Skagit County, Washington Genealogy: Difference between revisions

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*[[Camano Island-Stanwood Washington FamilySearch Center]]
*[https://locations.familysearch.org/en/us/wa/camano-island/795-ell-road Camano Island-Stanwood Washington FamilySearch Center]
*[[Everett Washington FamilySearch Center]]
*[https://locations.familysearch.org/en/us/wa/everett/9509-19th-avenue-southeast Everett Washington FamilySearch Center]
*[[Lake Stevens Washington FamilySearch Center]]
*[https://locations.familysearch.org/en/us/wa/lake-stevens/10120-chapel-hill-road Lake Stevens Washington FamilySearch Center]
*[[Mount Vernon Washington FamilySearch Center]]
*[https://locations.familysearch.org/en/us/wa/mt-vernon/1700-east-hazel-street Mount Vernon Washington FamilySearch Center]
*[[Oak Harbor Washington FamilySearch Center]]
*[https://locations.familysearch.org/en/us/wa/oak-harbor/201-ne-oleary-st Oak Harbor Washington FamilySearch Center]
*[[Port Townsend Washington FamilySearch Center]]
*[https://locations.familysearch.org/en/us/wa/chimacum/10104-rhody-drive Port Townsend Washington FamilySearch Center]
*[[San Juan Washington FamilySearch Center]]
*[https://locations.familysearch.org/en/us/wa/friday-harbor/1013-lampard-road San Juan Washington FamilySearch Center]
*[https://www.naamnw.org/ Northwest African American Museum] - an affiliate library
*[https://www.naamnw.org/ Northwest African American Museum] - an affiliate library


Revision as of 12:36, 5 January 2024

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

County Facts
County seat: Mount Vernon
Organized: November 28, 1883
Parent County(s): Whatcom
Neighboring Counties
Chelan • Island • Okanogan • San Juan • Snohomish • Whatcom
See County Maps
Courthouse
Washington, Skagit County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Wa-skagit.png

Avalanche aftermath, Skagit County, Washington

County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

The county was named for the Skagit Indian tribe, which has been indigenous to the area prior to European-American settlement. The county is located in the northwest area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Skagit County Courthouse
700 South 2nd Street
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Phone: 360-336-6205
Skagit County Website

County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907, marriage records from 1884 and land records from 1872.
County Clerk has divorce, probate county records from 1870.[2]

Skagit County, Washington Record Dates[edit | edit source]

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1892 1874 1890 1889 1877 1874 1850
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1907. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

Populated Places[edit | edit source]

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:[6]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
  • Allen
  • Avon
  • Birdsview
  • Blanchard
  • Bow
  • Cedardale
  • Day Creek
  • Dewey
  • Fildalgo
  • Fishtown
  • Gibraltar
  • Guemes Island
  • Hoogdal
  • Milltown
  • Minkler
  • Prairie
  • Rexville
  • Samish Island
  • Similk Beach
  • Sterling
  • Thornwood
  • Urban
  • Van Horn
American Indian Communities
Census-designated places
Ghost towns
  • Whitney


History Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • People have lived in present-day Skagit County and its environs for nearly 10,000 years. They were known as the Coast Salish.
  • 1791 Rosario Strait is on the most western edge of Skagit County. The Spaniard Juan Francisco de Eliza charted it, and named it Canal de Fidalgo.
  • 1824 John Work, a trader with Hudson’s Bay Company, came through the area.
  • 1852 The first Euro-American to live in the county, was Englishman William (Blanket Bill) Jarman with his Coast Salish wife.
  • 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
  • 1863 Settlement on the county’s mainland took hold when Michael Sullivan and Samuel Calhoun began diking the marshy flats near present day LaConner.
  • 1860s-1870s New settlements and trading posts appeared on Guemes Island and Samish Island.
  • 1883 November 28, A bill passed in the territorial legislature separated Skagit County from Whatcom County.

Resources[edit | edit source]

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

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

Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries of Skagit County, Washington online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Washington Cemeteries for more information.

 

Census Records[edit | edit source]

See Washington Census for online censuses, including territorial. For more information, see United States Census.

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1890 8,747 —
1900 14,272 63.2%
1910 29,241 104.9%
1920 33,373 14.1%
1930 35,142 5.3%
1940 37,650 7.1%
1950 43,273 14.9%
1960 51,350 18.7%
1970 52,381 2.0%
1980 64,138 22.4%
1990 79,555 24.0%
2000 102,979 29.4%
2010 116,901 13.5%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".
Federal: 1910
Territorial: 1885, 1887, 1889

Church Records[edit | edit source]

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.

Lutheran

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records[edit | edit source]

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

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.

Directories[edit | edit source]

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

American Indians

Japanese

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

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.

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Online Land Indexes and Records

  • 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.


Local Histories[edit | edit source]

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

  • History of the Puget Sound Country, Volume 1, Volume 2 by William Farrand Prosser [New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company, 1903] online at Washington History

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Whatcom County, Washington GenealogyOkanogan CountyChelan CountySnohomish CountyIsland CountySan Juan CountyWA SKAGIT.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Indian Wars

World War I

World War II

Japanese

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

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

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

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.

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

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.

Other Records[edit | edit source]

Public Records

Voting Records

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

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.

Online Probate Indexes and Records


School Records[edit | edit source]

Online School Indexes and Records

Social Security Records[edit | edit source]

Tax Records[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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.[7]

Birth[edit | edit source]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Death[edit | edit source]

Divorce[edit | edit source]

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

Research Facilities[edit | edit source]

Archives[edit | edit source]

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

FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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 Skagit County. For state-wide library facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

Resources for Skagit County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.

Anacortes Public Library
1220 10th Street
Anacortes, WA 98221
Phone: 360-293-1910

Burlington Public Library
820 East Washington Avenue
Burlington, WA 98233
Phone: 360-755-0760

La Conner Regional Library
614 Morris Street
La Conner, WA 98257
Phone: 360-466-3352

Mount Vernon City Library
315 Snoqualmie Street
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Phone: 360-336-6249

Sedro-Woolley Public Library
802 Ball Street
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
Phone: 360-855-1166

Upper Skagit Library District
45952 Main Street
Concrete, WA 98237
Phone: 360-853-7716

Museums[edit | edit source]

Societies[edit | edit source]

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

Skagit Valley Genealogy Society
820 E Washington Ave
Burlington, WA 98233
E-mail: genealogy0715@gmail.com

Websites[edit | edit source]

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

Research Guides[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Skagit County, Washington," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skagit_County,_Washington. accessed 18/07/2019
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002),Skagit County, Washington page 734, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Skagit County, Washington . Page 732-735 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 733-734.
  4. ↑ The Evolution of Washington Counties by Newton Carl Abbott, Fred E. Carver, 1979. Published by the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society and Klickitat County Genealogical Society.
  5. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
  6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Skagit County, Washington," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skagit_County,_Washington, accessed 22 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Birth Records, About this Collection & Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Death Records About Death Records
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