Adams County, Washington Genealogy

United States Washington Adams County [[Image:Template:WAAdamsDrum]]

Guide to Adams County, Washington Genealogy genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1861, when the county was formed.

County QuickStart: Census Birth Marriage Death

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Adams County, Washington
Map
Location in the state of Washington
Location of Washington in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	November 28, 1883
County Seat	Ritzville
Courthouse
Address	Adams County, Washington Courthouse 210 W. Broadway Ritzville, WA Phone: (509) 659–3240

County Overview

Parent County(s)

Adams County was created 28 November 1883 from Whitman County

County Seat: Ritzville . For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Neighboring Counties

Adams County, Washington Genealogy isurrounded by:Franklin | Grant | Lincoln | Whitman

Boundary Changes

• Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library
  
  

Dates of Major County Records

Note: The dates you see below have not yet been adapted to Adams County, Washington Genealogy.

Beginning dates for major county records
Birth	Marriage	Death	Land	Probate	Court
1891*	1891*	1891*	1884	1885	1890
* For earlier dates, try... Church | Obituaries | Cemeteries

Notes

Named for John Adams, 2nd President of the United States. Originally mostly cattle ranching, the big wheat crop shifted the agriculture from cattle to wheat farming in 1897.

Topics

The types of records that follow are used for genealogy and family history. Most tell what you may learn and how to locate the records. Links to Internet sites usually go directly to Adams County, Washington Genealogy entries with names, images, or information.

Cemeteries

Listings for Adams County Cemeteries can be found at the following websites:

• Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens, Othello
• Adams Cemetery, Othello
• Lind Cemetery, Lind

• Alpha list of cemeteries in the county with links to online transcripts.

Adams 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

• See Washington Census for online indexes and images of US federal censuses. of: 1856, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940.
• See statewide printed indexes, including 1856.
• Check county indexes when online indexes fail. Created by people who knew the families of the area, they are often more accurate and they may have added insights. See periodicals and local libraries or other record holders.

• 1889
• 1890 Veterans
• 1900
• 1910
• 1920
• 1930
• 1940

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.

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

Lutheran

• Records of Emanuel Lutheran Church, Adams County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Court Records

Many of your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can establish family relationships and places of residence, occupations, and other family history information. See Washington Court Records for the various courts through the years.

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

Ethnic, Political or Religious Groups

Japanese

• 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.

Genealogy

A FamilySearch Community Tree is available for this place.

Guardianship

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

History

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

History Timeline

Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

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. Adams County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org  Essay 7835.

• The land that would later make up Adams County was part of the territory of the Palouse tribe.
• 1863 - January - 20 - Washington Territorial Legislature creates Stevens County.
• 1869 - George Lucas, an Irish emigrant, was Adams County's first permanent white settler. He established a way-station at Cow Creek along the road to Fort Colville
• 1871 - November - 29 - Washington Territorial Legislature creates Whitman County (out of Stevens).
• 1880 - James G. Bennett harvested a small wheat crop near Ritzville.
• 1881 - May - The Northern Pacific Railway began laying track through Adams County.
• 1883 - November - 28 - Washington Territorial Legislature creates Adams and Franklin counties (out of Whitman).
• 18843 - Brothers Ben and Sam Hutchinson built a cabin on lower Crab Creek.
• 1889 - November - 11 - Washington becomes a state.
• 1897 - Adams County bumper wheat crop spurs shift from cattle ranching.
• 1901 - The first homesteaders arrived.
• 1928-1931 - During a severe drought that resulted in dustbowl conditions, many people left the area.
• 1942 - Grand Coulee Dam was completed in 1942 and by 1950 construction on the Columbia Basin Project reached the Othello area, bringing the water of the Columbia River to irrigate Adams County's dry land in 1952.

Land and Property

• County Recorder's Office: check deeds, file mining claims, get assistance in finding ownership of a particular property, and obtain copies of county plat maps. This office has county plat records dating back to 1878, prior records having been destroyed in a fire.

Maps

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

Military

• World War II (1941–1945) army enlistments at the county GenWeb site has about 400 entries, mostly from Okanogan and other counties. Key (at end of the list) explains codes and columns. Gives year and state of birth. Free.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, his* foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information.(*Women were not naturalized until 1922 in the United States.)

Washington State Digital Archives has digitized various types of naturalization-related records, including declarations of intentions, delayed birth files, naturalization affidavits, notifications of application for admission to US citizenship, orders fixing naturalization terms, petitions and records, petitions, receipts for certificates of citizenship, record of final decrees of citizenship and record of petitions dockets. Depending on the county, records range from 1854-1988.

Newspapers

Finding More Washington Newspapers

Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Adams 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)

• Adams County, Washington Genealogy Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)

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.

Taxation

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

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

• Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Adams County Birth Records. This database contains the names of people who were born in Adams County from 1893-1907, 1910-1915, (several delayed birth returns: 1942). Their names were transcribed from the Adams County Birth Returns. For FHL entries, 1892-1907, click here

Marriage

• Marriages from 12 Jun 1884 to 12 May 1892 are available on the Western States Marriage Index website.
• Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Adams County Marriage Records.

Divorce

Divorce records give the names of the parties and may give the date and place of their marriage. See Washington Vital Records for excellent information.

• Divorce records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed in the FamilySearch LibraryCatalog for Adams County, Washington Genealogy. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see Archives, Libraries, etc.

Death

• Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Adams County Death Returns. This database contains names of people who died in Adams County from 1893-1907; 1910, 1913.  For FHL entries, 1891-1907, 1929, click here.
• Washington Death Certificates 1907-1960 A free internet index to the 1907-1960 death certificates can be found at FamilySearch Record Search, no images are available. A transcribed death certificate may contain such information as name of the deceased, date and place of death, age, gender, birth date and birth place, mother’s maiden name and name of spouse, place of residence and occupation.

Websites

• The Adams County WAGenWeb Project, a member of The WAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Adams County.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project for Adams County. (Mirror site)
• Family History Library Catalog
• Adams County, Washington Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

Archives, Libraries, etc.

Resources for Adams 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.

• Check websites and catalogs, such as items in FamilySearch Library (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana) for Adams County, Washington Genealogy. When you find items you'd like to access, see Get a Copy

See these headings for Adams County, Washington Genealogy details: Courthouse · FamilySearch Centers · Libraries · Museums · Other Repositories · Societies

Courthouse

Adams County Courthouse
210 W Broadway Avenue
Ritzville, WA 99169-1860
Phone: (509) 659–3257

County Auditor has birth and death records to 1907 and marriage records.
County Clerk has divorce and probate records.
County assessor has land records

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

• Othello Washington Family History Center

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.

Othello Library, 101 E. Main Street, Othello 99344 Phone: (509) 488-9683

Online Resources: Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest, and others.

Unique Collections:

Ritzville Public Library, 302 W Main, Ritzville 99169 Phone: (509) 659-1222

Online Resources: (None seen Oct, 2013)

Unique Collections:

Towns and Communities

See a list of towns and communities in Adams County per Wikipedia

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)