Clallam County, Washington Genealogy

United States Washington Clallam County

Guide to Clallam County Washington genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.


 * Quick start:
 * Census
 * Birth
 * Marriage
 * Death

County Overview

 * County Seat: Port Angeles . For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

County Formation

 * Clallam County, Washington was created 26 April 1854 from Jefferson County

Boundary Changes

 * 29 January 1868, Quillehute County was created, but it reverted back to Clallam and Jefferson counties in 1870. Records created in both counties.

Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Neighboring Counties
Neighboring Counties: Jefferson

Dates of Major County Records
Note: The dates you see below have not yet been adapted to.

Topics
Below are resources used for family history and genealogy, with dates, value of records, and how to access them for. Internet links may contain names, images, or more information for the county.

Census

 * See Washington Census for online indexes and images of US federal censuses. of: 1856, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940.
 * See statewide printed indexes, including 1856.
 * Check county indexes when online indexes fail. Created by people who knew the families of the area, they are often more accurate and they may have added insights. See periodicals and local libraries or other record holders.


 * 1890 Veterans
 * 1900
 * 1910
 * 1920
 * 1930
 * 1940

Church Records
Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for Clallam County, Washington are listed in the FamilySearch catalog. (Press space bar to select town.)

Court Records
Many of your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can establish family relationships and places of residence, occupations, and other family history information. See Washington Court Records for the various courts through the years.

For specialized court records, see Divorce · Guardianship · Land · Naturalization · Probate

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.

Guardianship
Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by the probate and the Federal District courts. See Washington Court Records.

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 Wilma, David. Clallam County -- Thumbnail History, HistoryLink.org, Essay 7576.


 * The county is composed of the traditional lands of the Klallam (for whom it is named), Makah, and Quileute peoples.
 * It was one of the first parts of Washington contacted by European explorers in the late 1700s, but did not see permanent settlement until after 1850.
 * The explorers brought European diseases that devastated Klallam, Makah, and Quileute populations, as they did all Northwest peoples.
 * Beginning around 1851, the first settlers in the future Clallam County staked claims at New Dungeness.
 * U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory on March 2, 1853.
 * Washington Territorial Legislature creates Clallam County on April 26, 1854.
 * Henry R. Webster and others succeeded in establishing a trading post at Neah Bay in 1857.
 * In 1878, Luther and Esther Ford and their children settled 15 miles inland from La Push on the fertile open ground known as Indian Prairie.
 * President Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) created the Quiluete Reservation at La Push by executive order.

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

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, his* foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. (*Women were not naturalized until 1922 in the United States.)

Birth

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

Divorce
Divorce records give the names of the parties and may give the date and place of their marriage. See Washington Vital Records for excellent information.

Death

 * Washington Death Certificates 1907-1960 A free internet index to the 1907-1960 death certificates can be found at FamilySearch Record Search, no images are available. A transcribed death certificate may contain such information as name of the deceased, date and place of death, age, gender, birth date and birth place, mother’s maiden name and name of spouse, place of residence, occupation and certificate numbers.

Websites

 * The Clallam County WAGenWeb Project, a member of The WAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Clallam County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Clallam County. (Mirror site)
 * Family History Library Catalog for Clallam County.
 * Clallam County, Washington Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

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.

Courthouse
Clallam County Courthouse 223 E 4th Street PO Box 863 Port Angeles, WA 98362-3025 Phone: 360.417.2508 County Auditor has marriage and land records. County Clerk has probate records.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Forks Washington Family History Center
 * Port Angeles Washington Family History Center

Towns and Communities
See a list of towns and communities in Clallam County per Wikipedia.