Nye County, Nevada Genealogy

United States Nevada  Nye County

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

Historical Facts

 * Parent County: created 16 February 1864 from Esmeralda
 * County seat: Tonopah
 * Neighboring Counties: Churchill NV | Clark NV | Esmeralda NV | Eureka NV | Inyo County CA | Lander NV | Lincoln NV | Mineral NV | White Pine NV

Historical Timeline


 * Until 1821 - New Spain controlled land that later would become Nevada. Some records of early settlers may have been sent to an archives in Seville, Spain, or to archives in Mexico City.
 * In 1821 - Mexico obtained jurisdiction over the land that later would become Nevada. Records of this period may have been sent to archives in Mexico City.
 * 18 Aug 1846 - During the war with Mexico, the US took control of Santa Fe and proclaimed sovereignty over the land that later became the New Mexico Territory. Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration, the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
 * 4 July 1848 - In the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Mexico ceded all of present day Nevada. Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration, the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
 * 9 Jan 1852 - New Mexico redefined the boundaries of previous counties and created new ones to cover all the land within its territory. The land that would someday be southern Nye County was once part of Taos, San Juan (1861-1862 only), Rio Arriba, Santa Ana, Bernalillo, Valencia, and Socorro counties of New Mexico.  Look for records in Dona Ana County, Socorro County, Bernalillo, Rio Arriba, Taos, and Valencia counties.
 * 24 Feb 1863 - The US created the Arizona Territory from the western half of New Mexico Territory. All previous counties were discontinued for this new territory. Look for records in the Arizona State Library and New Mexico State Records Center and Archives
 * 10 Nov 1864 - Mohave County was created as one of the four original counties in Arizona. This county named for the Mojave Indians. Look for records in Mohave County.
 * 22 December 1865 - Pah-Ute County was created by Arizona out of the north part Mohave County. Look for records in Mohave County.
 * 18 January 1867 - A large portion of Pah-Ute County and a smaller portion of Mohave County was given to Nevada by the US government. Nevada used the land to increase Lincoln and Nye counties. Utah opposed this transfer of land by creating Rio Virgin County which extended out of Utah, covering a large portion of southern Lincoln and Nye counties. Arizona opposed loosing this land, twice petitioned Congress for repeal of the law. Up thru 1868, representatives from Pah-Ute county attended the Arizona legislature. Look for records in Mohave County AZ, Washington County UT, Lincoln County NV and Nye County NV.
 * 18 February 1871 - Arizona discontinued Pah-Ute County, finally accepting the loss after exhausting all legal remedies. The remainder of Pah-Ute County AZ was restored to Mohave County AZ. Look for records in Mohave County AZ

Courthouse
Nye County Courthouse 101 Radar Rd; PO Box 1031; Tonopah, NV 89049-1031 775–482–8127 County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1860. County Recorder has land records

Family History Centers

 * Beatty Nevada Family History Center
 * Gabbs Nevada Family History Center
 * Pahrump Nevada Family History Center
 * Smokey Valley Nevada Family History Center
 * Tonopah Nevada Family History Center

Libraries

 * Gabbs Community Library 602 Third St Gabbs, NV 89409 775-285-2686

Museums
Central Nevada Museum

Societies

 * Central Nevada Historical Society, 1900 Logan Field Road P. O. Box 326 Tonopah, NV 89049

Marriage
Over 199 marriages from 2 Oct 1864 to 9 Apr 1903 are listed in the Western States Marriage Index.

Death
Records of deaths and burials in Nye, Esmeralda and Mineral Counties with index. Sources include newspapers and funeral homes.

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.