Amador County, California Genealogy

Guide to Amador County, California ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records. California Online Genealogy Records

County Courthouse
Clerk of the Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records.

County Archives has naturalization records.

Parent County
11 May 1854: Amador County was created from Calaveras and El Dorado Counties. County seat: Jackson

Description
The county was named for José María Amador, a soldier, rancher, and miner, born in San Francisco in 1794, the son of Sergeant Pedro Amador (a Spanish soldier who settled in California in 1771). The county seat Jackson and the county was created May 11, 1854. The County is located in the east central corner of the state.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating California county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation California County Boundary Maps" (1850-1925) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
1862 There was a courthouse fire in 1862 destroying some 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:

Neighboring Counties

 * Alpine
 * Calaveras
 * El Dorado
 * Sacramento
 * San Joaquin

Biography

 * Index to Amador County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Amador County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Amador County Pioneer Stories (CAGenWeb Project)

Church History and Records

 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

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

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Ione
 * FamilySearch Places

Gazetteers

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

History

 * Amador County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Amador County History (Genealogy Trails)

Land and Property
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1854-1886 (*); Amador County, County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1854-1904 (*); Elsie E. Dixon at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1854-1910 (*); Amador County, County Clerk at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1860-1936 (*); United States General Land Office at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1878-1935 (*); California, Superior Court, Amador County at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * 1890-1935 (*); California, Superior Court, Amador County at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * Index to Amador County Land Records - Genealogy Trails

Maps
For historical maps, search the following free sites: • Maps of California (1850-1925)

• Maps-Historical-State of California, the California government's site. Links to American Memory (Library of Congress), California Missions, and the State Library

• Historical Maps of California

• California Maps - HSU Library, also lists and links to gazetteers

• David Rumsey Collection for Amador, California

• Perry-Castaneda Map Collection for California

For topographical maps of California mountains, rivers, etc., try the sites listed at USGS Topographic Maps of California.

For current maps, search Google Maps or MapQuest or other map services online.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from for emigrant settlers included:


 * California Trail 1844 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California


 * Carson (River) Trail 1848 (aka Mormon Emigrant Trail) crossed the Forty Mile Desert past the west side of the Carson Sink to pick up the Carson River near Fallon, Nevada up to Hope Valley and Red Lake. The Devil's Ladder then climbed 700 feet (210 m) in half a mile so ropes, chains, and pulleys were required to lift the wagons. Carson Pass was followed by the relatively easy West Pass (Kirkwood, California) and then on to Pollock Pines, Placerville, and Sutter's Fort, California


 * Grizzly Flat Road 1852 an extension of Carson Trail down the middle fork of the Consumnes River to Grizzly Flat and Placerville, California
 * Volcano Road 1852 from Coral Flat (Pioneer) on the Carson Trail to Volcano, California


 * 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Military History and Records

 * Amador County Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Amador County Military Data (Genealogy Trails)

Civil War

 * - 1st Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company C
 * - 7th Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company C

World War I

 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1831-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)


 * California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research

Obituaries

 * Index to Amador County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Amador County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1833 – 1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images

Archives, Libraries and Museums
California State Library Genealogy Hub

Family History Centers

 * El Dorado California Family History Center
 * Elk Grove California Family History Center
 * Jackson California Family History Center
 * Lodi California Family History Center
 * Murphys California Family History Center
 * Sacramento California Family Search Library

Vital Records
See also How to order California Vital Records

Birth

 * 1800 - 1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1812 - 1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1873 - 1979 Amador County Birth Records 1873-1979 at FamilySearch
 * 1905 - 1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)


 * 1905 - 1910 Amador County Births, 1905-1910 (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Amador County Birth Notices by year. (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

 * 1800 - 2007 California, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1850 - 1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1850 - 1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1854 - 1885 Western States Marriage Index.
 * 1960 - 1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)

Divorce

 * 1966 - 1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Death

 * 1776 - 2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1800 - 1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1905 - 1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1905 Amador County, California Deaths for 1905 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1940 - 1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)


 * 1940 - 1997 California Death Records at Ancestry.com

Voting Registers

 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
 * 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index, ($)

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
Amador County Historical Society P.O. Box 761 Jackson 95642 Website

Amador County Genealogical Society 322 Via Verde Sutter Creek 95685 Website

Amador County Historical Society 148 Main Street, Suite A Jackson, CA 95642 Phone:209-257-1485 Website Facebook

Amador County Archives 12200-A Airport Rd. Jackson, CA 95642 Email:[mailto:archivesdept@amadorgov.org] Phone: 209-223-6389 Appointments Recommended Website

List of California Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Websites

 * Amador County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Linkpendium
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * FamilySearch Catalog
 * Amador County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Amador County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)