Baker County, Oregon Genealogy

Guide to Baker County, Oregon ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. ''This article is about a northeast Oregon county. For other uses, see Baker.''



Description
Baker County was named for Edward Dickinson Baker, a senator from Oregon who was killed at Ball's Bluff, a battle of the Civil War in Virginia in 1861. The county is located in the northeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Baker County Courthouse 1995 Third Baker City, OR 97814 Phone: 541-523-6303 Baker County Courthouse
 * County Records Inventory - records held at the Baker County Court House as of June/July 2010.

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:

Defunct Post Offices
 * Arthur
 * Audrey
 * Augusta

Biographies
An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney counties ; Spokane, Washington, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1902

Thirty-one years in Baker County: a history of the county from 1861 to 1893 Isaac Hiatt, ; Baker, Oregon. Baker County Historical Society and the Powder River Sportsmen's Club, 1970.

Census Records
 Federal Note: 1870, 1880, 1890 and 1900 censuses, the Panhandle of Baker County enumerations can be found in Union County when it was part of Union County.
 * 1870 - the area between Baker City, Haines and the Blue Mountains, generally known as Wingville, was overlooked and not enumerated.
 * Baker County 1870 Census USGenweb Archives Project
 * Eastern Oregon 1870 U.S. Census: Baker County, Grant County, Umatilla County, Union County
 * 1880 - the portion that later became Malheur County (all the places south of the Malheur River including what is now Ontario, Vale, Nyssa, Owyhee, etc.) was not enumerated.
 * Baker County 1880 Census USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1890
 * 1900
 * 1910
 * 1920
 * 1930

 State
 * 1905

Taken by Militia
 * 1891 and 1892 Baker County Militia Census

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

Directories

 * Eastern Oregon directory, 1899-1900: a complete directory of Umatilla, Union and Baker counties; with the Portland business directory
 * Baker City (Oregon) city directories, 1908-1935
 * Baker (Baker County, Oregon) city directory: including Baker County residents, rural routes, also a buyers' guide and a complete classified business directory, 1959-

Genealogies

 * The History of Baker County; Baker County Historical Society, pub. 1986. ; ([S.l.]: Baker County Historical Society (OR), 1986) Little of biography and local history, more of family genealogies.
 * Centennial pioneer families of Baker County, 1976

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Introduction Married Women's Separate Property in Baker County Original text from Works Progress Administration's booklet, USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Baker County Land and Deed Records USGenWeb Archives
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Hometown Locator for Baker County
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Baker County, Oregon for European and African American settlers included:
 * Snake River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon

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

Military Records
 Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War I
 * 1913-1936 Widow's pension applications and ledger, Baker County, Oregon, 1913-1936 (Baker County Court, State of Oregon, 2001)
 * 1919-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1921-1938 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * Newspaper clippings USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Oregon Online Historical Newspapers - identifies historical archived and digitized newspapers available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.

Obituaries

 * Baker County Oregon Obituaries
 * Baker County Obituaries USGenWeb Archives Project

County Records

 * 1862-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection - index & images

Probate Records
Note: some will books were lost from a small fire in the county clerk's office before 1900. Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1833–1963 Oregon Wills and Probate Records 1833-1963 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * Baker County wills USGenWeb Archives Project

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

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1892-1897 Baker County, (Oregon), assessment tax rolls, 1892-1897
 * 1908-1909 Baker City (Oregon) city directories  microfilm 2309792 Item 1 Tax lists are for Baker, Grant and Union counties 1908-1909, listed as last part of the volume.

Vital Records
Record of births and deaths: record of physicians, midwives and undertakers, 1916-1929 #

Birth

 * 1842-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * 1855-1970 Oregon, U.S., County Births and Deaths, 1855-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1860-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1903-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Delayed Birth Certificates USGenWeb Archives

Marriage

 * 1826-1975 Oregon, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1849-1884;1991-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885-1896 Marriage Index 1885-1896
 * 1906-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Marriages, 1906-1968 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho

Death

 * Baker County Deaths USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1855-1970 Oregon, U.S., County Births and Deaths, 1855-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1864-1968 Oregon, U.S., State Deaths, 1864-1968 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1905-1911 Record of deaths, Baker County, Oregon, 1905-1911

FamilySearch Centers

 * Baker Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * La Grande Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Pine Valley Oregon FamilySearch Center
 * Cook Memorial Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Baker County Public Library 2400 Resort St Baker City, OR 97814 541-523-5419 Website

Museums
Baker Heritage Museum 2480 Grove St. Baker City 97814-2719 541-523-9308 Website E-mail:[mailto:www.bakerheritagemuseum.com www.bakerheritagemuseum.com]

Societies
Baker County Historical Society Box 83 Baker City, OR 97814 Website

Websites

 * Baker County, ORGenWeb Project
 * Baker County, USGenWeb Archives
 * Oregon, Baker County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records


 * – 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.