Asotin County, Washington Genealogy

United States Washington Asotin County [[Image:Template:WAAsotinClarkston]]

Guide to Asotin County, Washington Genealogy genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1883, when the county was formed.

County QuickStart: Census Birth Marriage Divorce Death Cemeteries

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Asotin County, Washington
Map
Location in the state of Washington
Location of Washington in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	October 27, 1883
County Seat	Asotin
Courthouse
Address	Asotin County Courthouse PO Box 159 Asotin, WA 99402-0159 Phone: (509) 243–4181 Asotin County Website

County Overview

Parent County(s)

Asotin County, Washington was created 27 October 1883 from Garfield County

County Seat: Asotin . See also Towns and Communities in Asotin County, Washington Genealogy. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Boundary Changes

• Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library
  
  

Neighboring Counties

Asotin County, Washington Genealogy isurrounded by:Garfield | Whitman | Nez Perce County, Idaho | Wallowa County, Oregon

Courthouse

Asotin County Courthouse
PO Box 159
Asotin, WA 99402-0159
Phone: (509) 243–4181

County Auditor has birth and marriage records
from 1891 and death records 1891-1907.
County Clerk has divorce and probate records.
County Assessor has land records from 1891.

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

Dates of Major County Records

Beginning dates for major county records
Birth	Marriage	Death	Land	Probate	Court
1891*	1891*	1891*	1893	1885	1886
* For earlier dates, try... Church | Obituaries | Cemeteries

The name "Asotin" is from the Nez Perce language and means "place of eel" from the abundance of eels caught there.

Topics for Asotin County, Washington Genealogy

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.

Biography

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

Cemeteries

Asotin 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

• Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)
  • Federal 1910
  • Territorial 1885 • 1887 • 1889
  • These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

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

Court Records

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.

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

• Asotin Frontier Justice at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free, index and images
  • The court procedures of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of the 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
  • Asotin County Frontier Justice Records Now Online blog post

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

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

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

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

• "Asotin County -- Thumbnail History" at HistoryLink.org

• "Asotin County (Wash.) -- History" by University of Pennsylvania, a list of full-text Online Books

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. Asotin County -- Thumbnail History, HistoryLink.org, Essay 7643.

• 1805 - Before this time,the Nez Perce Indians lived in Asotin County for many years before Lewis and Clark arrived.
• 1805 - Lewis and Clark passed through the county on their expedition, both outbound to the Pacific Ocean.
• 1834 - February, Captian Benjamin Bonneville led the next major expedition through Asotin County.
• 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
• 1854 - April 25, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Walla Walla County.
• 1850s - Part of what would later become Asotin County (as well as part of adjoining Idaho) became an Indian reservation, resulting in the relocation of a fairly significant number of Native Americans to the future Asotin County.
• 1861 - June 10, Whites made a few tentative settlements in Asotin County during the 1860s. The first settler, Sam Smith, arrived near the confluence of Alpowa Creek and the Snake River.
• 1861-1862, Severe winter devastates Eastern Washington settlers.
• 1863 - March 4, President Abraham Lincoln signs law separating new Idaho Territory from Washington.
• 1875 - November 11, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Columbia County (out of Walla Walla).
• 1881 - November 29, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Garfield County (out of Columbia County).
• 1883 - October 27, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Asotin County (out of Garfield).

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.

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

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

• Military 1888-1897 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

• 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, 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.

• Naturalization and Citizenship 1885-1945 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Includes Naturalization card index 1909-1921; petitions 1906-1945; Naturalization records 1885-1906; petitions granted 1930-1976.

• Naturalization Records, 1906-1974 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Petitions for Naturalization, 1924-1936 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Petitions Granted, 1930-1974 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Register of Applications and Orders of Naturalization, 1885-1906 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

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.

• Asotin 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 Asotin 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)

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.

Also check: • Local Funeral Homes • family records.

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 1885-1972 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Public Records

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

• Asotin Postmaster Index. Part of Washington, Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965, FamilySearch Historical Collections for Washington. (Free, browse images)

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 free Asotin County Birth Records. This database contains the names of people who were born in Asotin County from June 1891 – August 1913. The names were taken from the Asotin County Register of Births.

Marriage

• Marriages from 3 Feb 1884 to 6 Jun 1907 are available on the Western States Marriage index website.

• Marriage Records, 1899-2003 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Divorce

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

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

• Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Includes: name of the deceased, date and place of death, age, gender, birth date and place, mother’s maiden name, name of spouse, place of residence, occupation, and certificate number.

Death

• Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Websites

Check back often with websites. Local societies and libraries may know of other websites.

• The Asotin County WAGenWeb Project (Free), a member of The WAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
• The USGenWeb Archives Project (Free) for Asotin County. Mirror site
• Web Sites at RootsWeb - Asotin WA (Free)
• 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.

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

• Linkpendium (free)
• CyndisList (free)

Major catalogs to offline genealogical records:

Links to major catalogs for offline collections of Asotin County, Washington Genealogy Indexes, books, or microfilm of genealogical records
FamilySearch catalog	Select topics. To select towns, add a comma to the search box.
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

Archives, Libraries, etc.

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

Resources for Asotin 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 Asotin County, Washington Genealogy. When you find items you'd like to access, see Get a Copy

Family History 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

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.

Asotin County Library, 417 Sycamore, Clarkston 99403 Phone: (509) 758-5454

Online Resources: (None seen Oct., 2013)

Unique Collections:

Heights Branch Library, 2036 4th Ave., Clarkston 99403 Phone: (509) 758-4601

Online Resources: Genealogy Bank

Unique Collections: Historical Newspaper Collections

Societies

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

Resources for Asotin 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 Asotin County, Washington Genealogy. When you find items you'd like to access, see Get a Copy

Towns and Communities

See a list of towns and communities in Asotin 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.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.