Adams County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Adams County, Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth, marriage, and death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1883, when the county was formed.

Parent County(s)
Adams County was created 28 November 1883 from Whitman County

County Seat: Ritzville. See also Towns and Communities in.

Boundary Changes

 * Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

For animated maps illustrating Washington County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Washington County Boundary Maps" (1843-1915) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Neighboring Counties
is surrounded by:Franklin | Grant | Lincoln | Whitman Named for John Adams, 2nd President of the United States. Originally mostly cattle ranching, the big wheat crop shifted the agriculture from cattle to wheat farming in 1897.

Courthouse
Adams County Courthouse 210 W Broadway Avenue Ritzville, WA 99169-1860 Phone: (509) 659–3257 County Auditor has birth and death records to 1907 and marriage records. County Clerk has divorce and probate records. County assessor has land records

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in.

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

Cemeteries

 * Tombstone inscriptions of Adams County, Washington (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Census

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)
 * Territorial: 1885,1887, and 1889
 * These were indexed by local societies and individuals


 * School Census Records, 1912-1932Part of: Washington County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Church Records

 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for are listed in the . (Press space bar to select town.)
 * Pioneer History to about 1900... Adams County, Washington Churches of Christ and Christian Churches, at NCBible.org.

Lutheran

 * Records of Emanuel Lutheran Church, Adams County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Court Records

 * Adams Frontier Justice Part of "Frontier Justice": Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1888 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 1988 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

American Indian

 * 1911 - 1919 - at FamilySearch — images

Japanese

 * Japanese Internment World War II Files, 1942-1946. Public Welfare/Social Security Department at Washington State Digital Archives.
 * Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Genealogy

 * Adams County History Book, 2 v. by Adams County Historical Society, online index to vol 1. "The book contains over 300 family histories"

History

 * Adams County -- Thumbnail History at Historylink.org


 * Adams County History Book, 2 v. Adams County Historical Society
 * online index to vol 1


 * Illustrated history of the Big Bend country by Western Historical Publishing Company [(Spokane, Wash.) Western Historical Pub. Co., 1904] at Washington History

See photo gallery at Adams County Historical Society

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 Paula Becker. Adams County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7835.


 * 1803 - Before this time, the land that would later make up Adams County was part of the territory of the Palouse tribe.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1863 - January 20, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Stevens County.
 * 1869 - George Lucas, an Irish emigrant, was Adams County's first permanent white settler. He established a way-station at Cow Creek along the road to
 * 1871 - November 29, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Whitman County (out of Stevens).
 * 1880 - James G. Bennett harvested a small wheat crop near Ritzville.
 * 1881 - May, The began laying track through Adams County.
 * 1883 - November 28, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Adams and Franklin counties (out of Whitman).
 * 1884 - Brothers Ben and Sam Hutchinson built a cabin on lower Crab Creek.
 * 1889 - November 11, Washington becomes a state.
 * 1897 - Adams County bumper wheat crop spurs shift from cattle ranching.
 * 1901 - The first homesteaders arrived.
 * 1928-1931, During a severe drought that resulted in dustbowl conditions, many people left the area.
 * 1942 - was completed in 1942.
 * 1950 - Construction on the reached the Othello area, bringing the water of the Columbia River to irrigate Adams County's dry land.

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.


 * Land Records 1988 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free: Index - some images)
 * Plats and Surveys 1988-2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collections. (Free: Index - some images)
 * Typically agreements and contracts recorded in the auditor’s office deal with real property.


 * Part of Washington County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Land Index 1895-1920; Petitions for sale of real estate 1903-1910.

Maps

 * 1909 Map at Adams County Historical Society site.

See Neighboring Counties

Military

 * 1921-1925 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Washington State Digital Archives (Free) has digitized various types of naturalization-related records. For the collection includes:
 * Certificates of Naturalization 1906 - 1945
 * Naturalization Records, 1903-1956
 * Declarations of Intent, 1890-1907
 * Orders of Naturalization, 1890-1906


 * Part of Washington County Records 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Naturalization card index 1890-1945; Naturalization records-miscellaneous 1917-1927; Naturalization records 1898-1906.

Newspapers

 * Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)


 * Adams County news
 * Washington State journal and Adams County news

Probate Records


Part of: Washington County Records 1803-2010 at (Free, browse images)


 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Probate bonds 1903-1923; Probate claims 1903-1917; Probate letters 1904-1927; Probate records1885-1931; Will record index 1885-1920; Will records 1888-1959; Letters of Administration 1888-1964.

Public Records

 * Adams County Auditor, Miscellaneous Recordings at Washington State Digital Archives Collections. (Free: Index + Images)
 * Includes a variety of documents, such as affidavits for wills or property, judgements, even occasional death records.
 * Adams Postmaster Index. Part of Washington, Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965, FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * Adams Ordinances passed. (Free: Index - some images)
 * Passed by various governing bodies in Adams County and recorded by the Adams County Auditor
 * Adams Powers of Attorney, 1988-2012 (Free, Indexes and some images)
 * One person (grantor) appoints another person (grantee) to act on his or her behalf in health, financial, and property issues.
 * Part of Washington County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Record Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


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

School Records

 * Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes School census 1912-1932; School registers 1903-1926.

Birth

 * Adams County Births 1894 - 1907, 1910 - 1915 Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Database includes several delayed birth returns recorded in 1942.
 * For FamilySearch Catalog, click


 * Birth returns 1894-1942. Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * See Public Records section for Mother's Pensions. These give exact dates of birth for her children.

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 - Washington, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1865-2004 - Washington, Marriage Records, 1865-2004(If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Sea


 * 1884-1892 - Marriages from 12 Jun 1884 to 12 May 1892 are available on the Western States Marriage Index website.


 * 1884-2012 - Marriage Records, 1884-2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * 1855–2008 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1904-1995 - Marriage Records 1904-1995 Part of Washington County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Marriage certificates 1951-1991; licenses 1923-1928; and returns 1904-1942.


 * 1947-1948 - Marriage Certificates, 1947-1948 Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * 1969-2014 - at FamilySearch — index

Divorce

 * Archives, Libraries, etc.

Online Records
 * 1969 - 2014 - at FamilySearch — index

Death

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


 * Adams County Death Returns 1893-1907; 1907; 1910, 1913 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free, index and images)


 * FamilySearch Catalog for microfilm.

Voting Registers



 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

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.

See these headings for details: Courthouse·FamilySearch Centers·Libraries·Museums·Societies

Family History Centers

 * Othello Washington Family History Center 1200 Rainier St., Othello, WA 99344-1130 Location Map

Libraries

 * Othello Library, 101 E. Main Street, Othello 99344 Phone: (509) 488-9683
 * Online Resources: Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest, and others.
 * Unique Collections:
 * Ritzville Public Library, 302 W Main, Ritzville 99169 Phone: (509) 659-1222
 * Online Resources: (None seen Oct, 2013)
 * Unique Collections:

Societies

 * Adams County Historical Society Box 526, Lind, WA 99341-0526


 * Big Bend Chapter American Historical Society of Germans from Russia

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: