-1883 Colville area, shows cemeteries, etc.

-1887 survey of military Fort Colville

-1890 two sections of Meyers Falls

-1903 Colville area, shows cemeteries, etc

-1910 railroad map, Stevens and Bonner County, Idaho

-1911 section map

-1912 Original Triplicate Copy of the Northwestern Mutual Fire Association, Seattle Washington (Sanborn Maps) for Colville with viewable corrections.

-1929 Original Triplicate Copy of the Northwestern Mutual Fire Association, Seattle Washington (Sanborn Maps) Northport with viewable corrections.

-1952 county topography map

-1963 Metsker's book of maps

-Original Stevens County plat maps (complete collection)

-Colville region topography

-Old Colville City map

-City of Colville

-Map of Kettle Falls

-Sanborn Insurance Maps (shows buildings)

-State Highway Map

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

• 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; Includes Certificates of adjustment for veterans 1925-1928; Military register 1892-1893.
• 1885-1907 Military Department, National Guard Enlistment Register, 1885-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• Stevens County War Casualties at Northeast Washington Genealogical Society. Includes Stevens County persons who died in WWI, WWII, Korean and Vietnam Wars.
• Stevens County Auditor's Office holds military discharge records (restricted to family only).
  

Indian Wars

• 1855-1856 Military Department, Indian War Muster Rolls, 1855-1856 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Civil War
Fort Colville, located three miles northeast of the current City of Colville, was established June 20, 1859. Initial troops were from the Company A and Company E of the Ninth Infantry under the command of Capt. Pinkney Lugenbeel. U.S. Fort Colville was ordered closed September 20, 1882.

World War I

• 1917-1919 Veterans Affairs, Department of, World War I Service Statement Cards, 1917-1919 at Washington State Archives - images and index.
• 1921-1925 Washington, World War I Veteran's Compensation Fund Application Records, 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War II

• WWII Army Casualties: Washington at National Archives

Japanese

• 1945-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives

Published Books:

• Civil War Veterans Buried in Stevens County By Roger W. May; Colville, WA: Northeast Washington Genealogical Society, 2007. Information on almost 300 veterans who are buried in or have lived in Stevens County At various libraries (WorldCat)
• Colville Collection Book Two: Military Fort Colville by Patrick J. Graham. Colville, WA: P.J. Graham, 1989-2009. At various libraries (WorldCat); A history of Military Fort Colville (1859-1882) includes officers, and historical manuscripts of events of that period in Colville and northeastern Washington.
• Northwest Boundary Commission: Message from the President of the United States Concerning the Northwest Boundary Commission by Archibald Campbell. Washington, D.C.,: Government Printing Office, 1869; At various libraries (WorldCat); Online at: University of British Columbia

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

• 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
• 1886-1973 Stevens County Clerk, Registers of Declarations of Intention, 1886-1973 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1888-1906 Stevens County Clerk, Registers of Applications and Orders of Naturalization, 1888-1906 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1906-1974 Stevens County Clerk, Naturalization Records, 1906-1974 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1929-1951 Stevens County Clerk, Register of Petitions for Naturalization, 1929-1951 at Washington State Archives - index and images

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.

• 1800s-Current Washington, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1892-1897 The Statesman-Examiner is published weekly in Colville. Precursors to this newspaper, the Colville Republican, Stevens County Standard, the Colville Index, and the Stevens County Statesman-Index for the 1892 to 1897 time frame are available in pdf format at Crossroads on the Columbia items 12945 to 13949.
• 1903-1960; 2020-present The Chewelah Independent has been published weekly since 1903. Microfilms of the newspaper up to 1960 are available at the Kettle Falls Public Library. The Chewelah Public Library has digital copies of the newspaper from 2010 to current.
• 1907-1922 Colville Examiner 1907-1922 and the Newport Miner (1899-1912) are available online thanks to the Washington State Library, Library of Congress, and the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities.
• 1911-1913 The Loon Lake Times 1911 to 1913 editions. Query Loon Lake Historical Society Collection and keyword of newspaper.
• The WA National Digital Newspaper Program wiki part of the National Digital Newspaper Project provides the digitization status of state newspapers.
• Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library.
• Early Washington newspapers covered the Colville area, particularly the Walla Walla Statesman. Query "Colville" in the Washington State Library's online historical newspaper collection.
• An extensive collection of local newspapers on microfilm is available at the Kettle Falls Public Library and some others at the Colville Public Library and Stevens County Historical Society. The NeWGS maintains a listing of these papers.
• The Spokane Public Library Downtown Branch has a large microfilm collection of Spokane papers, which has some coverage of Stevens County.
• Stevens County, Washington Newspapers - List of known newspapers for the county, including town and years published for each newspaper

