Umatilla County, Oregon Genealogy

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

Oregon Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for the Umatilla River. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1862.

Umatilla County Government

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

Historical Facts
27 September 1862: Umatilla county was created from Wasco County.

Named after the Umatilla River. The name Umatilla is derived from the Native American name for the river, which was first recorded as Youmalolam in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Boundary Changes
14 October 1864: Grant

16 February 1885: Morrow County set off.

For animated maps illustrating Oregon County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Oregon County Boundary Maps" (1843-1975) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Populated Places
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:

Defunct Post Offices

 * Adams: The town is about 13 miles northeast of Pendleton on Wildhorse Creek. Named for John F. Adams, part of whose homestead is now included in the town. Post Office established 9 July 1883 with William H. McCoy, postmaster.
 * Albee: A post office with the name Snipe was established at this locality on June 17, 1881, undoubtedly taking its name from nearby Snipe Creek. John H. Clifford was postmaster. On Apr. 17, 1882, the name was changed to Alba and in 1887 a plat for the community was filed using the same form. Alba is the Latin word for white. Sometime near the turn of the century the place became known as Albee for the Albee brothers, well-known locak stockmen, and on July 30, 1907 the name of the post office was changed to conform. Like many other small communities in eastern Oregon, has suffered the ravages of time begining with the depression of the 1930s and accelerating during World War II. The post office was closed on Oct. 31, 1943. All that remains are a few weatherbeaten buildings on private property.

Indian Reservation
Umatilla (Confederated Tribes of Umatilla - specifically Sahaptin-speaking Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla tribes)

Neighboring Counties
Grant | Morrow | Union | Wallowa | Washington counties: Benton | Columbia | Walla Walla

Trivia Tidbits
Information about localities, too small or too brief to describe in separate pages. Exception to this are Post Offices. Trivia Tidbits

Biography
Trivia Tidbits: Little biographic bits associated with the names of non-population localities.

Cemeteries

 * Oregon Metro
 * Oregon Genealogy Cemeteries

Church History and Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * FamilySearch Places

County Records

 * County Records Inventory lists record collections and locations held.

History

 * 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)

Maps

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from for European and African American settlers included:


 * Columbia River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1919-1920 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1921-1938 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Names and towns of people serving during the World War from Umatilla County, Oregon, in the service of the United States

Newspapers
Oregon Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1833–1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)

Rivers and Waterways
Details about the rivers and waterways where farms and settlements are often found along them. Rivers and Waterways

Vital Records
The Family History Library has copies of some records such as:

Umatilla County record of deaths 1907-1929, certificates of death 1913-1944

See also How to order Oregon Vital Records, order electronically online or download an application for Oregon Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

Birth Records

 * 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images (*); Also at: Ancestry
 * 1860-1952 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Delayed Birth Certificates

Marriage Records

 * 1826-1975 Oregon, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1842-1917 Oregon, U.S., State Births, 1842-1917 at Ancestry - index and images ($); Also at: 
 * 1849-1884; 1991-2006 at FamilySearch — index and images; collection is incomplete.
 * 1906-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Marriages, 1906-1968 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
 * Extractions of early marriages are listed on the Western States Marriage Index
 * Marriage Index 1885-1896 Actually is a book of affiants reporting the marriages. Historical Records Collection

Societies, Libraries and Museums
Umatilla County Historical Society 108 S W Frazer PO Box 253 Pendleton, OR 97801 Phone: 541-276-0012 Website Facebook

Umatilla County Library District 425 S Main St Pendleton, OR 97801 Phone: 541-276-6449

Family History Centers

 * Boardman Oregon Family History Center
 * Hermiston Oregon Family History Center
 * Pendleton Oregon Family History Center
 * The Genealogical Forum of Oregon - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Umatilla County, OR History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Oregon Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Umatilla County GenWeb Project, part of The ORGenWeb Project
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Project