Whitman County, Washington Genealogy

United States Washington 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 1861, when the county was formed.

County QuickStart: Census Birth Marriage Divorce Death Cemeteries

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Whitman County, Washington
Map
Location in the state of 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

Parent County(s)

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

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

Neighboring Counties

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

Boundary Changes

• Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library
  
  

Dates of Major County Records

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

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 Whitman County, Washington Genealogy entries with names, images, or information.

Cemeteries

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

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

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

• Index to the 1880 census of Whitman County, Washington Territory (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• 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.

• For censuses prior to 1872, look under Stevens County.
• 1883 Washington Territorial Census Whitman County
• 1885 Washington Territorial Census Whitman County
• 1887 Washington Territorial Census Whitman County
• 1889 Washington Territorial Census Whitman County
• 1890 Federal Veterans Census on ancestry.com $
• 1900 Federal Population Census on ancestry.com $
• 1910 Federal Population Census at Washington State Digital Archives.
• 1920 Federal Population Census on ancestry.com $
• 1930 Federal Population Census on ancestry.com $
• 1940 Federal Population Census on ancestry.com $

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 Whitman County, Washington Genealogy are listed in the FamilySearch catalog. (Press space bar to select town.)

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 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.

• Historic sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties, Washington Territory, and Umatilla County, Oregon (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• An Illustrated history of Whitman County, state of Washington (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

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. 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.
• 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.
• 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).

Maps

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

• Family Maps of Whitman County, Washington (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

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.)

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.

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

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)

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 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.

Marriage

• 102 marriage entries from 23 Oct 1872 to 13 Dec 1909 are available at the Western States Marriage Index website.

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.

Death

• Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Whitman County Death Returns containing names of people who died in Whitman County from 1891-1907. For FHL entries, 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, occupation and certificate numbers.

Websites

Sites with online indexes or images of records:

• 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.
• Whitman/ Web Sites at RootsWeb -Whitman WA (Free)

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

• Whitman/ Linkpendium (free)
• CyndisList (free)

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

• FamilySearch catalog for Whitman County, Washington Genealogy (Select topics. Add comma to select towns.)
• WorldCat To find libraries near you that have items of interest, see WorldCat Online Catalog.
• Allen County Public Library (Indiana)
• See also local libraries and Washington Archives and Libraries

• Family History Library Catalog
• Whitman County, Washington Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

Archives, Libraries, etc.

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.

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

Courthouse

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.

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

• Colfax 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.

Albion Branch Library, 310 F Street, Albion 99102 Phone: (509) 332-5095

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Colfax Library, 102 S. Main, Colfax 99111 Phone: (509) 397-436

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Whitman County Library, 102 S. Main Street, Colfax 99111 Phone: (509) 397-4366

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Colton Branch Library, 706 Broadway, Colton 99113 Phone: (509) 229-3887

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Endicott Branch Library, 324 E Street, Endicott 99125 Phone: (509) 657-3429

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Farmington Branch Library, , Farmington 99128 Phone: (509) 287-2500

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Garfield Branch Library, 113 N 3rd, Garfield 99130 Phone: (509) 635-1490

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Lacrosse Branch Library, 107 S Main, Lacrosse 99143 Phone: (509) 635-1490

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Oakesdale Branch Library, , Oakesdale 99158 Phone: (509) 285-4310

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Palouse Branch Library, 120 E Main, Palouse 99161 Phone: (509) 878-1513

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Pullman (Neill) Public Library, 210 N Grand Ave, Pullman 99163 Phone: (509) 334-3595

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Rosalia Branch Library, 106 W. 5th, Rosalia 99170 Phone: (509) 523-3109

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

St. John Branch Library, 19 East Front Street, St. John 99171 Phone: (509) 648-3319

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Tekoa Branch Library, 120 E. Main, Tekoa 99033 Phone: (509) 284-3121

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Uniontown Branch Library, 110 S Montgomery, Uniontown 99179 Phone: (509) 229-3880

Online Resources:

Unique Collections:

Towns and Communities

See a list of towns and communities in Whitman 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)

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.