Apache County, Arizona Genealogy

United States Arizona Apache County

	Arizona Online Records

Apache County, Arizona
Map
Location in the state of Arizona
Location of Arizona in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	December 21, 1864
County Seat	St. Johns
Courthouse
Address	PO Box 667 70 West 3rd South St. Johns, Az 85936-0667 Phone: (928) 337-7555 Fax: (928) 337-7586

County Courthouse

Apache County Courthouse
Clerk of The Court Apache County
P.O. Box 365
St. Johns, Arizona 85936
Phone: (928) 337-4364

Clerk Superior Court has marriage, divorce probate and court frecords from 1879
County Recorder has land records from 1879

History

14 Feb 1879 - Apache County was created from Yavapai. County Seat: St. Johns, Arizona Area is 11,218 square miles (29,054.5 sq. km.)

Parent County

• Until 1821 -  New Spain controlled land that later would become Arizona. Some records of early settlers may have been sent to an archives in Seville, Spain, or to archives in Mexico City.
  
• In 1821 - Mexico obtained jurisdiction over the land that later would become Arizona. Some records of this period may have been sent to archives in Mexico City.
• In 1846 - 18 Aug 1846 - During the war with Mexico, the US took control of Santa Fe and proclaimed sovereignty over the land that later became the New Mexico Territory. Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration, the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
• 13 Dec 1850 - The US created the New Mexico Territory from unorganized federal land. This territory named after the Mexican State of New Mexico. Some counties were created, but they were small and covered land only in present day New Mexico. The land in the present day Arizona was at that time non-county land. Also the land south of the Gila River still belonged to Mexico. Look for records in the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
• In 1852 - New Mexico Territory created counties that stretched east and west from the Texas border to the California border, including all the land that later became Arizona. The land covered by present-day Apache County, Arizona was once part of Taos, Rio Arriba, Santa Ana, Bernalillo, Valencia, and Socorro counties of New Mexico. Look for records in Socorro, Bernalillo, Rio Arriba, Taos, and Valencia counties.
• 24 Feb 1863 - The US created the Arizona Territory from the western half of New Mexico Territory. All previous counties were discontinued for this new territory. Look for records in the Arizona State Library and New Mexico State Records Center and Archives

14 February 1879: Apache County was created from Yavapai County. County seat: St. Johns This county named for the Apache Indians. Look for records in Apache and Yavapai counties.

Boundary Changes

• 21 Mar 1895 - Arizona created Navajo County from the west half of Apache County. This county named for the Navajo Indians. Look for records in Apache and Navajo counties.

Also see Previous Jurisdictions to land in Arizona showing dates the jurisdictions were created and where. This will help in determining what jurisdiction your ancestor lived in and where the records are now located.

Populated Places

You may wish to search for places in the Family History Library Catalog. You can search for the more general term, such as "Arizona" and then add the county and town or city, such as "Arizona, Apache, St. Johns."

A more complete list of place names with references can be found at PlaceNames.com. For a more exhaustive list of Arizona place names see Barnes, Will C., and Byrd H. Granger. Arizona Place Names. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1960. WorldCat 479862

For links to the places, see the County Place Name list at the bottom of this page.

Neighboring Counties

• Graham County, Arizona
• Greenlee County, Arizona
• Navajo County, Arizona
• Catron County, New Mexico
• Cibola County, New Mexico
• McKinley County, New Mexico
• Montezuma County, Colorado
• San Juan County, New Mexico
• San Juan County, Utah

Cemeteries

 Arizona Cemetery Transcription and Photo Project

Census

For tips on accessing Apache County, Arizona Genealogy census records online, see: Arizona Census.

Church

LDS Ward and Branch Records: Alpine, Amity, Cooley, Eagar, Greer, Nutrioso, Omer, St. Johns, Union and Vernon.

Court

The general trial courts in Arizona are the county Superior Courts. The contact information for the Superior Court is as follows:

Apache County Superior Court
PO Box 667
70 West 3rd South
St. Johns, Az 85936-0667
Phone: (928) 337-7555
Fax: (928) 337-7586

There is also an Apache County Superior Court Website. The Superior Court handles all cases including general civil litigation, probate, conservatorships, guardianships, juvenile cases, divorces and criminal.

The Family History Library has an Index to District Court papers, Apache County, Arizona [1881-1916] Vault US/CAN Film Number FHL 2310860

Land

Land records from 1986 to the present are searchable online at the Apache County Recorder's Office.

Vital Records

• 1,728 marriages from 22 May 1879 to 16 Nov 1930 are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

Societies and Libraries

Apache County Historical Society
180 W. Cleveland
St. Johns, AZ 85936
Telephone 928-337-4737
 Hours 9-5 M-F

White Mountain Historical Society
504 East Mohave St.
Springerville, AZ 85938
Hours 11-2 Thurs.-Sat., June-Aug.

Family History Centers

Introduction to Family History Centers

Chinle Arizona
Highway 63
Chinle, Apache, Arizona, United States
Telephone: 520-871-4605

Eagar Arizona
467 N Butler
Eagar, Apache, Arizona, United States
Telephone: 928-333-4100

St Johns Arizona
50 North 1st West
St Johns, Apache, Arizona, United States
Telephone: 928-337-2543

These are not mailing addresses. Due to limited staff, Family History Centers are unable to respond to mail inquiries.

Web Sites

• USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
• Family History Library Catalog
• Apache County, Arizona Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)