Douglas County, Nevada Genealogy

United States

Nevada

Douglas County

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

County Facts County seat: Minden Organized: November 25, 1861 Parent County(s): Original county Neighboring Counties Alpine (CA)  • El Dorado (CA)  • Lyon  • Mono (CA)  • Placer (CA)  • Carson City (Independent City) See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption This page is available for adoption

County Information

Description

The county was named for Stephen A. Douglas, famous for his 1860 Presidential campaign debates with Abraham Lincoln. It is located in the northwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse

Douglas County Courthouse
1594 Esmeralda Ave, Rm 105
Minden, NV 89423-0218
Phone: 775-782-9014
Douglas County Website

County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and court records.

Douglas County, Nevada Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Major Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1885	1862	1887	1887	1855	1887	1850
Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1911. General compliance year is unknown.

Record Loss

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

Boundary Changes

• Parent County: created 25 November 1861 as an original county
• County seat: Minden
• Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nevada - shows boundary changes for Nevada Counties
• Nevada Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
  

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:

There are no incorporated towns or cities in Douglas County. The following communities are census-designated places, or un-incorporated communities, meaning population and demographic data is available from the U.S. Census Bureau for each one.

Unincorporated communities
Buckeye Centerville Dresslerville Hobart Holbrook Junction	Jack's Valley Lake Village Lincoln Park Mottsville Mountain House	Ranchos Sheridan Spooner Junction Summit Village Tahoe Village
Census-designated places
Carter Springs Double Spring East Valley Fish Springs Gardnerville Gardnerville Ranchos Genoa	Glenbrook Indian Hills Johnson Lane Kingsbury Lakeridge Logan Creek Minden (county seat)	Round Hill Village Ruhenstroth Skyland Stateline Topaz Lake Topaz Ranch Estates Zephyr Cove-Round Hill Village

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Douglas County, Nevada

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Douglas County, Nevada online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Findagrave.com FLGenWeb Archives Tombstone Project Billion Graves
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	Family History Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com Billion Graves Nevada Cemetery Records
See Nevada Cemeteries for more information

The following web site has additional information on Douglas county cemeteries.

• Interment.net Nevada cemetery records by county.

Census Records

The first enumeration for Nevada before it was a state in 1864, was in the 1850 Census in both New Mexico and Utah Territories, but the area had not been divided into counties. Those living there may be in the Utah 1851 Census. For 1860, Nevada was again enumerated in New Mexico and Utah Territories. A partial state census exists for Nevada in 1862 and 1863 and a full state census exists for 1875. See links listed below.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	1,215	—
1880	1,581	30.1%
1890	1,551	−1.9%
1900	1,534	−1.1%
1910	1,895	23.5%
1920	1,825	−3.7%
1930	1,840	0.8%
1940	2,056	11.7%
1950	2,029	−1.3%
1960	3,481	71.6%
1970	6,882	97.7%
1980	19,421	182.2%
1990	27,637	42.3%
2000	41,259	49.3%
2010	46,997	13.9%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

State and Territory Census Records

• 1850 United States Census, 1850 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Nevada was included in both the 1850 New Mexico and Utah Territory Censuses.
• 1860 United States Census, 1860 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Nevada was included in both the 1860 New Mexico and Utah Territory Censuses.
• 1860 Nevada, Compiled Census Index, 1860-1910 at Ancestry ($), index
• 1862-1863 1862-1863 Nevada Territory Tax List - Index
• 1875 Nevada State Census, 1875 at Ancestry.com ($), index

Federal Census Records

Federal Censuses were taken for the state of Nevada starting in 1870. Although, those living in south-eastern Nevada in 1870 may be enumerated in Utah or Arizona because of disputed boundaries with Nevada. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Nevada Census.

Church Records

Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Nevada Church Records.

Directories

• 1868-1869 Nevada Directory 1868-1869 at Ancestry ($), index only, includes settlers of Nevada.

Land and Property Records

The county recorder's office keeps land records once the land was transferred to private ownership. Abstracts and indexes for these records are generally available at the county courthouse.

In the FamilySearch Catalog, land records for Nevada are listed in the Place Search under: NEVADA, Douglas – LAND AND PROPERTY

• Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
• 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
  
• 1863-1908 U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com ($), index and images

For more information see Nevada Land and Property

Local Histories

County histories may include biographies of early settlers and residents, church and school information, and local military regiments at the time of publication.

