Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Pend Oreille County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1911, when the county was formed.

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for the Pend d'Oreilles tribe, who in turn was ostensibly named for large shell earrings that members wore. ("Pend d'oreille", while awkward in French, could be translated as "hangs from the ear".) The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

Parent County(s)
Pend Oreille, Washington was created 1 March 1911 from Stevens.

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

Boundary Changes

 * Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Courthouse
Pend Oreille County Courthouse 625 W 4th PO Box 5020 Newport, WA 99156-5000 Phone: 509.447.2435 County Auditor has birth, marriage and land records from 1911. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1911.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in.

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

Business and Commerce

 * Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)


 * Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Patent records transcription 1895-1910; Patents and final receipts-direct index 1911-1947; Patents and final receipts-direct index transcription 1903-1910.

Census

 * Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes School census 1910-1932.

Church Records

 * Church and community survey of Pend Oreille County by Institute of Social and Religious Surveys. [New York: Doran, c1922]

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for may be listed in the.
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * Washington State Archives, Cheney holds many county court records from 1911 to the 1970s and later years.

American Indian
The Kalispel Indian Reservation is located in Pend Oreille County.
 * 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

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Genealogy
Genealogy Research Aids


 * Basic Guide for Genealogy Research in Stevens, Ferry and Pend Oreille Counties by Nancy Wright, Susan DeChant, and Shirley Dodson of NeWGS.

History

 * Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan Counties, State of Washington by Richard F. Steele [(Spokane, Wash.): Western Historical Pub. Co., 1904] at Washington History


 * Pend Oreille County - Thumbnail History on HistoryLink.org, essay 7618.


 * Numerous local history books are available at the Pend Oreille County Historical Society and Museum

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 Arksey, Laura. Pend Oreille County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7618.


 * The area that became Pend Oreille County was in many ways the last frontier in the state. Its inhabitants were first the indigenous peoples, then fur traders and explorers, followed by missionaries, then miners, loggers, and homesteaders.
 * 1850s - late, The first substantial influx of non-Indians came with the discovery of gold in the Metaline area.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1850s-1860s - Timber was the other major extractive industry in the area that became Pend Oreille County.
 * 1906 - The Forest Homestead Act was passed. Under its provisions, 160-acre plots judged to have agricultural potential were released from the reserved forests.
 * 1900-1910 - The population of the area, still part of Stevens County, grew from roughly 1,200 to 5,900.
 * 1911 - March 1, Pend Oreille County was the last county created in the state.

Land and Property

 * Land records prior to 1911 are held by the Stevens County Auditor. Records have been digitized and are available upon request.


 * Washington State Archives, Cheney holds the 1912-1919 plat books and description and the list of forest lands and Indian lands acquired by the Federal government, 1913-1939, Board of Equalization correspondence and assessment review.


 * Part of:"Washington County Land Records, 1850-1954" FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * NOTE: These are labeled as direct (grantor/seller) and indirect (grantee/buyer) indexes, yet several include copies of the deed books. After selecting the years you need, explore various images to determine if the deeds are included.

Maps



 * Cram's 1909 map of Washington cropped to show Stevens County, which included Pend Oreille County.


 * Current Pend Oreille County map.

Military

 * 1921-1925 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * At Washington State Digital Archives Collection (Free)
 * Naturalization Records, 1911-1969
 * Orders of Repatriation, 1912-1945


 * 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 1911-1996; Marriage affidavits Marriage applications 1933-1935; Marriage certificates 1911-2004; Marriage registers 1911-1947; Naturalization certificate stubs 1912-1927; Naturalization records Naturalization petitions 1911-1921, 1921-1952; Naturalization records-miscellaneous 1912-1945.

Newspapers

 * Pend Oreille County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)


 * Colville Stateman-Examiner newspapers prior to creation of the county will have references to Pend Oreille people and towns.
 * Crossroads on the Columbia has 1890s newspapers from the Colville area, which cover the Pend Oreille area on occasion.
 * Northeast Washington Genealogical Society listing of available historic newspapers. Scroll to bottom of page for Pend Oreille County newspapers.
 * The Miner (Newport)
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library
 * Washington State Library has online historic newspapers. Search for Colville Mines for 1850s references to Pend Oreille mines and mining activities.

Obituaries
Also check:


 * Newspapers of
 * Local Funeral Homes, Libraries, or family records.
 * Obituaries of neighboring counties

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 Probate case files 1912-1931; Probate fee book 1889-1937; Probate Journals 1911-1936; Will records 1907-1974.; Letters testamentary 1911-1968.

Public Records



 * Pend Oreille Postmaster Index. 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)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

School 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 School census 1910-1932.

Taxation
The SCHS has the Stevens County Assessor's personal property tax assessment ledgers for 1898 to 1906. Images of the 1898 ledger are viewable on the Crossroads on the Columbia project.

Birth

 * — index and images
 * Part of: Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes: Certificates, 1912-1948; Delayed applications, 1941-1943; Miscellaneous, 1914-1916


 * Birth Records, 1903-1938 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection (Free)


 * Washington State Archives, Cheney holds the 1914-1980 birth records, 1911 -1947 Marriage Register, 2 vols.

Marriage

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


 * 1911-2004 - Part of: Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)
 * Includes: Marriage affidavits 1911-1996; Applications, 1933-1935; Certificates, 1911-2004; Registers, 1911-1947


 * 1911-1915 - Marriages from 12 Jul 1911 to 22 Sep 1915 are listed on the Western States Marriage Index website.


 * 1911-1948 - Washington State Archives, Cheney holds the 1914-1980 birth records, 1911 -1947 Marriage Register, 2 vols.


 * 1911-1948 - Marriage Affidavits, 1911-1948 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * 1969-2014 - at FamilySearch — index

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

Death

 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index
 * at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * Death Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

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.

Family History Centers

 * Bonners Ferry Idaho Family History Center
 * Colville Washington Family History Center
 * Priest River Idaho Family History Center
 * Republic Washington Family History Center
 * Riverside Washington Family History Center
 * Spokane Washington North Family History Center


 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Pend Oreille County Library District has branches at the following locations:
 * Calispel Valley Branch Library 107 1st Avenue Cusick, WA 99119 Phone: 509-445-1215 Website
 * Ione Branch Library 210 Blackwell, Suite 1 Ione, WA 99139 Phone: 509-442-3030 Website
 * Metaline Falls Branch Library 302 Park Street Metaline Falls, WA 99153 Phone: 509-446-3232 Website
 * Newport Branch Library 116 S Washington Avenue Newport, WA 99156 Phone: 509-447-2111 Website

Museums

 * Pend Oreille County Historical Society and Museum

Societies
Pend Oreille County Historical Society and Museum 402 S. Washington Ave Newport, WA. 99156 509-447-5388 Website Facebook

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:

Indian Reservation

The Kalispel Indian Reservation is located in Pend Oreille County.