Pacific County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to  genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1852, when the county was fully organized.

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for the Pacific Ocean. The name Okanogan (Okanagan) also refers to a part of southern British Columbia. The County is located in the west-central area of the state.

Parent County(s)
Pacific County, Washington was created 4 February 1851 from Lewis. Attached to Clatsop County, Oregon until fully organized 28 January 1852.

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

Boundary Changes
Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Courthouse
Pacific County Courthouse 300 Memorial Ave; PO Box 67; South Bend, WA 98586-0067 Phone: 360–875–9320 County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1905 and marriage records from 1868. County Clerk Clerk has divorce, probate and court records. County Assessor has land records.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in.

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

Census

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1883 • 1885 •  1887
 * These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

Church Records

 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for are listed in the . (Press space bar to select town.)

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Raymond
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * Pacific Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)
 * The court procedure of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of Washington Territory. The index has many abstracts that provide names and what is happening in disputes, settlements in civil and criminal cases as well as probate, equity and admiralty cases.

Directories

 * "Lewis and Pacific Counties Directory, 1914-1923" at Washington Digital Archives

American Indian

 * 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

History

 * northwest coast, or Three Years Residence in Shoal Water Bay'' by James Gilchrist Swan. [London, Low, son & co.; 1857] online at Hathi Trust.

History Resources
 * "Pacific County, Washington Facts" listed at StateofUS.com (mis-labeled as Pacific County, Alabama)

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 Virginia Story and the HistoryLink.org Staff,. Pacific County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7914.


 * The Chinook Indians were original inhabitants of the lower Columbia River including the future Pacific County.
 * 1775 - Bruno Heceta, aboard the Spanish frigate Santiago, mapped the entrance to the Columbia River
 * 1792 - May 11,  Captain Robert Gray of Boston aboard the Columbia Rediviva sailed into the Columbia River as the first European to do so.
 * 1805 - November 15,  The Lewis and Clark expedition first viewed the Pacific Ocean from the sandy beach of the Long Beach Peninsula.
 * 1843 - Englishman James A. Scarborough settled at Chinook Point on the Columbia River.
 * 1840s - late, Settlement in the future Pacific County was framed first by nearby Hudson's Bay Co. fur trappers.
 * 1850 - pre, The Chinook and the Chehalis were eventually decimated by introduced diseases.
 * 1851 - The Oregon Territorial Legislature created Pacific County out of the southwestern corner of Lewis County.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1866 - September 22,  The Shoalwater Indian Reservation was established by an executive order signed by President Andrew Johnson.

Land and Property

 * County Land Records, 1850-1954 at Washington, County Land Records, 1850-1954 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * Land Records 1996 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Plats and Surveys Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Recorded Agreements and Contracts at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Military

 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982. at Washington, County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Included in this collection: Declaration of intention 1883-1973; Journal of citizenship 1891-1906; Card index 1833-1973;  Card index 1833-1973;  Certificate receipts 1889-1916 book 9 vol 15892 no 501276-501300.


 * Naturalization Records, 1872-1970 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Newspapers

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


 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library

Obituaries
Also check:


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

Probate Records

 * at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Public Records

 * Pacific Postmaster Index. Part of Washington, Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965, FamilySearch Historical Collections for Washington. (Free, browse images)


 * Power of Attorney Records 1996-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

School Records

 * School Registers are arranged by grade and gives names, ages, attendance. School Censuses include names, birth dates, parents or guardians.

Birth

 * — index and images


 * Birth Registers 1891-1915 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)


 * Birth Register, 1891-1916 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Marriage

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


 * 1878-1891 Register of marriage statistics 1878-1891 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * 1855-2008 County Marriages,1855-2008 at Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.


 * 1872-2013 Marriage Records, 1872-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection (Free)


 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — index

Divorce
Online Records
 * 1969 - 2014 at FamilySearch — index


 * County Divorce Records, 1852-1950. Washington, County Divorce Records, 1852-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Death

 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index
 * Death Records 1891-1926 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Includes Coroner's record 1912-1926 and Death register 1891-1917.


 * Death Register 1891-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.

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

 * Astoria Oregon Family History Center
 * Centralia Washington Family History Center
 * Elma Washington Family History Center
 * Long Beach Washington Family History Center
 * Longview Washington Family History Center
 * Morton Washington Family History Center
 * Ocean Shores Washington Family History Center
 * Olympia Washington Family History Center


 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Timberland Libraries - Pacific County
 * Branches and Locations
 * Genealogy / Data Base Tools
 * Special or Unique Collections (help needed from each branch)



Societies
Pacific County Historical Society & Museum P. O. Box P South Bend, WA 98586 360-875-5224 E-mail: [mailto:emailofsociety museum@willapabay.org] 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: