Cowlitz County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Cowlitz County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1861, when the county was formed.

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named from the anglicized version of the Cowlitz Indian term, Cow-e-liske, meaning either "river of shifting sands" or "capturing the medicine spirit." The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

Parent County(s)
Parent County: created 21 April 1854 from Lewis

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

Boundary Changes

 * Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Neighboring Counties
is surrounded by: Clark | Lewis | Skamania | Wahkiakum | Columbia County, Oregon

Courthouse
Cowlitz County Courthouse 207 4th Ave North Kelso, WA 98626-1798 Phone 360.577.3016 County Auditor has marriage record from 1867, death record 1891-1907 and land records. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1874, naturalization and adoption records from 1869.


 * Inventory of the county archives of Washington, no. 8. Cowlitz County (Kelso) (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in.

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

Cemeteries

 * Cowlitz County Genealogical Society Cowlitz County Genealogical Resources - online and available books

Census

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
 * Federal:1910
 * Territorial: 1870, 1871 • 1883 •  1885 • 1887
 * These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

Church Records

 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for are listed in the . (Press space bar to select town.)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


 * Kelso

Lutheran

 * Records of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Castle Rock, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * Cowlitz Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no 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.


 * Power of Attorney Records 1986 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * Inventory of the county archives of Washington, no. 8. Cowlitz County (Kelso) (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

American Indian

 * 1911 - 1919 at FamilySearch — images

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.

Gazetteers

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

History

 * "Logging Industry in Cowlitz Co., Washington " online at DrizzleHosting.com
 * "Cowlitz Co., WA Databases " at DrizzleHosting.com
 * Cowlitz County, Washington Facts at StateofUS.com (mis-labeled as Cowlitz County, Alabama)

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. Cowlitz County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7482.


 * The original inhabitants of the lands drained by the Cowlitz River were variously called The, Cow-a-lidsk, Cowalitsk, Cow-e-lis-kee, Cowelits, Cowlitch, Co-litsick, Kawelitsk, Cowalitsk, Kowlitz, Kowlitz.
 * 1792 - The first Europeans to visit the county were British seafarers.
 * 1805 - November 5, Lewis and Clark camped at the mouth of the Kalama River, under orders from President Thomas Jefferson.
 * 1825 - Permanent settlers arrived from the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) at Fort Vancouver.
 * 1828 - The first white man credited with ascending the Cowlitz River was HBC Factor George Simpson.
 * 1820s (late)- 1830s - The Cowlitz became an important artery for trappers and for communication with Fort Vancouver subposts at Cowlitz Farms and Nisqually Farms.
 * 1847 - December 25, The first American to settle in the future Cowlitz County was Scotsman Peter W. Crawford (1822-1889), who took a on the left bank of the Cowlitz near the mouth of the Coweeman.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1854 - April 21, The Washington Territorial Legislature formed Cowlitz County.

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.
 * Recorded Land Records 1986-2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Recorded Plats and Surveys 1986 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Recorded Agreements and Contracts 1986 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Maps

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

Military

 * at FamilySearch — index
 * World War II enlistments. Select search codes for state and county. These are partial lists. The NARA website cautions: "This series does not contain records of all World War II Army enlistees."
 * Recorded Military Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Washington County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982 at Washington, County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Included in this collection: Application &amp; oaths 1938-1950; Declaration on intention 1906-1951; Final record 1890-1916, Vol 1 &amp; 2; Index cards 1930-1979 Aalberberg, Gerardus Johannes Marinus-Riney, Inez Marie; Index cards 1930-1979 Riney, Inez Marie-Zybach, Mrs Lenora Christine; Jouranl of citizenship 1886-1890; Petition records 1906-1950; Petition records index 1910-1950.


 * Naturalization Records, 1856-1980 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * The records include petitions, declarations of intention, certificates, depositions and final papers.

Newspapers

 * Cowlitz County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)


 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library

Probate Records

 * Will index 1882-1914 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Public Records

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

School Records

 * at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes collections of various records: vital, probate, school, tax, naturalization and other records.
 * School Registers are arranged by grade and gives names, ages, attendance.
 * School Censuses include names, birth dates, parents or guardians.

Taxation

 * at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes collections of various records: vital, probate, school, tax, naturalization and other records.

Birth

 * — index and images
 * Birth Register, 1891-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1855–2008 at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1854-1887 - Marriages from 9 Nov 1854 to 18 Sep 1887 are available on the Western States Marriage Index website


 * 1986-2012 Marriage Records, 1986-2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection (Free)

Divorce
Online Records
 * 1969 - 2014 at FamilySearch — index


 * County Divorce Records, 1852-1950. Washington, County Divorce Records, 1852-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Death

 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index
 * at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * Death Returns 1898-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Archives, Libraries, etc.
Resources for 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 (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana) for.

Family History Centers

 * Centralia Washington Family History Center
 * Longview Washington Family History Center
 * Morton Washington Family History Center
 * St Helens Oregon Family History Center
 * Stevenson Washington Family History Center
 * Vancouver Washington Family History Center
 * Vancouver Washington North Family History Center
 * Vancouver Washington West Family History Center
 * Vernonia Oregon Family History Center


 * Clark County Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Castle Rock Public Library 137 Cowlitz Street West PO Box 1350 Castle Rock, WA 98611 Phone: 360-274-6961 Email: [mailto:rocklibrary@hotmail.com rocklibrary@hotmail.com] Website
 * Kalama Public Library 312 N 1st PO Box 576 Kalama, WA 98625 Phone: 360-673-4568 Website
 * Kelso Public Library Three Rivers Mall 351 Three Rivers Drive, Suite 1263 Kelso, WA 98626 Phone: 360-423-8110 Website
 * Longview Public Library 1600 Louisiana Street Longview, WA 98632 Phone: 360-442-5300 Website
 * Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries 1007 E. Mill Plain Blvd. Vancouver, WA 98663 Phone: 360-906-5000 Website

Societies
Cowlitz County Historicial Society and Museum 405 Allen St. Kelso, WA 98626 360-577-3119 Website Facebook

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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties