Columbia County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Columbia County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1875, when the county was formed.

Parent County(s)
Columbia County, Washington was created 11 November 1875 from Walla Walla County.

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

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 | Garfield | Walla Walla | Whitman | Oregon counties: Umatilla | Wallowa

Courthouse
Columbia County Courthouse 341 E Main Street Dayton, WA 99328-1361 Phone: 509.382.4321 County Clerk has divorce records from 1886, probate records from 1891 and court records from 1890. County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907 and marriage records from 1853.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in.

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

Census


Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)



Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)


 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1883 • 1885 • 1887 • 1889 • 1892 **These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)

Church Records

 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for are listed in the . (Press space bar to select town.)

Court Records

 * Columbia 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 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.


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

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.

Genealogy

 * "Japanese Internment Collection Summaries" online

History

 * Historic sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties, Washington Territory, and Umatilla County, Oregon (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)


 * Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, by W.D. Lyman online at Hathi Trust Digital Library.


 * Columbia County, Washington Facts online (mis-labeled as Columbia 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 Phil Dougherty. Columbia County -- Thumbnail History, Essay 7801.


 * The lower Snake River was home to bands of and other Sahaptin-speaking people, including, , , , and.
 * 1805 - October 12-13, canoed on the Snake River along the boundary separating Columbia and Whitman counties.
 * 1834 - Captain B. L. E. Bonneville crossed Columbia County on the, surveying the Northwest on behalf of the United States government.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1855 - One of the first white settlers in Columbia County was Henry M. Chase. Chase and another man, P. M. Lafontain, built cabins and possibly a small fort early in 1855 at the site of present day Dayton.
 * 1859 - Permanent settlement reached Columbia County with claims taken up along the Touchet and Tucannon rivers and along Patit Creek.
 * 1859 - Frederick Schnebley homesteaded at the Dayton site of the former Chase homestead, which had been destroyed in the 1855 Indian attack.
 * 1860s - Settlers slowly drifted into the county, but in the early 1870s settlement rapidly increased.
 * 1875 - November 29, Columbia County officially came into existence.
 * 1881 - July, The railroad arrived in Dayton.
 * 1934 - The Blue Mountain Cannery was built in Dayton.
 * 1935 - As part of Franklin Roosevelt's, two Civilian Conservation Camps were established in Columbia County.

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.

Military

 * at FamilySearch — index
 * World War II (1941–1945) army enlistments at the county GenWeb site has about 400 entries, mostly from Okanogan and other counties. Key (at end of the list) explains codes and columns. Gives year and state of birth. Free.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Journal of naturalization 1890-1906; Letters of administration 1887-1965; Naturalization correspondence 1908-1955; Naturalization depositions 1910-1920; Orders of the court 1925-1950; Petition and record 1908-1928.


 * Journals of Naturalization Orders, 1890-1906 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free) Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * Naturalization Records, 1908-1953 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Registers of Declarations of Intent, 1890-1941 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Newspapers

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

Probate Records


Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)


 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Clerks files of wills ca 1896-1917; Declarations of intention 1890; 1890-1906; 1890-1941; Estate files 1877-1915; Facts for declarations of intention 1901-1907; Homestead records 1882-1898; Probate case files 1878-1943; Probate fee books 1891-1898; Probate journal 1891-1932; Territorial letters of administration of wills annexed ca 1876-1877.

Public Records

 * Columbia Postmaster Index A-M • Postmaster Index M-Z. Part of Washington, Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965, FamilySearch Historical Collections for Washington. (Free, browse images)



Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)

School Records


Part of: Washington County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)


 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Birth

 * Washington State Digital Archives has a free database of Columbia County Birth Records. This database contains the names of people who were born in Columbia County from June 1891 – August 1913. The names were taken from the Columbia County Register of Births.


 * Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Marriage affidavits 1904-1961; Marriage certificates 1885-1946; Marriage licenses index-direct 1922-1939; Marriage licenses index-direct 1922-1939; Marriage licenses index-indirect 1922-1939; Marriage returns 1902-1947; Marriage statistics 1891-1910; Register of marriages 1891-1910; Territorial marriage certificates 1876-1890.

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 - Washington, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1855–2008 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * 1876-1912 - Marriages from 4 Jan 1876 to 2 Nov 1912 are available from the Western States Marriage Index website.


 * 1904-1939 - Marriage Affidavits, 1904-1939 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection.(Free)


 * 1888-1914 - Marriage Certificate Volumes, 1888-1914 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * 1876-2003 - Marriage Records, 1876-2003 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * 1878-1890 - Probate Marriage Records, 1878-1890 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * 1922-1939 - Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)


 * 1969-2014 - at FamilySearch — index


 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Marriage affidavits 1904-1961; Marriage certificates 1885-1946; Marriage licenses index-direct 1922-1939; Marriage licenses index-direct 1922-1939; Marriage licenses index-indirect 1922-1939; Marriage returns 1902-1947; Marriage statistics 1891-1910; Register of marriages 1891-1910; Territorial marriage certificates 1876-1890.

Divorce
Online Records
 * 1969 - 2014 - at FamilySearch — index

Death

 * Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * 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 also Courthouse·FamilySearch Centers·Libraries·Museums·Other Repositories·Societies

Family History Centers

 * Dayton Washington Family History Center 1114 S 3rd St., Dayton, Wa 99328 United States Location Map

Libraries

 * Columbia County Rural Library District, 111 S 3rd St., Dayton 99328 Phone: (509) 382-4131


 * Online Resources: Heritage Quest and other genealogical links


 * Unique Collections: Revolutionary War records and Bounty-Land Warrant Application files


 * Dayton Memorial Library, 111 S 3rd St, Dayton 99328 Phone: (509) 382-4131


 * Online Resources: Headstone Images, Whitman County Heritage documents and others.


 * Unique Collections:

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: