Stevens County, Washington Genealogy

United States > Washington > Stevens County

County Courthouse

Located in Colville (originally founded at Pinkney City) [1] at 215 S. Oak, Colville, WA, 99114. Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Information line 509-684-7512.

Auditor's Office holds records including military discharges, County Commissioner's minutes, homesteads, land records, mining transactions, etc. Land deed records have been digitized, but they are NOT available online. The auditor staff does have digital images of the deeds and can provide them upon promptly upon request. Land Deed volumes D and F are missing.  For Volumes D & F, the indexes may provide basic data like the surname plus initial of the grantor or grantee and an abbreviated land description , but some only direct the person to the actual deed.

Check the inventory collection for the Eastern Washington Region of the State Regional Archives at Cheney for many of the older records as these have been moved to the archives for safekeeping.

Court Clerk Office holds records for divorce, naturalization, and court cases. The NeWGS volunteers have permission to access the probate microfilms and can make copies of these records upon request.

History

Land claimed by British and American governments.

With the signing of the Treaty of 1818, British and American jointly claimed the area which includes Stevens County. The Hudson's Bay Company controlled most of the land in what is now Stevens County. Their records are available through The Manitoba Archives and The National Archives (UK). Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Colville existed from 1828 to 1856.

Parent County

The Oregon Treaty (Buchanan/Pakenham) was signed June 15, 1846 creating a border between the two countries along the 49th parallel. The U.S. portion was organized as the Oregon Territory in August 14, 1848.

The Washington Territory was formed in February 8, 1853.

Washington State was formed November 11, 1889.

See Boundary Changes for parent counties.

Boundary Changes

• Prior to 1848, both Great Britain and the United States had joint ownership of the area.  
• On July 4, 1843 a provisional government for the Oregon Territory was formed. Of the four districts created, current Stevens County was in the Clackamas District.
• On August 18, 1845, the Vancouver District was created.
• On December 22, 1845, districts were changed to counties. 
• On August 5, 1846, the Oregon Treaty established 49 degrees north as the northern border of the United States and the Oregon Territory was formed.
• On September 3, 1849, Vancouver County was changed to Clark County.
• In 1851, most of current Stevens County was in Clackmas County, but the area west of the Columbia was in Clark County.
• On 2 March 1853, the Washington Territory was created by President Millard Fillmore.  The Washington Territory included current Idaho, parts of Montana and Wyoming.  Washington became a state 11 November 1889 under President Benjamin Harrison. Clark County contained current Stevens County.
• On 25 April 1854, Walla Walla County was created 25 April 1954 from Clark County and Skamania County.

• On 29 January 1858, Spokane County was created from Walla Walla County. Spokane County covers most of the current Stevens County, except the portion west of the Columbia River, which is still in Walla Walla County. 
• On January 17, 1860, a second attempt by the legislature to create Spokane County occurred. 
• On January 20, 1863, Stevens County was created. It covers current Okanogan and Ferry Counties and the portion of current Stevens County west of the Columbia River.
• On 4 March 1863, Idaho Territory was created.
• On 19 January 1864, Spokane County was disorganized and placed under Stevens County. County went from summit of Cascade Mountains to the Wenachee River, to the Columbia River, along the Snake River, to the Idaho Territory, then up to the 49th parallel. 
• On 31 January 1867, the breakup of Stevens County began in 1867 with the enlargement of Yakima County.
• On 23 November 1871, Whitman County (includes current Adams & Franklin Counties) was created from Stevens County. 
• On 30 October 1879, Spokane County was re-organized from Stevens County. 
• On 2 February 1888, Okanogan County (included Chelan County) was created from Stevens County. 
• On 21 February 1899, Ferry County was created from Stevens County.
• Finally on 1 March 1911, Pend Oreille County was created bringing us to what is Stevens County today.
  

(Editor's note: An Illustrated History of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan Counties, author Richard S. Steele, pub. Western Historical Publishing Company, 1904 attributes the 1858 and 1860 descriptions of Spokane County to Stevens County creating some confusion.)

Detailed history available at www.HistoryLink.org essay 7995 Stevens County - Thumbnail History.

Timeline

• 1789s - European diseases decreased the native indian populations.
• 1811 - David Thompson, Northwest Company visited the area bringing in seed to the Marcus area.
• 1812 - Northwest Fur Company began growing wheat near Marcus.
• 1816 - Northwest Company operated a fur trading station near Kettle Falls.
• 1816 - Northwest Company built the first grist mill built at Marcus Flats.
• 1825 - Hudson's Bay Company begins construction of Fort Colvile.
• 1838 - Missionaries Walker and Eells established Tshimakain Mission near present day Ford.
• 1845 - Catholic missionaries established a mission near Chewelah. 
• 1846 - Oregon Treaty ended border dispute between US and Great Britain
• 1847 - Catholic Priests built St. Paul's Mission near Kettle Falls.
• 1848 - Tshimakain Mission abandoned after murder of Whitman's at the Walla Walla mission
• 1850s - Antoine Plante established first commercial crossing, Plante's Ferry. See Plante's Ferry County Park in Spokane County.
  
• 1825 Legislature created Spokane County to include this area, but no action was taken to establish a county government.
• 1850, Congress passed the Donation Land Law for the Oregon Territory. The Donation Land Law granted land to certain whites or Indians of mixed blood, provided they remain on the land for four years. They would receive 320 acres each (if single and would marry within one year after arrival), 160 acres if single and at least 21 years old, or an additional 320 acres in their wife’s name, if married.
• 1853 Donation Lands Act was originally designed to expire in December 1853, the law was extended until December 1855 and enabled settlers to purchase their claim for $1.25 per acre after two years of successive residence on the land.
• 1854 - Area under Walla Walla County, Washington Territory
• 1855 - Gold strike in the area.
• 1858 - A gold strike in British Columbia brought miners through the area, triggering unrest with the local Indians and started the Indian War of 1858.
• 1859 - Harney's Depot, US Army Fort Colville established along with Pinkney City and the first post office.  Fort Walla Walla Fort Colville Military (Wagon) Road built by Brevet Major Pinkney Lugenbeel and U.S. Army soldiers. Military road came up along side the west side of the Colville Valley until what is now Heine Road and then angled across to Chewelah, and then up the east side of the valley.
• 1859 - Bill Nix established ferry which later became LaPray Bridge.
• 1860 - Spokane County seat was located near Pinkney City.
• 1863 - Legislators created Stevens County, but only included current Okanogan and Ferry County area.
• 1865 - LaPray Bridge constructed
• 1867 - Construction of Cottonwood Creek Road from Chewelah to Plante's Ferry.
• 1868 - Pinkney City became Fort Colville.
• 1871 - Hudson's Bay Company Fort Colvile ended its occupation
• 1871 - Whitman County broken off from Stevens County
• 1879 - Spokane County broken off from Stevens County
• 1882 - US Fort Colville disbanded.
• 1883 - Most of Pinkney City, to include the courthouse, moved to present day Colville.  Commanding General of the Army William Tecumseh Sherman travelled through Stevens County in August on a visit to U.S. Army posts.
• 1883 - Kittitas, Lincoln, Adams, Franklin, and Douglas Counties broken off from Stevens County.
• 1888 - Okanogan County broken off from Stevens County.
• 1889 - Washington State created.
• 1890 - Spokane Falls and Northern Railroad reached Marcus.
• 1892 - Spokane Falls and Northern Railroad reached Northport.
• 1896 - North half of the Spokane Reservation opened to miners.
• 1897 - South half of the Spokane Reservation opened to miners.
• 1899 - Ferry County broken off from Stevens County.
• 1909 - 1910 - Colville River dredged opening up agriculture in the area. 
• 1910 - Pend Orielle County broken off from Stevens County.
• 1910 - Old Hudson's Bay Company buildings destroyed by fire.
• 1917 - June 5th War Registration list for Stevens County
• 1929 - 1939 - Great Depression
• 1941 - Grand Coulee Dam completed and Lake Roosevelt was formed.

Places / Localities

Populated Places

Incorporated communities:

• Chewelah 99109 population 2,200.
• Colville 99114 population 5,000.
• Kettle Falls 99141 population 1,500.
• Marcus 99151 population 117.
• Northport 99157 population 336.
• Springdale 99173 population 283.

Unincorporated communities with Post Office:

• Addy 99109
• Clayton 99110
• Evans 99126
• Ford 99013
• Fruitland 99129
• Gifford 99131
• Hunters 99137
• Loon Lake 99148
• Rice 99167
• Tumtum 99034
• Valley 99181
• Wellpinit 99040

Communities without a Post Office:

• Arden
• Cedonia
• Deer Lake
• Echo
• Lakeside
• Onion Creek
• Suncrest

Historical communities that no longer exist:

Indian Reservation

The Spokane Indian Reservation is located in southwestern Stevens County.

Neighboring Counties

• Ferry (to the west)
• Lincoln (to the southwest)
• Pend Oreille (to the east)
• Spokane (to the south)
• British Columbia, Canada (to the north)

Resources

Cemeteries

Addy Cemetery, Addy at USGenWeb; at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Assembly of God Church Cemetery, West-End of the Spokane Indian Reservation, Wellpinit area at Internment.net

Blanche E. Fisher Cemetery, Marcus. Records of the individuals moved from the banks of the Columbia River when Lake Roosevelt was created at Internment.net

Bossberg Cemetery, Bossberg near Marcus on Hwy 25. at USGenWeband at Find A Grave

Boundary Burials at Internment.net and research submitted by Greg Nesteroff.

Highland/Calvary Cemetery, Colville at Internment.net and Calvary Cemetery at Find A Grave and Highland Cemetery at Find A Grave

Cedonia Community Church Cemetery Cedonia on Hwy 25 at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Chewelah City (Pioneer) Cemetery, Flowery Trail Road east of Chewelah at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Chewelah Memorial Park, Highway 395 south of Chewelah at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Chief Lot Cemetery, aka Wellpinit Presbyterian Cemetery, Wellpinit, at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Cully Memorial Cemetery, Rice at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Enterprise Cemetery, Enterprise (Fruitland area) at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Etue Cemetery, Fruitland at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Evergreen Cemetery at Colville at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Fairview Cemetery, Daisy Mine Road, near Gifford at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Forest Center Cemetery, Valley at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Forest Home Cemetery, Northport at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Fruitland Seventh Day Adventist Cemetery, Fruitland (aka Steele Family Cemetery) at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Grandview Cemetery, Marcus at USGenWeb, at Internment.net, and at Find A Grave

Greenwood Cemetery, Hunters at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Hubert Cemetery, Ford (aka Walker's Prairie or Indian Cemetery) at USGenWeb, at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Hughes Cemetery, Fruitland at Internment.net

Indian Cemetery, Chewelah at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

I.O.O.F Cemetery, Rice at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Julia Brown Cemetery, Enterprise/Fruitland at Internment.net

Kelly Hill Cemetery, Barstow at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Lady of the Valley Cemetery, Ward/Kettle Falls at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

LaFleur Cemetery, Fruitland at Internment.net

Little Rock Church Cemetery (aka Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery)Fruitland at Internment.net

Loon Lake Cemetery, Loon Lake at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Meyers Falls Cemetery, Kettle Falls at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Moses Cemetery, Ford at Internment.net

Mount Zion Cemetery, near Clayton (in Spokane County) at USGenWeb

Mountain View Cemetery, Colville at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Napoleon Cemetery (aka Green Mountain Cemetery) Napoleon at USGenWeb

Old Catholic Cemetery, Colville at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Old Kettle Falls I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Kettle Falls at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Old Northport Cemetery (aka Riverview Cemetery), Northport at USGenWeband at Find A Grave

Old Scott's Valley Cemetery, Tum Tum at Internment.net

Old Valley Indian Cemetery (aka Abrahamson Graves), Valley at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Pascal Cemetery, Spokane Indian Reservation at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Pia Mission Cemetery, Barstow on Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Pine Grove Mennonite Church Cemetery, Valley (information not available)

Pleasant View Cemetery, Ford at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Wellpinit at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Scott's Valley Cemetery, Tum Tum at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Soccumtitchun Cemetery (aka Sutton-Lynn Cemetery) Fruitland at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Spokane River Presbyterian Cemetery, Wellpinit at Internment.net

Springdale Cemetery, Springdale at Internment.net and at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

St. Francis Regis Mission Cemetery,(aka Ward Cemetery) Ward at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

St. Joseph's Cemetery, Valley [2] and at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

St. Mary's of the Rosary Cemetery, Chewelah at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Stranger Creek Cemetery, (aka Maud Cemetery) Maud at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Summit Valley Cemetery, Summit Valley at USGenWeb and at Find A Grave

Stanger-Skeels Cemetery, Marble Valley Basin (Addy) at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Toothaker Stevens Family Cemetery at Find A Grave

Valley Cemetery, Valley [3] and at Find A Grave

Wellpinit Presbyterian Cemetery, Wellpinit at Internment.net

West End Assembly of God Cemetery, Willpinit at USGenWeb

Williams Valley Hillside Cemetery, Clayton/Deer Park at Internment.net and at Find A Grave

Additionally query cemeteries in neighboring the counties of Ferry, Pend Oreille, and Spokane, if you cannot find the burial location.

Census

1850 Population Census is available at Family Search Pilot and Ancestry.com$ Search under Washington County, Oregon Territory.

1860 US Federal Population Schedule and Mortality Census covering what will be Stevens County is available at USGenWeb extraction. The 1860 Population Census is at Family Search Pilot and Ancestry.com$ and at Heritage Quest (available through various libraries, including the Libraries of Stevens County). Look for the "Colville Valley". U.S. Non-population schedules (Agricultural and Industry) for 1860 are available at Ancestry.com$ look for "Colville Valley" or "Coleville Valley" under Spokane County.

1870 U.S. Population and Mortality and Non-population (Agricultural and Industry) schedules are available at Ancestry.com$ look under Stevens County. The 1870 Population schedule is also available at Family Search Pilot and at Heritage Quest.

1871 Washington Territorial Census is available at the Washington State Digital Archives and Ancestry.com$

1878 Washington Territorial Census is available at the Washington State Digital Archives and Ancestry.com$

1880 U.S. Population and Mortality and Non-population (Agricultural and Manufacturing) schedules are available at Ancestry.com$. The 1880 Population schedule is also available at Family Search Pilot and Heritage Quest.

1885 Washington Territorial Census is available at the Washington State Digital Archives and Ancestry.com$

1887 Washington Territorial Census is available at the Washington State Digital Archives and Ancestry.com$

1889 Washington Territorial Census is available at the Washington State Digital Archives

1890 Veterans Census covering Washington State is available at Ancestry.com$

1892 Washington State Census is available at the Washington State Digital Archives and Ancestry.com$

The 1900 Population Census is available at Family Search Pilot and Ancestry.com$ and at Heritage Quest. 

Enumerations Districts, numbers 74 to 79, with the two tribal locations later in the census. Districts start in the north and work west to east, but the portions along the Columbia River are after the southern part of the county. What is now Pend Oreille County is included here. Districts are: Bossburg 74; Boundary 74; Calispell 76; Chewelah 78; Clayton 77; Clugston 75; Columbia 79; Colville 75; Colville Indian Reservation 119; Daisy 79; Deep Creek 74; Diamond 76; Fertile Valley 77; Flat Creek 74; Forest Center 78; Harvey 79; Ione 76; Kettle Falls 79; ; Lake Creek 79; Little Dalles 74; Loon Lake 77; Marcus 75; McLaughlin 76; Metaline 76; Meyers Falls 75; MT Carbin 79; Newport 76; Northport 74; Riverside 77; Rock Cut 74; Spokane Indian Reservation 119; Spring Valley 79; Springdale 78; Stevens 78; Thetis 78; Walkers Prairie 78; White Lake 74; Williams Valley (spelled Willaims Valley on Ancestry) 77; Young America 74 

The 1910 Population Census is available at Washington State Digital Archives, Family Search Pilot, and Ancestry.com$ and at Heritage Quest. Enumeration Districts, numbers 208 to 231 start in the northern part of the county move east, to what is now Pend Oreille County, and then south back to the west side of the county.  Districts for 1910 are: Addy 221; Arden 221; Barstow 214; Basin 217; Begland 225 Blue Creek 222; Boundary 211;Bruce Creek 214 ? 215; Calispel 225; Camden 231; Chewelah 223; Clayton 230; Columbia 309; Colville 218; Colville Ward 1 218; Colville Ward 2 218; Colville Ward 3 218; Cronin 212; Daisy 221; Dalkena 224; Deep Creek 211; Dear Trail 226; Diamond Lake 231; Doyle 209; Echo 216; Fertile Valley 231; First Thought 208; Flat Creek 208; Forest Center 227; Frontier 209; Garden Spot 230 (spelled Gardensport on Ancestry); Godfrey 215; Harvey Creek 222; Hunters 226; Ione 212; Johnston 231; Kaniksu (spelled Kanikau on Ancestry) 211 & 212 & 224; Kettle Falls 217; Lake Creek 222; Le Clerc 210; Little Dalles 215; Loon Lake 230; Marcus 215; McLaughlin 210; Metaline 211; Meyers Falls 216; Mill Creek 216; Narcisse 220; Newport 224; Nigger Creek 209; Northport 209; Old Dominion 219; Orin 219; Riverside 228; Rock Cut 208; Rocky Ford 225; Ruby 213; Spokane Indian Reservation 229; Springdale 227; Spring Valley 226; Squaw Creek 220; Stranger Creek 221; Summit 222; Tiger 212; Valley 223; Walker's Prairie 228; White Lake 220: Williams 215; Williams Valley 228; Yocum 213

The 1920 Population Census is available at Family Search Pilot and Ancestry.com$ and at Heritage Quest.

The 1930 Population Census is available at Ancestry.com$ There are 81 enumeration districts for Stevens County in this census, with a few exceptions districts are ordered alphabetically. The districts are:

Addy 1; Arden 3: Barstow 4: Basin 5: Blue Creek 6: Bon Ayre 7; Bossburg 8; Boundary 9; Bruce Creek 10;Chamokane 11; Chewelah 12 – 17; Clayton 18; Columbia 19; Colville 20 - 25; Conwell 26; Corbet 27; Cronin 28;Cummins 29 (Leadpoint included); Daisy 30; Deep Creek 31; Doyle 232; Echo 33; Edendale & Gifford 34; Evans 35; First Thought 36; Flat Creek 37; Forest Center 38; Frontier 39; Garden Spot 40; Harvey Creek 41; Hunters 42; Kettle Falls 43 and 44; Lake Creek 45; Laurier 46; Loon Lake 47: Marble 48; Marcus 49 (town), 50 (outside town); Meyers Falls 51; Middleport 52; Mill Creek 53; Narcisse 54; Nigger Creek 55; Northport 56 (town), 57 (outside town); Old Dominion 58 (Spelled Old Dommion on Ancestry); Onion Creek 59; Orin 60; Parker 61; Reidel 63; Riverside 64; Rock Cut 65; South Fork 66; Springdale 67 (town), 68 (outside town); Spring Valley 69 (part of Spokane Indian Res), 70 (excludes Res); Squaw Creek 71; Stranger Creek 72 (spelled Stenagar on Ancestry); Summit 73; Tum Tum 74; Valley 62 & 75; Walker's Prairie 76 (part of Spokane Indian Res), 77 (excludes Res); Wellpinit (78 town and part of Spokane Indian Res); White Lake 79; Williams 80; Williams Valley 81 (spelled Willaims Valley on Ancestry)