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.

• Stevens County Historical Society - newspaper obituary lists for deaths
• Northeast Washington Genealogical Society - newspaper obituary lists for deaths
• Loon Lake Historical Society - maintains obituary listings for the Loon Lake and Deer Lake area residents
  

Other Records

City Council Meeting Records

• 1890-2006 City of Colville council minutes from 1890 to 2006.
• 1903-2009 City of Chewelah council minutes from 1903 to 2009.
• 1910-1940; 1968-2010 Marcus Town council minutes from 1910 to 1940, 1968 to 2010.
• 1967-2007 City of Springdale council minutes from 1867 to 2007.

Public Records

• Prior to 1965 Washington Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
• 1860-1917, 2005-2009 Stevens County Board of Commissioners, Meetings, 1860-1913, 2005-2009 at Washington State Digital Archives; includes early tax assessment lists and equalization changes, jury duty lists, roads and school districts creation, contacts awarded and bills, elected and appointed officials, incorporation of towns in Stevens, Ferry, and Pend Oreille towns and other information. Images at

Voting Records

• 1876-1940 Washington Voting Records, 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Periodicals

• Washington Periodicals

The Northeast Washington Genealogical Society (NeWGS) publication, Pioneer Branches is available at the Colville Public Library (part of the Libraries of Stevens County) and through the society. Indexes are available on Persi from 1986 to 2007.

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. Probate records are available at the Stevens County Courthouse.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

School Records

All schools in Stevens County are under the Northeast Washington Educational Service District 101 located at Regal Center 4202 S. Regal Street, Spokane, WA 99223-7738, phone number (p.) 509-789-3800

Online School Indexes and Records

• 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
• 1891-1901 SCHS has the August 1891 to 1901 School District No. 32, Pleasant Valley Pupil Attendence Binder.
• October 1897-June 1904 The Stevens County Historical Society (SCHS) has the October 1897 to June 1904 bound ledger record of teachers' contracts.
• 1903-1920 SCHS has the School District No. 2 Colville Schools Board of Director Minutes, May 15, 1903 – April 8, 1920
• 1915 The Internet Archives has an article about Washington State Teacher's Cottages in 1915 by Josephine Corliss Preston
• 1915-1947 ESD 101 records at the Washington State Archives at Cheney include item EA801-36-14 Pioneer Interviews (Stevens County) for 1933-47; item EA801-36-1 School Census (Stevens County) school census records for 1915-32, and other early school records. The Digital Archives also has a 1927 Spokane County School District map.
• The Last Bell by Alpha Naff (reprinted 2005 by NeWGS) A history of the rural schools in Stevens County ….152 pages, indexed. Available at at NeWGS and the Libraries of Stevens County.
• The Crossroads on the Columbia project has school records for Chewelah, Hunters, and Loon Lake.

Online Catalogs

• Whitworth University Catalog
  
  

Digital Collections

• Eastern Washington University Digital Collection
• Gonzaga University Digital Collection
• University of Washington Digital Collection
• Washington State University Digital Collection

Social Security Records

• 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

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
The SCHS has the county assessor's personal property tax ledgers for 1898 to 1906, 1912 to 1935, and 1931 to 1935. Images of the 1898 to 1906 ledgers are viewable on the Crossroads on the Columbia project.

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. The Auditor's Office can provide copies of marriage licenses although the actual records were transferred to the State Archives at Cheney.

