Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy

Pend Oreille County
	Pend Oreille County, Washington
	Map
	; Location in the state of Washington
	; Location of Washington in the U.S.
	Facts
Founded	March 1, 1911
County Seat	Newport
	Courthouse
Address	Pend Oreille County Courthouse; 625 W 4th PO Box 5020; Newport, WA 99156-5000; Phone: 509.447.2435; Pend Oreille County Website

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.

Metaline Falls in September, Pend Oreille County,Washington

County QuickStart:

Patent Records, 1911-1970 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.

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Tombstone Transcriptions in Print	List of Cemeteries in the county
FindAGrave	Family History Library	FindAGrave
Tombstone Project	WorldCat	Interment.net
Billion Graves (name)	Washington Periodicals	WA State Digital Archives
WAGenWeb Archives		Linkpendium
Billion Graves		Genealogy Trails
US GenWeb
See Washington Cemeteries for more information.

Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information. Tombstones, sextons (caretakers) records, and burial records each have slightly different information. See Washington Cemeteries.

Census[edit | edit source]

Federal Census Contents
Names, ages, birthplaces	1850–1940
Birthplaces of parents	1880–1940
Relationships	1880–1940
Family and Neighbors	All years
Immigration year	1900–1930
Citizenship	1910–1940

Censuses 1) Give names, ages, and more about the family; 2) Pinpoint the area to find other records; and 3) Provide clues for further research.

Washington online census links to FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest and others.
- Federal Censuses:
  - 1940 • 1930 • 1920 • 1910 • 1900
  - 1890 Veterans Schedule
  - 1880 • 1870 • 1860 • 1850
- Territorial and State-funded Censuses:
  - 1847–1898

Statewide printed indexes of federal censuses

School Census, 1856-2009 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.

Church Records[edit | edit source]

The information church records provide depends upon the church practices and the record keepers. Records may include names, ages, and dates of events such as baptism, marriage, or burial. See Washington Church Records.

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

Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy may be listed in the FamilySearch catalog.

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can clarify family relationships, places of residence, occupations, and family history. See Washington Court Records for courts used through the years.

For specialized court records, see Divorce · Guardianship · Land · Naturalization · Probate

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

Directories[edit | edit source]

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

Ethnic, Political or Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

American Indian[edit | edit source]

The Kalispel Indian Reservation is located in Pend Oreille County.

1911 - 1919 - Washington, Applications for Enrollment and Adoption of Washington Indians, 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — images

Japanese[edit | edit source]

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

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

A FamilySearch Community Tree is available for this place.

Many local libraries and societies have collections of family genealogies. County histories or biographies often include brief genealogies of the featured persons.

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.

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by the probate and the District courts. See Washington Court Records.

History[edit | edit source]

Local histories for Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy may include biographies, history of churches, schools, local government with names of officials, military information, and more. See Washington 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] 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[edit | edit source]

Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library^[7]

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 Washington Territory.
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[edit | edit source]

Land Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Seller (Grantor)
Seller's Spouse
Buyer (Grantee)
Heirs
Witnesses
Land Description and Dates
Tips -or- Land Contents

Land records (especially deeds) may give the name of a spouse, heirs, and witnesses, who may be relatives or in-laws.

County deeds, mortgages, and leases show transfers from person to person. See also Court Records for actions involving real estate. See Washington Land for government-to-person records.

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.

County Land records, 1850-1954 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[edit | edit source]

This map highlights the county within the state of Washington. The map soon will have inter-active links.

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

Current Pend Oreille County map.

Migration[edit | edit source]

Most residents came to Washington from other states or crossed the border from Canada. (See Seattle Passenger Lists for those who came from other countries.) Although few other migration records exist, try:

• Censuses (use birthdates and places of children as clues)

• Land (1st deed may reveal previous residence)

• Death-related records of children may give town or county of birth

• Records of relatives and neighbors

Military[edit | edit source]

1921-1925 - Washington, World War I Veteran's Compensation Fund Application Records, 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, his* foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. *Women were not naturalized until 1922 in the United States.

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

Declaration of Intention, 1911-1954 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[edit | edit source]

Small town newspapers provide historical content and contain obituaries, birth or death notices, legal notices, and community news, such as visits to or from out-of-town relatives. See Washington Newspapers for tips, resources, and details.

Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)

Finding More Washington Newspapers

Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:

WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
Do a search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog. To select a county in Washington, add a comma, slide way down to the county list, then click Search. (Almost every state seems to have a Washington County)

The Miner (Newport)

Northeast Washington Genealogical Society listing of available historic newspapers. Scroll to bottom of page for Pend Oreille County newspapers.

Washington State Library has online historic newspapers. Search for Colville Mines for 1850s references to Pend Oreille mines and mining activities.

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.

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

Obituaries may mention birth, marriage, spouse, parents, living family members, education, occupation, and more. See Washington Obituaries for state level collections and United States Obituaries for tips and insights.

See also: Newspapers • Libraries • Societies • Funeral Homes • Obituaries of neighboring counties or of the person's previous residence • Family records.