The US Indian Censuses covering the Colville and Spokane Tribes of Indians for 1917-1939 are available at Ancestry.com$. If using this database, neither the Colvilles nor the Spokanes are listed as a choice for tribe. Query for the year 1917 and Washington State, click on the first Colville or Spokane tribal member listed, call up the image, and then click on the hyperlink for "Colville and Spokane Reservations" to limit your search to those tribes. Microfilms of these censuses are also available at the Colville Family History Center.

Steve Morse's website allows you search for enumeration districts by state and county and compare the districts from one census year to the next.

Church

LDS Ward and Branch Records

• Colville 260 E. Juniper, Colville, WA 99114.

Court

1885-89 Stevens County Court Case Index is available at the Washington State Digital Archives

Directories

The Pacific Coast Directory, 1867 is available at Ancestry.com$.

R.L. Polk's Directory of Stevens County, Washington, 1909-1910, at SCHS.

R.L. Polk's Directory of Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry Counties 1911-1912

R.L. Polk's Directory of Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry Counties 1916-17

Telephone Directories for Stevens, Ferry and Pend Oreille Counties for 1929 and 1930

Land

Original homestead records are available at the Bureau of Land Management Federal Land Records Website. The first general land office patent listed on this website was granted May 1884.

To view a Township, Range, Section map within Stevens County

• Go to the [  http://www.co.stevens.wa.us/assessor/assessor.htm Stevens County Assessor's website]
• Look for Parcel Information on Assessor's/Treasurer's Site" and click on it. You will be asked to agree to the terms of use, click on "I Agree" at least twice when first using this feature.
• Where it states "Choose a Search Path" you have four choices: Parcel Search, Legal Search, Address Search, and Mapsifter. You can try a current address, but the names of most roads in the county have changed over the years, which reduces your possibility of success. A Legal Search is your best bet for earlier records.
• Choose Legal Search from the dropdown.

• In the box marked Township, Range, Section type those three pairs of numbers without a hyphen (example 363711).
  *In the example 362711, you will get two choices, click on the parcel number for the first choice.

A new feature called Mapsifter has been added. This uses Microsoft's Silverlight imaging. If you haven't used Silverlight on your computer, you need to download a file to do so. Once you zoom in close enough to see the blue lines indicating property lines, you can easily find the parcel you are looking for. If you aren't sure of the specific Township/Range, Parcel number, or legal description, click on the Mapsifter tab and it will call up a map of the county. Click on it and then either use your mouse or the control device on the bottom right to zoom and move about the map. These records are current to five years back and provide a lot of detail about the property and current owners.

Bureau of Land Managment General Land Records Office has an explanation of the township/range system, as does Wikipedia, as well as Family Search Wiki.

The BLM also has Cadastral and other survey information at Oregon and Washington Land Status and Cadastral Record, please note this is separate from the survey dropdown on the main glorecords.blm.gov page.  To aid in your search, the northwest corner of the county is in Township 40 Range 36; the northeast corner is township 40 range 42; the southwest corner is township 28 range 35; and the southeast corner is in township 27 range 42.

Per the records clerk at the BLM Spokane Office (Fancher Road) they have NARA microfilms of the railroad land transactions for their assigned area to include Stevens County.

If you have the latitude and longitude of the location you are looking for, you can convert it to township/range using the converter at Earthpoint.

Local Histories

Colville Collection Book One by Patrick J. Graham A collection of nine stories dealing with early history of the Colville Valley ….120 pages plus index. Book is available at NeWGS

Colville Collection Book Three: Steamboats on the Upper Columbia and Graham Omnibus by Patrick J. Graham Includes stories of the Graham family, Colville & Northport, and the border communities of Boundary, Waneta, Fort Shepard, Leadpoint, Cedar Creek & Deep Creek …....202 pgs plus index. Book is available at NeWGS

Colville Collection Book Four: Old Dominion Mine...the mine that saved Colville and Jimmie Durkin...A man of his word by Patrick J. Graham The story of one of the richest silver/lead ore mines in Washington state and one of the most colorful characters of the era .... 103 pages plus index. Book is available at NeWGS

Forgotten Corner by Craig E. Holstine A history of the Colville National Forest, Washington….125 pages plus end notes & bibliography. Available at at NeWGS and the Libraries of Stevens County

