Lincoln County, Washington Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States. The County is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
 Lincoln County Courthouse 406 Sinclair Street Davenport, WA 99122 Phone: 509-725-2281 Lincoln County Website

County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907, marriage and land records from 1891. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records.

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:

History Timeline

 * The land that would become Lincoln County was home to the Spokane tribe.
 * 1810 after, Fur traders traversed the region en route to Spokane House in present-day Spokane County.
 * 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1869 Russell M. Bacon, a Bostonian who came to the Crab Creek area of the future Lincoln County and Patrick Cumasky, were among the region's first permanent settlers.
 * 1880 The United States government established a military reservation called Camp Spokane at the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia rivers in Lincoln County.
 * 1883 November 24, Lincoln County was formed.
 * 1880s Early settlers planted wheat crops.

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Archives
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1885, 1887, 1889


 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Inventory of the county archives of Washington, no. 22. Lincoln County (Davenport) at Ancestry ($)
 * Lincoln Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State 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.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
American Indians
 * 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Japanese
 * 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Local Histories

 * Story of Lincoln County, Washington by Richard F. Steele [(Spokane, Wash..); Lincoln County A.Y.P. Commission, 1909] online at Washington History
 * This book has numerous errors and its facts should viewed with circumspection.


 * Lincoln County, Washington Facts at StateofUS.com (mis-labeled as Lincoln County, Alabama)
 * Illustrated history of the Big Bend country by Western Historical Publishing Company [(Spokane, Wash.) Western Historical Pub. Co., 1904] online at Washington History
 * Inventory of the county archives of Washington, no. 22. Lincoln County (Davenport) at Ancestry ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records

 * 1885-1907 Military Department, National Guard Enlistment Register, 1885-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Indian Wars
 * 1855-1856 Military Department, Indian War Muster Rolls, 1855-1856 at Washington State Archives - index and images

World War I
 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War II

Japanese
 * 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1886-1906 Lincoln County Clerk, Registers of Certificates of Naturalization, 1886-1906 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1886-1906 Lincoln County Clerk, Registers of Declarations of Intention, 1886-1906 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1906-1970 Lincoln County Clerk, Naturalization Records, 1906-1970 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Newspapers

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

Obituaries

 * Lincoln County Obituaries at WAGenWeb

Also check:
 * Washington Genealogy
 * Local Funeral Homes, Libraries, or family records.
 * Obituaries of neighboring counties

Other Records
Public Records
 * Prior to 1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

Voting Records
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Periodicals

 * Washington Periodicals

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Probate Journals 1892-1961; Probate Record Index 1885-1982; Will Records 1884-1945.

School Records
Online School Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 Washington, County Records, 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

Birth

 * 1852-1963 Washington, Births at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1871-1921 Department of Health, Delayed Birth Records at Washington State Archives - index and images; includes some earlier and later dates
 * 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1855–2008 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1883-2004 Lincoln County Auditor, Marriage Records, 1883-2004 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1884-1887 Western States Marriage Index - index
 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Marriage Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1969-2022 Department of Health, Marriage Index, 1969-2022 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Death

 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1907-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1907-1997 Department of Health, Death Certificates, July 1, 1907-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1907-2020 Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2020 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1915-1928 Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Fatal Accident Cards, 1915-1928 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1919-1921 Department of Health, Fetal Death Records, 1919-1921 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Divorce

 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Divorce Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1969-2017 Department of Health, Divorce Index, 1969-2017 at Washington State Archives - index and images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Coulee Dam Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Davenport Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Ephrata Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Riverside Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Spokane Washington East FamilySearch Center
 * Spokane Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Spokane Washington North FamilySearch Center
 * Spokane Washington West FamilySearch Center

Libraries
Resources for Lincoln County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.

Davenport Public Library 505 7th St Davenport, WA 99122 Phone: 509-725-4355 Website Harrington Public Library PO Box 496 Harrington, WA 99134 Phone: 509-253-4345 Website Odessa Public Library 21 E First St Odessa, WA 99159 Phone: 509-982-2654 Website Reardan Memorial Library 120 S Oak Reardan, WA 99029 Phone: 509-994-9997 Website Sprague Public Library 119 West Second Sprague, WA 99032 Phone: 509-257-2662 Website Wilbur (Hesseltine) Public Library 14 NW Division Wilbur, WA 99185 Phone: 509-647-5828 Website

Societies
Lincoln County Historical Society PO Box 869 Davenport, WA 99122 509-725-6711 Website

Websites

 * WAGenWeb for Lincoln County
 * USGenWeb
 * Washington State Digital Archives
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.