Birth

• 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; Includes Birth register 1891-1907; Births 1891-1907.
• 1852-1963 Washington, Births at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1871-1921 Department of Health, Delayed Birth Records at Washington State Archives - index and images; includes some earlier and later dates
• 1873-1965 Washington, County Birth Registers, 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1900-1907 Stevens County Auditor, Register of Births, 1900-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Marriage

• 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
• 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only; Includes Marriage affidavits 1886-1939; applications index 1939-2002; certificates & index 1889-1944; certificates 1912-1947; Marriage index-direct 1911-1922; Marriage licenses index-direct Marriage statistics 1911-1939; Marriage records index-direct 1885-1947; Marriage statistics 1891-1939.
• 1855-2008 Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1859-1891 Western States Marriage Index - Index
• 1859-2008 Stevens County Auditor, Marriage Records, 1859-2008 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1968-1997 Department of Health, Marriage Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1969-2014 Washington Marriage Index, 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1969-2022 Department of Health, Marriage Index, 1969-2022 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Death

In the early days, travel was difficult and there were almost no roads. During the winter it was impossible to go very far, so people often did their "marrying" and "burying" in Lincoln County if they lived along the River at the south end of the county. They also went to Spokane County for supplies or to get married.

• 1881-1979 Washington, County Death Registers, 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1891-1907 Stevens County Auditor, Register of Deaths, 1891-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index ($)
• 1907-1960 Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1907-1997 Department of Health, Death Certificates, July 1, 1907-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1907-2020 Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2020 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1915-1928 Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Fatal Accident Cards, 1915-1928 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1919-1921 Department of Health, Fetal Death Records, 1919-1921 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Divorce

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

• 1968-1997 Department of Health, Divorce Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
• 1969-2014 Washington Divorce Index, 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
• 1969-2017 Department of Health, Divorce Index, 1969-2017 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Research Facilities

Archives

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

Washington State Archives-Eastern Washington Region
960 Washington Street
Cheney, WA 99004
Email: EABranchArchives@sos.wa.gov
Telephone: (509)235-7508
FAX: (509)235-7505

Check the inventory collection for the Eastern Washington Region of the State Regional Archives at Cheney for many of the older records births and deaths from 1886 on, marriage records, mining patents, mortgage recordings, as these have been moved to the archives for safekeeping.

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

• Colville Washington FamilySearch Center
• Coulee Dam Washington FamilySearch Center
• Priest River Idaho FamilySearch Center
• Republic Washington FamilySearch Center
• Riverside Washington FamilySearch Center
• Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library

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 Stevens County. For state-wide library facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries. Resources for Stevens County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.

Wellpinit Library Station
Stevens County Rural Library District
Spokane Tribal Library
Wellpinit, WA 99040
Phone: 877-231-5500

Libraries of Stevens County

Chewelah Public Library

Digital copies of recent Chewelah Independent newspapers.

Colville Public Library

Home for the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society books, many local history books, microfilms of Colville Examiner newspapers, U. S. Fort Colville military records, and Washington State Death Index.

Kettle Falls Public Library

Microfilms of local newspapers and large collection of local history books.

Washington Rural Heritage

has maps, photographs, and early history.

Societies

Listed below are societies in Stevens County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Washington Societies.
Stevens County Historical Society
700 North Wynne St
Colville, WA 99114
Phone: 509-684-5968
Email: schswa1903@gmail.com
Website

Northeast Washington Genealogical Society
c/o Colville Public Library
195 S Oak
Colville, WA 99114
Website
Facebook

Clayton/Deer Park Historical Society
Box 293
Clayton, WA 99110
Website

Loon Lake Historical Society
4000 Colville Road
Loon Lake, WA 99148
Website

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.

• WAGenWeb for Stevens County
• USGW Archives
• Stevens County Heritage at Washington Rural Heritage
• Washington State Digital Archives
• The Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History
• 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

• Basic Guide for Genealogy Research in Stevens, Ferry and Pend Oreille Counties by Nancy Wright, Susan DeChant, and Shirley Dodson of NeWGS.