Harney County, Oregon Genealogy

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

Oregon Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for William S. Harney, a military officer of the period, who was involved in the Pig War and popular in the Pacific Northwest. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Harney County Courthouse 450 North Buena Vista Avenue Burns, Or 97720 Phone: 541-573-6641 County Clerk has marriage records from 1911, land and probate records from 1889, military records from 1943 and naturalization records. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records.

Harney County Government

County Records Inventory listing the records held at the Harney County Court House as of July 2008.

Harney County Court is structured differently. Check the County Records Inventory link for addresses for location of records (left column).

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

Historical Facts
Named for Brig. Gen. William S. Harney of U.S. Army, who was involved in "Pig War" and popular in the Pacific Northwest.

Parent County
23 February 1889: Harney county was created from Grant County.

Boundary Changes
No parts were taken to create any county.

For animated maps illustrating Oregon County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Oregon County Boundary Maps" (1843-1975) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Populated Places
The following are locations in the county:

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator

Defunct Post Offices
The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.
 * Alberson: For more than a score of years Alberson was a post office on the extreme east edge of Harney County, in the locality of T30S, R36E. As with similar offices,it was moved around a little. The office was established Sept. 20, 1907 with William E. Alberson first of nine postmasters. The office was named in honor of the official, who was an early settler in the vicinity of Juniper Lake. The office was discontinued Sept. 29, 1930.

Trivia Tidbits
Information about localities, too small or too brief to describe in separate pages. Exception to this are Post Offices. &gt; Trivia Tidbits

Cemeteries

 * Oregon Metro
 * Oregon Genealogy Cemeteries

Census
==== Census ====

Lutheran

 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Hines, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Maps

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1919-1920 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1921-1938 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
[Online Historical Newspapers] - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.

Probate Records
Online Records
 * 1833 – 1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Rivers and Waterways
Details about the rivers and waterways where farms and settlements are often found along them. &gt;&gt; Rivers and Waterways

Vital Records
Many early marriages are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

See also How to order Oregon Vital Records, order electronically online or download an application for Oregon Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

Birth Records

 * 1860 - 1952 - at FamilySearch — index

Delayed Birth Certificates

Birth Registers

Marriage Records

 * 1) 1826-1975 - Oregon, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 2) 1849-1884; 1991-2006 - at FamilySearch — index and images; collection is incomplete.
 * 3) Extractions of early marriages are listed on the Western States Marriage Index
 * 4) Marriage Index 1885-1896 Actually is a book of affiants reporting the marriages. Historical Records Collection

Societies, Libraries, Museums
Harney County Historical Society 18 West D St Burns 97720-1226 Telephone: 541-573-5618 Website

Family History Centers

 * Burns Oregon Family History Center

Websites

 * Harney County, OR History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Oregon Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * The Harney County GenWeb Project, part of The ORGenWeb Project
 * Linkpendium
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project (backup site)