Platte County, Wyoming Genealogy

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

Description
Platte County was founded in 1911. The County Seat is Wheatland. The County is located in the north center area of Platte County. The county was named for the North Platte River.

County Courthouse
Platte County Courthouse 806 9th Street Wheatland, WY 82201 Phone: 307.322.3555 Platte County Website County Clerk has marriage and land records from 1890; Clerk of the District Court has divorce, probate and court records.

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

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:

Cemeteries
The following web site has additional information on Platte county cemeteries.


 * Interment.net Wyoming cemetery records by county.

Territory and State Census Records

 * 1850 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Utah Territory Census.
 * 1860 - 1910 - Wyoming Compiled Census at Ancestry.com — ($), index and images
 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Wyoming was included in the 1860 Nebraska Territory Census
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Wyoming Territory Census
 * 1880 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Wyoming Territory Census

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of Wyoming starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Wyoming Census.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796 - 1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1863 - 1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * Wyoming Platte County Heritage. 1981. Wheatland, Wyoming: Platte County Extension Homemakers Council;

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Wyoming - shows boundary changes for Wyoming Counties
 * Historical Maps and Atlases of wyoming - maps and atlases of Wyoming

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Platte County, Wyoming Genealogy for European and African American settlers included:


 * Platte River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Online Collections
These collections are unique to Wyoming. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Wyoming Military Records.

Civil War No known military units were raised specifically from Wyoming as it did not become a state until 1890. However men from the territories that became Wyoming fought in other units during the Civil War. World War I World War II For further information see Wyoming Military Records.
 * 1861 - 1865 at FamilySearch.— index
 * 1883 List of Civil War Pensioners, Wyoming, 1883 - Index only
 * 1890 at FamilySearch.— index
 * 1917 - 1918 at FamilySearch — Index and images
 * WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualties for Wyoming - Index only

Newspapers
 Wyoming Newspapers Online Wyoming Newspaper Catalogs
 * Wyoming Newspapers.
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Wyoming newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Wyoming newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Wyoming newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

Vital Records

 * 1908 - 1966 at FamilySearch — index

Marriage

 * 1839 - 1957 Wyoming, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * Western States Marriage Index - Index, incomplete, list of counties included
 * 1867 - 1941 Wyoming Marriages 1867-1941 at FindMyPast ($), index.
 * 1877 - 1920 at FamilySearch— Index
 * 1877 - 1920 Wyoming, Marriages, 1877-1920 at MyHeritage ($) — index.

Death

 * Wyoming Death Index at Wyoming State Archives — index (currently contains only A-E, it is a work in progress)

Family History Centers

 * Wheatland Wyoming Family History Center

Libraries
Platte County Public Library 904 9th St Wheatland, WY 82201, USA Phone: 307-322-2689 307-322-3540 Email: [mailto:pcpl@plattecountylibrary.org pcpl@plattecountylibrary.org] Website

Guernsey Public Library 108 S Wyoming Ave Guernsey, WY 82214, USA Phone: 307-836-2816 Website

Societies
County, Township and City Societies

Platte County Historical Society 44 Mt. Drive Wheatland WY 82201 Website

Websites

 * Platte County WYGenWeb
 * Platte County, WY History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wyoming Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Wyoming Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.