Plumas County, California Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named from the Spanish words for the Feather River (Río de las Plumas), which flows through the county. The county seat Quincy and the county was created 1854. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Plumas County Courthouse 520 Main Street Quincy, CA 95971 Phone: 530-283-6305 Plumas County Website

County Clerk has divorce records from 1860. County Recorder has birth, marriage, death and probate records from 1860. County Museum Archives has biographies and photographs

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:

Biographies

 * Plumas County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to Plumas County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Plumas County Biography Index (CAGenWeb Project)

Church Records
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Portola

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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1854-1888 (*); Plumas County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
 * Index to Plumas County Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Local Histories

 * Plumas County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * California Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of California (1850-1925)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Plumas County for emigrant settlers included:
 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * The Lassen Cutoff 1848 was established by gold rushers from Oregon going to California. It branched off the Applegate Trail at Davis Creek, went through Devil's Garden to the Pit River passing east of Mt. Lassen, and turning west to Lassen Rancho, California, and from there to Sacramento. In some years as much as 1/3 of emigrants mistakenly took the Applegate Trail-Lassen Cutoff, a much longer and more difficult trail than the Truckee or Carson routes.
 * Beckwourth Trail 1850 left the Truckee Trail near present-day Sparks, Nevada going to Oroville and Marysville, California
 * Nobles Road 1851 from the Applegate Trail at Rabbithole Springs in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada to Shasta City, California
 * 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Military Records

 * Plumas County Military Records (CAGenWeb Project)
 * 1882 Veterans Of The Mexican War Living In Plumas Co. In 1882 (USGenWeb Archives)

 Civil War Civil War service men in Plumas County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in this county:
 * 1883 Plumas County List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1886 Ren Dixon Post No. 122, G. A. R. 1886, Civil War - Rosters (USGenWeb Archives)
 * - 1st Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company F
 * - 5th Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company F

World War I
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

 World War II
 * Index to Plumas County World War II Army Enlistments (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Plumas County Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
 * California, U.S., Newspapers.com Stories and Events Index at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Obituaries

 * Plumas County Obituary Index (Genealogy Trails)
 * Plumas County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Plumas County Obituary Index (CAGenWeb Project)

Voting Records

 * Transcription of Plumas County Great Register of Voters by year (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1782-1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1880-1919 Plumas County California list of will book testators SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills - free

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Early Plumas County Birth Notices by year (Genealogy Trails)
 * Plumas County Vital Records (CAGenWeb Project)

Marriage

 * 1800-2007 California, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1850-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1850-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho
 * Early Plumas County Marriage Notices by year (Genealogy Trails)
 * Plumas County Vital Records (CAGenWeb Project)

Death

 * 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * Plumas County Vital Records (CAGenWeb Project)

Divorce

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

FamilySearch Centers

 * Oroville California FamilySearch Center
 * Paradise California FamilySearch Center
 * Portola California FamilySearch Center
 * Quincy California FamilySearch Center
 * Susanville California FamilySearch Center
 * Doris Foley Library for Historical Research Nevada County Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Plumas County Historical Society P.O. Box 695 Quincy 95971 Website

Websites

 * Plumas County CAGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * Linkpendium
 * Plumas County, California Genealogy Trails
 * Plumas County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.