Also check:

Newspapers of Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy
Local Funeral Homes, Libraries, or family records.
Obituaries of neighboring counties

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Probate records identify heirs of the decedents, give the (approximate) death dates, and provide specifics about property holdings. The records were kept by the county judge.

These include wills, inheritance records, dockets, and other documents regarding property and estates of individuals who have died. See also Court Records for civil actions involving estates. Also see Washington Probate Records.

Probate Records, 1889-1974 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[edit | edit source]

Public records are documents created by civil authorities that either don't fit comfortably in another topic, or that could fit in several topics.

Cedar Tree, Olympic National Park, Washington

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

Mothers Pension records, 1914-1936 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[edit | edit source]

School Census, 1910-1932 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[edit | edit source]

Washington tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Washington 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.

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

The county auditors in Washington kept records of birth, marriage, and death. The county clerk has the divorce records - the earliest dates to the present.

Visit the Washington State Department of Health website to order a Washington Birth, Death, Marriage or Divorce Certificate. See Washington Vital Records for details and history of the records. .

Birth[edit | edit source]

Birth Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Name of Child
Birth Date and Place
Parent's Names
Mother's Maiden Name
Parent's Ages
Parents' State or Country of Birth
Name of Doctor or Midwife

In 1891, coroners, physicians, and midwives were to "return" births and deaths to the county auditor. Many went unrecorded. In 1907, the State Center for Health Statistics assumed this responsibility.^[8]

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Birth Records.

Birth Records, 1912-1948 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.

For earlier or unrecorded births, search:

Delayed Birth Certificates often include statements of witnesses to the birth.
Death Records to learn birth date, place, parents
Census to learn age, family members, location, etc.
School Censuses give date of birth and name of parent or guardian
Cemeteries for birth date or age, maybe birth place
Obituaries for any of the above and more
See also Neighboring and Parent counties and How to Find Washington Birth Records.

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Marriage Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Date of Marriage or License
Names of Bride and Groom
Ages
Birth Places
Residences
Names of Parents
Husband's Occupation
Witnesses
Minister or Officiator

Marriage records include certificates, marriage returns, license applications or affidavits. Counties kept the records until 1968, when the state took over.

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Marriage Records.

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

1911-2004 - Marriage Records, 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 - Washington Marriage Index, 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — index

Divorce[edit | edit source]

Divorce records give the names of the parties and may give the date and place of their marriage. See Washington Vital Records for excellent information.

Online Records

1969 - 2014 - Washington Divorce Index, 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — index

Death[edit | edit source]

Death Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Name of Deceased
Death Date and Place
Age or Birth Date and Place
Parent's Names
Mother's Maiden Name
Name of Spouse
Residence
Occupation

In 1891, coroners, physicians and midwives were to report (or return) all births and deaths under their supervision to County Auditors. On July 1, 1907, the State took over....^[9]

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Death Records.

Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 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)

Voting Registers[edit | edit source]

Websites[edit | edit source]

Sites with online indexes or images of records
Northeast Washington Genealogical Society includes Pend Oreille County.	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
Pend Oreille County WAGenWeb Project	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
USGenWeb Archives Project	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
Washington State Digital Archives	Free	Includes indexes, some linked to images. Type county name, click Search, then select a collection. Collections were posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page in December, 2013.
FamilySearch Historical Collections	Free	Search indexes or browse images at FamilySearch.org. Click "Last Updated." Collections through December 2013 have been posted to the appropriate topics for this Wiki page.

Sites that search for links pertaining to Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy
Websites at RootsWeb - Pend Oreille WA	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
Linkpendium	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
CyndisList	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
StateofUS.com	Free	"Pend Oreille County, Washington Facts" (mis-labeled "Pend Oreille County, Alabama Facts")

*Major catalogs for hard copy* collections of Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy** Books, microfilm, or manuscripts of genealogical records
FamilySearch catalog	Select topics. To select towns, add a comma to the search box.
WorldCat	To find nearby libraries that have specific items, see WorldCat Online Catalog.
Allen County Public Library (Indiana)
See also local libraries and Washington Archives and Libraries

Archives, Libraries, etc.[edit | edit source]

Resources for Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy 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 FamilySearch Library (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana) for Pend Oreille County, Washington Genealogy. When you find items you'd like to access, see Get a Copy

Family History Centers[edit | edit source]

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.

For current information about a center near you, go to the Family History Center Map

Libraries[edit | edit source]

Local public libraries—even smaller ones—often have Unique Genealogical Collections that are not online for the area they serve. Many libraries in Washington have an area dedicated to local history and genealogy.

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[edit | edit source]

Pend Oreille County Historical Society and Museum

Societies[edit | edit source]

Populated Places[edit | edit source]

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:^[10]

Cities
Newport (county seat)
Towns
Cusick Ione	Metaline	Netaline Falls
Unincorporated communities
Blueslide Dalkena Diamond Lake Jared	Locke Penrith Ruby Sacheen Lake	Scotia Tiger Usk
Native American communities
Kalispel Indian Reservation

Indian Reservation