Ferry County, Washington Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Elisha P. Ferry, the state's first governor. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
 Ferry County Courthouse  350 East Delaware Ave Republic, WA 99166 Phone: 509-775-5225 Ferry County Website

County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1899.

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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Indian Reservation

The Colville Indian Reservation is located in southern Ferry and southern Okanogan counties.

History Timeline

 * The original inhabitants of what is now Ferry County were several semi-nomadic Indian tribes, with the predominating.
 * 1811 The fur trader and cartographer, David Thompson (1770-1857), reached Kettle Falls.
 * 1825 The (HBC)establish a fur post.
 * 1872 April, The was established.
 * 1892 July 2, The United States government purchased the northern half of the Colville Reservation.
 * 1896 February 21, The northern half was opened to prospectors after minerals, especially gold, were discovered.
 * 1898 June 30, The southern half was opened to prospectors.
 * 1899 February, Ferry County was formed and Republic, its only sizeable town, was declared county seat.
 * 1900 Approximately 12,500 mining claims had been staked in Ferry County.
 * 1900 The northern half of the reservation was opened to timber claims and homesteading.
 * 1916 July 1, The southern half of the reservation was opened to homesteading.

Cemeteries

 * "Kewa Cemetery" online
 * " Covington Cemetery" online
 * "Garden Valley Cemetery" online

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives and Ancestry
 * 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)($)
 * 1910 Federal: Digital Archives

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

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
American Indians The Colville Indian Reservation is located in southern Ferry and southern Okanogan counties.
 * 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & 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.

Genealogies
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.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 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.

Local Histories

 * Illustrated History of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan Counties, State of Washington by Richard f. Steele [(Spokane, Wash.): Western Historical Pub. Co., 1904] Commonly known by title History of North Washington. Online at Washington Secretary of State site (Free).

Maps and Gazetteers

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

World War I

 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

World War II

 * World War II enlistments. Select search codes for state and county. These are partial lists. The NARA website cautions: "This series does not contain records of all World War II Army enlistees."

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records Ferry County Clerk, Naturalization Records, 1908-1953 Registers of Declarations of Intent, 1890-1941 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only. Includes:
 * 1906-1927 Naturalization Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free) Includes:
 * 1890-1955 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (browse images). Includes:
 * Journals of Naturalization Orders, 1890-1906 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free) Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * Naturalization Records, 1908-1953 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free). Includes:

Newspapers

 * Ferry County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * The Miner
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library

Other Records
Public Records
 * Prior to 1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Ferry County Board of Commissioners, Minutes, 1899-1952, 1983-2006 available online at Washington Digital Archives
 * Corrections Department, Penitentiary, Convict Record, 1877-1888 at Washington Digital Archives
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only. Includes:

Voting Records
 * 1876-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

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

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * The SCHS has the county assessor's personal property tax assessment ledgers for 1898. Images of the ledger are viewable on the Crossroads on the Columbia project.

Birth

 * 1871-1921 Department of Health, Delayed Birth Records at Washington State Archives - index and images; includes some earlier and later dates
 * 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1891-1907 Ferry County Auditor, Birth Records, 1891-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1900-1999 Marriage Records, 1900-1999 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Marriage Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1969-2022 Department of Health, Marriage Index, 1969-2022 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Death

 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1899-1911 Register of Deaths 1899-1911 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * 1907-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1907-1997 Department of Health, Death Certificates, July 1, 1907-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1907-2020 Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2020 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1915-1928 Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Fatal Accident Cards, 1915-1928 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1919-1921 Department of Health, Fetal Death Records, 1919-1921 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Divorce

 * 1968-1997 Department of Health, Divorce Certificates, 1968-1997 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1969-2017 Department of Health, Divorce Index, 1969-2017 at Washington State Archives - index and images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Brewster Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Chelan Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Colville Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Coulee Dam Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Davenport Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Omak Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Republic Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Riverside Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Spokane Washington East FamilySearch Center
 * Spokane Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Spokane Washington North FamilySearch Center
 * Wenatchee Washington FamilySearch Center

Libraries
Resources for Ferry County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.

Libraries
 * Kettle River East Library 5th And C Street Orient, WA 99160 Phone: 509-738-3033
 * Republic Community Library 794 S. Clark Avenue Republic, WA 99166 Phone: 509-775-3328 Website

Societies

 * Ferry County Historical Society 15-2 N Kean St PO Box 287 Republic, WA 99166 509-775-2605 E-mail: [mailto:emailofsociety ferrycountyhs@gmail.com] Website
 * Northeast Washington Genealogical Society c/o Colville Public Library 195 S Oak Colville, WA 99114 Email: [mailto:info@newgs.org info@newgs.org] Website Research in Ferry, Pend Oreille, and Stevens Counties.

Websites

 * USGenWeb Project Ferry County
 * Ferry County Washington Genealogy Research. Free Contains information for researching genealogy in Ferry County WA, Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
 * Northeast Washington Genealogical Society includes Ferry County.
 * USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Washington State Digital Archives
 * Websites at RootsWeb - Ferry WA
 * – 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.