Washington County Divorce Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes digital images of divorce records from the civil courts in the following counties:


 * Clark
 * Cowlitz
 * Grays Harbor
 * Lewis
 * Mason
 * Pacific
 * Thurston
 * Wahkiakum

The records are arranged by year and then in boxed files, alphabetically by name.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Divorce
 * Names of interested parties
 * Divorce date
 * Name of court
 * County of court
 * Conditions of the divorce decree
 * Ages or calculated birth year of husband and wife
 * Names of minor children
 * Names of other relatives
 * Court costs

How Do I Search This Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * The location or date of the event

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page'''.
 * 1) Select County
 * 2) Select Case File Number Range to view the images

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find other county or vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in the censuses before the divorce
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching nearby locations
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Washington.
 * Washington Guided Research
 * Washington Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1907 &#124; 1907-Present

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation:"Washington, County Divorce Records, 1852-1950." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. State Archives, Olympia.

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