Wahkiakum County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Wahkiakum County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1854 when the county was formed.

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for Chief Wahkiakum ("Tall Timber") of the Chinook, who is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery in Cathlamet. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

Parent County(s)
Wahkiakum County, Washington was created 24 April 1854 from Cowlitz County.

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

Boundary Changes

 * Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Courthouse
Wahkiakum County Courthouse 64 Main Street PO Box 116; Cathlamet, WA 98612 Phone: 360.795.3558 County Auditor has birth records 1891-1907 and marriage records from from 1891. County Clerk has burial, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1868.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in.

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

Census

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1857 •  1871 •  1885 •  1887
 * State-funded: 1892
 * These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for are listed in the . (Press space bar to select town.)
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * Wahkiakum 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 procedure of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of 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.

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

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Guardianship
Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by the probate and the Federal District courts. See Washington Court Records.

History

 * "Wahkiakum County Heritage" digital collection, per Washington State Library blog.
 * "Wahkiakum County, Washington Facts" at StateOfUS.com. (Mis-labeled as Wahkiakum 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 Kit Oldham. Wahkiakum County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 8011.


 * The lower Columbia River, including the future Wahkiakum County, was home to one of the most numerous and richest indigenous populations north of Mexico.
 * 1792 - May, American fur trader Robert Gray became the first non-Indian to enter the Columbia River.
 * 1806 - Lewis and Clark met up surviving Cathlamets from the south bank and crossed the river.
 * 1800s - For a generation, those who followed Gray and Lewis and Clark to the Columbia came not to settle but to trade, especially for furs.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1854 - April 24, The Washington Territorial Legislature established Wahkiakum County.
 * 1846 - James and Charlotte Birnie and their children became the first pioneers to settle permanently in Wahkiakum County.
 * 1850s - Homesteaders began farming the Elochoman Valley near Cathlamet.
 * 1870s - Scandinavian immigrants began arriving.
 * Until well into the twentieth century, the Columbia River and its tributaries were virtually the only transportation system for Wahkiakum County.

Land and Property

 * County Land Records, 1850-1954 at Washington, County Land Records, 1850-1954 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Military

 * 1921-1925 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 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: Declaration of intention 1890-1951; Final record 18911958; Miscellaneous naturalization records 1884-1974; Certificate receipts 1907-1925; Petition records 1907-1961.


 * Declarations of Intention, 1891-1951 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Miscellaneous Naturalization Records, 1891-1913 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Petitions for Naturalization, 1891-1961 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Newspapers

 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library
 * Wahkiakum County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)

Probate Records

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


 * Probate Records 1887-1921 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Probate of wills 1877-1914; Record of wills 1915-1921.



Public Records

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

Birth

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

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 - Washington, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1855-2008 - FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Index 1907-1915 Vol 2 &amp;3; Affidavits 1907-1939.


 * 1891-1947 - Marriage returns (1891-1947) and marriage certificates (1899-1995 with images, at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.


 * 1907-1939 - Marriage Affidavits, 1907-1939 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)


 * 1969-2014 - at FamilySearch — index

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.


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


 * Death Returns 1891-1907 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

 * Astoria Oregon Family History Center
 * Long Beach Washington Family History Center
 * Longview Washington Family History Center

Libraries

 * Cathlamet (Blanche Bradley) Public Library 100 Main Street Cathlamet, WA 98612 Phone: 360-795-3254 Website

Museums

 * Wahkiakum Historical Society Museum 65 River Street PO Box 541 Cathlamet, WA 98612 Phone: 360-849-4353 Facebook

Societies

 * Wahkiakum Historical Society
 * Lower Columbia Genealogical Society Wahkiakum County books in the genealogy room.

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: