Garfield County, Washington Genealogy

Guide to Garfield 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 the late U.S. President James A. Garfield, who had been assassinated a few weeks prior. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
 Garfield County Courthouse 89 West Main Street Pomeroy, Washington 99347 Phone: 509-843-1002 Garfield County Website

County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907, marriage and land records from 1891 and burial records 1891-1918. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1882.

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:

History Timeline
Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Phil Dougherty. Garfield County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7728.
 * Native Americans followed the Nez Perce Trail through Garfield County for many years.
 * 1806 Lewis and Clark's first arrival in what is now Garfield County.
 * 1834 Captain B. L. E. Bonneville passed through Garfield County, surveying the region on behalf of the United States government.
 * 1860 One of the earliest permanent white settlers in what would become Garfield County.
 * 1870s Settlers coming into the area began to establish farms and raise grain.
 * 1881 -November 29 Garfield County was formed from the eastern portion of Columbia County.

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives:
 * Federal: 1910
 * Territorial: 1883,1885, 1887, 1889, and 1898


 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only; Includes: School Census Records, 1912-1932 (browse images)
 * 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)

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

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1853-1889 Garfield Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * The court procedures of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of the 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.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
American Indian
 * 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Japanese
 * 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Local Histories

 * Historic sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties, Washington Territory, and Umatilla County, Oregon at Ancestry - index and images ($)
 * Garfield County -- Thumbnail History by Phil Dougherty at History Link.org, Essay 7728
 * Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, by W.D. Lyman online at Hathi Trust Digital Library.
 * "Garfield County Heritage" online at Washington Rural Heritage

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records

 * 1885-1907 Military Department, National Guard Enlistment Register, 1885-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Indian Wars
 * 1855-1856 Military Department, Indian War Muster Rolls, 1855-1856 at Washington State Archives - index and images

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

World War II

Japanese
 * 1942-1946 Public Welfare/Social Security Department, Evacuee (Japanese) Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946 at Washington State Archives - index and images; Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1891-1912 Garfield County Clerk, Register of Orders of Naturalization, 1891-1912 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1892-1952 Garfield County Clerk, Naturalization Records, 1892-1952 at Washington State Archives - index and images

Newspapers

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

Other Records
Public Records
 * Prior to 1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

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

Periodicals

 * Washington Periodicals

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Estate Case files 1860-1897 and Record of wills 1882-1962.

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

Birth

 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1852-1963 Washington, Births at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 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 Garfield County Auditor, Birth Returns, 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
 * 1882-1889 Western States Marriage Index- index
 * 1882-1979 Garfield County Auditor, Marriage Records, 1882-1979 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 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

 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1891-1907 Garfield County Auditor, Death Records, 1891-1907 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 1891-1935 Garfield County Auditor, Death Records, 1891-1935 at Washington State Archives - index and images
 * 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

 * Columbia Basin Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Dayton Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Pasco Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Richland Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Walla Walla Washington FamilySearch Center
 * Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library
 * The Seattle Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

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

Denny Ashby Library 856 Arlington Street Pomeroy, WA 99347 Phone: 509-843-3710 Website

Museums
Garfield County Historical Association and Museum 66 South 7th Street Pomeroy WA 99347 Website Eastern Washington Agricultural Museum 99 Fairgrounds Rd Pomeroy, WA 99347 Website

Societies
Garfield County Historical Association and Museum The Pomeroy Historic Preservation Committee 66 South 7th Street Pomeroy WA 99347 509-843-3814 Website

Websites

 * Garfield County Washington Genealogy Research. Free Contains information for researching genealogy in Garfield County WA, Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
 * Garfield County WAGenWeb Project
 * USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Washington State Digital Archives
 * – 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.