Heart of Hulda….a biography by Nina Miller The story of the Hanson family who settled on Old Dominion Mountain, 16 miles northeast of Colville ….131 pages. Available at at NeWGS and the Libraries of Stevens County

Kettle River Country by Ruth Lakin Early days along the Kettle River ….274 pages plus an all-name index. Available at at NeWGS and the Libraries of Stevens County

Little Journeys Around The Town, Colville, WA An historical (and sometimes humorous) account of the buildings, businesses, and people who were involved in the evolution of Main Street, written in the 1920s by the then-publisher and editor of the Colville Examiner, J.C. Harrigan…320 pages, 166 photographs, plus an all-name index. Book is available at NeWGS

Northport Pioneers compiled by Northport Over Forty Club (reprinted 2009 by NeWGS) - Stories recounting the history of the Northport community…293 pgs plus all-name index. Book is available at NeWGS

People's History of Stevens County (reprinted 2006 by NeWGS) A history of Stevens County based on 96 oral history interviews done in the early 1980s.....127 pages, plus index. Available at at NeWGS and the Libraries of Stevens County

The People ….Who Will Live in Colville Area History A 1989 centennial celebration book by the Statesman-Examiner, Colville 100 families & people who influenced the area’s history ….159 pages. Book is available at NeWGS

Wets & Drys of Springdale by Rose Brown A history of the little town of Springdale ……130 pgs including index. Available at at NeWGS and the Libraries of Stevens County

The Second 100 Best Main Stems 1959-1964 – Editorials from the Statesman-Examiner relating to events and happenings around Stevens County ..…31 pages. Book is available at NeWGS

The collector : David Douglas and the natural history of the Northwest / Jack Nisbet. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

The mapmaker's eye : David Thompson on the Columbia Plateau / Jack Nisbet. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Purple Flat Top : in pursuit of a place / Jack Nisbet. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Sources of the river : tracking David Thompson across western North America / Jack Nisbet ; maps and illustrations by Jack McMaster. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Visible bones : journeys across time in the Columbia River country / Jack Nisbet. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Carl Oman Remembers/ Carl Oman. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Early Birds in the Northwest / Rowland Bond. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

History of North Washington / Western Historical Publishing Company. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

History of the Immaculate Conception Parish in the Colville Valley. / Joseph J. Pash. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Old Bossburg and Her Ferries / Goldie Putnam. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Pioneers of Happy Hill : an historical documentary / Jim McMillan. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Pioneers of the Columbia / Greenwood Park Grange. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Spokane and the Inland Northwest; historical images Washington counties: Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Lincoln, Spokane; Idaho counties: Boundary, Bonner / Tony Bamonte. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Elkanah and Mary Walker / Clifford Merrill Drury. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

The First White Women Over the Rockies Vol 1 The First White Women Over the Rockies Vol 2 The First White Women Over the Rockies Vol 3 All by Clifford Merrill Drury. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Mary Richardson Walker / Ruth Karr McKee. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

On to Oregon : the diaries of Mary Walker and Myra Eells / introductions and editorial notes by Clifford Merrill Drury. Available at the Libraries of Stevens County

Maps

An extensive collection of Oregon Territory, Washington Territory, and Washington State maps is available Department of Geography University of Alabama Map Library

An 1880 map of Oregon & Washington Territory, issued by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Co.is available at Ancestry.com$

An 1890 map of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company including Eastern Washington is available at Ancestry.com$

1910 Map of the Spokane Indian Reservation is available at Ancestry.com$

Atlases, Gazetteers, Maps held by Stevens County Historical Society

• Two early County Engineer's maps
• Undated early partly platted lower British Columbia, Columbia River
• 1810-1871 coast to coast territory covered by artist Paul Kane for Hudson Bay
• 1863 state map showing which areas have been surveyed
• 1863 county map showing place names
• 1870 Colville and north end
• 1870-1883 Colville area, shows cemeteries, etc.
• 1887 survey of military Fort Colville
• 1890 two sections of Meyers Falls
• 1903 Colville area, shows cemeteries, etc
• 1910 railroad map,  Stevens and Bonner County, Idaho
• 1911 section map
• 1912 Original Triplicate Copy of the Northwesten Mutual Fire Association, Seattle Washington (Sanborn Maps) for Colville with viewable corrections.
• 1929 Original Triplicate Copy of the Northwesten Mutual Fire Association, Seattle Washington (Sanborn Maps) Northport with viewable corrections.
• 1952 county topography map
• 1963 Metsker's book of maps
• Original Stevens County plat maps (complete collection)
• Colville region topography
• Old Colville City map
• City of Colville
• Map of Kettle Falls
• Sanborn Insurnance Maps (shows buildings)
• State Highway Map 

Military

The Washington State Department of Military Museum details the formation and history of the territorial militia and national guard units in seven pdf files.  

• Vol 2. Washington Territorial Militia in the Indian Wars of 1855-56 included a few reports from the Colville area.
• Vol 3. Washington Territorial Militia in the Civil War includes a summary of units, personnel and actions in the Colville area.
• Vol 4. Washington National Guard in the Phillipine Insurrection includes reports of activity at Fort Colville and the surrounding area.  Brigadier General Nelson A. Miles in 1880-81, commanding the Department of the Columbia reported on troops constructing military roads from Fort Colville to Fort Spokane and Fort Colville to Camp Spokane.  Includes the report of General Sherman's visit to the area in 1883 with extensive details of the trip from Fort Spokane to Fort Colville on the military road.  Report refers to Chewellah as better known as Brown's.
• Vol 5. Washington National Guard in World War I includes information about the Guard (Army and Naval) prior to the war and reports of personnel who died during the war.
• Vol. 6 Washington National Guard in World War II includes report of a Reserve unit at Chewelah on May 20, 1942 and Colville on 9 May 1942. 
• Vol 7 Washington National Guard in Post World War II: Reports on the re-organization of the National Guard, Guard personnel efforts in the 1948 Floods, extensive summary of the Korean War by Army and Air Force units and includes reports of personnel lost during the Korean War listed by county. 
•         Company D, 161st Infantry at Colville was activated on 29 June 1953 and became Company D, 1st Btl Group, 161st Infantry in 1959.  1963 saw another reorganization and the unit became Company B (2nd Rifle Plat) 1st Bn, 161 Infantry. The Colville Armory was constructed in 1856.
•         Heavy Mortar Company, 161st Infantry at Chewelah was converted, redesignated or re-organized 1 Nov 1952, the Mortar Plat Company D, 161st became the 3rd R & W Plat, Company A, 1st Btl, 161st Infantry in 1959.   The Chewelah Armory was under construction in 1953.

Fort Colville, located three miles northeast of the current City of Colville, was established June 20, 1859. Initial troops were from the Company A and Company E of the Ninth Infantry under command of Capt. Pinkney Lugenbeel.

• November 1861 to July 1862, Companies C and D of the California Volunteers of the 2nd Voluntary Infantry.

• July 1862 - May 1865, two companies of the Washington Territory Volunteers

• May 1865 - November 1865, one company of Oregon Volunteers

• November 1865 - May 1867, one company of the Fourteenth U.S. Infantry

• May 1867 - June 1872, various companies of the 23rd Infantry

• June 1872 - June 1875, Company E, 21st U.S. Infantry.

• May 1875 - Additional reinforcements by Company M, 1st Calvary in May 1875 and Company L, 1st Calvary in June 1875. The Calvary departed October 1877.

• October 1877 - 2nd Infantry returned.

• November 1879 - A company of the 1st Calvary reinforced the 2nd Infantry.

U.S. Fort Colville was ordered closed September 20, 1882.

More information about the U.S. troops and members of the American Border Commission is available in Colville Collection Book Two: Military Fort Colville by Patrick J. Graham A history of Military Fort Colville (1859-1882) including its officers, and historical manuscripts of events of that period in Colville and northeastern Washington. ....169 pages plus index. Book is available at NeWGS

Civil War Veterans Buried in Stevens County by Roger W. May Information on almost 300 veterans who are buried in or have lived in Stevens County ….219 pages with 217 photos. Book is available at NeWGS

"World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel from Washington" at the National Archives. Query for the exact title; go to the Digital Copies tab, and page through to Stevens County to view those service members who died during WWII.

Stevens County Vietnam War Casualties at USGenWeb.

Naturalization

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. Stevens County Naturalization, Declarations of Intentions, and Petition for Naturalization records range from 1908-1973.

Newspapers

Colville Examiner 1907-1920 is available online thanks to the Washington State Library, Library of Congress, and the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities.

The WA National Digital Newspaper Program wiki part of the National Digital Newspaper Project provides the digitization status of state newspapers.

The Statesman-Examiner is published weekly in Colville.

The Chewelah Independent has been published weekly since 1903. Information about the newspaper is available from the Chewelah Chamber of Commerce website.

An extensive collection of local newspapers on microfilm is available at the Kettle Falls Public Library and some others at the Colville Public Library and Stevens County Historical Society. The Northeast Washington Genealogical Society maintains a listing of these papers.

The Spokane Public Library Downtown Branch has a large microfilm collection of Spokane papers, which has some coverage of Stevens County.

Schools

All schools in Stevens County are under the Northeast Washington Educational Service District 101 located at Regal Center 4202 S. Regal Street, Spokane, WA 99223-7738, phone number (p.) 509-789-3800

Current School Districts are:

Chewelah SD #36 Chewelah p. 509-685-6800

Columbia SD #206 Hunters p. 509-722-3311

Colville SD #115Colville p. 509-684-7857

Deer Park SD #414 Deer Park p. 509-464-5507

Evergreen SD #205 Gifford p. 509-722-6084

Kettle Falls SD #212 Kettle Falls p. 509-738-6625

Loon Lake SD #183 Loon Lake p. 509-233-2212

Mary Walker SD #207 Springdale p. 509-258-4534

Nine Mile Falls SD #325 Nine Mile Falls p. 509-340-4300

Northport SD #211 Northport p. 509-732-4441 Ext. 189

Onion Creek SD #30 Onion Creek p. 509-732-4240

Orient SD #65 Orient p. 509-684-6873

Summit Valley SD #202 Addy p. 509-935-6362

ESD 101 records at the Washington State Archives at Cheney include item EA801-36-14 Pioneer Interviews (Stevens County) for 1933-47; item EA801-36-1 School Census (Stevens County) school census records for 1915-32, and other early school records. The Digital Archives also has a 1927 Spokane County School District map. Note: Beginning in July or August 2010, the State Archives at Cheney will begin digitizing the 1915-32 School Census Records and, once the names are extracted, the index and images will be available through the Digital Archives.

The Last Bell by Alpha Naff (reprinted 2005 by NeWGS) A history of the rural schools in Stevens County ….152 pages, indexed. Available at at NeWGS and the Libraries of Stevens County (Submitter's note: If you can only get one book on Stevens County, this is it! Mrs. Naff not only discusses each school, but explains how and when the community came about and how it grew or disappeared.)

The Stevens County Historical Society (SCHS) has the October 1897 to June 1904 bound record of teachers' contracts (leather bound with contract information recorded three to a page similar to a receipt book).

SCHS has the August 1891 to 1901 School District No. 32, Pleasant Valley Pupil Attendence Binder.

SCHS has the School District No. 2 Colville Schools Board of Director Minutes, May 15, 1903 – April 8, 1920

The Internet Archives has an article about Washington State Teacher's Cottages in 1915 by Josephine Corliss Preston

Vital Records

Births

• 1891-1907 Washington State Births are available at Ancestry.com$

• 1907-1919 Washington State Births are available at Ancestry.com$

Marriages

• Marriages from 3 Jun 1859 to 15 Feb 1891 are available at the Western States Marriage Index website.

• Marriages from 1860 to 2008 are available at Washington State Digital Archives.

Deaths

• 1891 - 1907 Washington State Deaths are available at Ancestry.com$

• 1940-1996 Washington State Death Index is available at Ancestry.com$

• 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.

Notes from Basic Guide for Genealogy Research in Stevens, Ferry & Pend Oreille Counties by Nancy Wright, Susan DeChant, and Shirley Dodson of NeWGS:  "Stevens County is long and narrow, bisected by the Huckleberry Mountains running north and south through the middle.  In the early days, travel was difficult and there were almost no roads.  During the winter it was impossible to go very far, so people often did their "marrying" and "burying" in Lincoln County if they lived along the River at the south end of the county.  They also went to Spokane County for supplies or to get married.  If they lived in the north end of the county, they caught the ore train going to the smelter in Trail, British Columbia, got off at Rossland, had time to get married and catch the train on its return trip to the states.  All this could be done in time to get home for evening chores.  The railroad was completed in 1892-93.  Lincoln County seat is located in Davenport, WA 99122. The address for the proper office in Rossland is Vital Record, Court Registry, Box 639, Rossland, B.C. VOG 1YO, phone 604-362-7368."

Societies and Libraries

The Northeast Washington Genealogical Society assists those researching in Ferry, Pend Oreille, and Stevens County. Classes and meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month. Mailing address is Northeast Washington Genealogical Society, c/o Colville Public Library, 195 S Oak, Colville, WA 99114.

The NeWGS's publication, Pioneer Branches is available at the Colville Public Library (part of the Libraries of Stevens County), Allen County Public Library, and through the society. Indexes are available on Persi from 1986 to 2007.

The Libraries of Stevens County (formerly the Stevens County Rural Library District) has branches in Chewelah, Colville, Hunters, Kettle Falls, Lakeside, Loon Lake, Northport, Springdale, and a station at Onion Creek.

The Stevens County Historical Society at 700 N Wynne St. P.O. Box 25, Colville, WA 99114 maintains the Keller House and Stevens County Museum.

Web Sites

• Family History Library Catalog

• Northeast Washington Genealogical Society

• Eastern Washington Genealogical Society

• Washington State Genealogical Society

• Washington State Historical Society

• Stevens County Historical Society

• Clayton/Deer Park Historical Society

• US GenWeb Stevens County Washington

• Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory

• The Libraries of Stevens County

• The Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History

• Stevens County, Washington Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

• Eastern Washington University Digital Collection

• Washington State University Digital Collection

• University of Washington Digital Collection

• Gonzaga University Digital Collection