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nevada - shows boundary changes for Nevada Counties
• Historical Maps and Atlases of Nevada - maps and atlases of Nevada

Migration

Early migration routes to and from Douglas County, Nevada Genealogy for emigrant settlers included:

• California Trail 1844 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California

• Carson (River) Trail 1848 (aka Mormon Emigrant Trail) crossed the Forty Mile Desert past the west side of the Carson Sink to pick up the Carson River near Fallon, Nevada up to Hope Valley and Red Lake. The Devil's Ladder then climbed 700 feet (210 m) in half a mile so ropes, chains, and pulleys were required to lift the wagons. Carson Pass was followed by the relatively easy West Pass (Kirkwood, California) and then on to Pollock Pines, Placerville, and Sutter's Fort, California
• Johnson's Cutoff 1850-1851 (aka Placerville Route, Lake Tahoe Route and Day's Route) from Carson City, Nevada past the south end of Lake Tahoe going south and then west to Placerville, California and Sacramento
• Daggett Pass 1850 (aka Georgetown Pack Trail) Carson Valley, Nevada to Johnson's Cutoff near South Lake Tahoe, California
• Walker River-Sonora Road 1852-1854 from the Carson Trail south to the Walker River along the base of the Sierra Nevada until it ascends to Sonora Pass and then down to Strawberry and Sonora, California

• Central Overland Trail 1859-1869 from Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah Genealogy to Carson City, Nevada through central Nevada on a route south of the Humboldt River]

Military Records

Online Collections

These collections are unique to Nevada. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Nevada Military Records.

Civil War

• 1861-1865 Nevada, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
  
• 1863-1866 Nevada Civil War Volunteers, 1863-1866 ($) at Ancestry — index
  

World War I

• Nevada - Soldiers of the Great War
  

World War II

• Nevada Casualties of World War II
  
• 1940-1945 - Nevada, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images

Korea War

• Nevada Military Killed in Action in Korea
  
• U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Korean War for Nevada
  

Vietnam War

• Nevada Military Killed in Action in Vietnam
  
• The Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Nevada
  
• Vietnam Conflict Casualty Lists - Nevada
  

Other Conflicts

• Nevadans Killed in Action - Operation Enduring Freedom & Operation Iraqi Freedom

For further information see Nevada Military Records.

Naturalization and Citizenship

• 1956-1991 Nevada, Naturalization Petitions, 1956-1991 at Ancestry ($), index

Newspapers

For more information, see Nevada Newspapers.

• NewspaperArchive.com ($) has a collection of digitized Reno newspapers going back to 1870. This database is sometimes free at libraries.

• GenealogyBank ($), contains images of Nevada newspapers
• Newspaper Archive ($), contains images of Nevada newspapers
• Chronicling America, contains images of some Nevada newspapers; searching tips
• Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
• U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

Probate Records

Probate records may include, wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. They may include the decedent’s date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, etc. See Nevada Probate Records for additional information.

Tax Records

Nevada tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records. Most tax records can be obtained from the county treasurer or assessor. For more information, see the wiki page Nevada Taxation. The Family History Library does not have copies of Nevada tax records (as of June 2013).

Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.

A copy or an extract of most Nevada original records can be purchased from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also Nevada Vital Records. For information about restrictions and costs for certificates, see the CDC Where to Write for Vital Records site.

Birth

• 1871-1992 Nevada County Birth and Death Records, 1871-1992 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1975-2012 Nevada Birth Index 1975-2012 at Ancestry ($)

Marriage

• 1809-2011 Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011 - Index, incomplete, list of counties included
• 1862-1992 Nevada County Marriages, 1862-1993 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1956-2005 Nevada Marriage Index 1956-2005 at Ancestry ($)

Death

• 1871-1992 Nevada County Birth and Death Records, 1871-1992 at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce

• 1968-2015 Nevada Divorce Records 1968-2015 at Ancestry ($)

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Douglas County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Nevada Archives and Libraries.

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Libraries

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Douglas County. For state-wide library facilities, see Nevada Archives and Libraries.

• Douglas County Public Library branches:
  

• 1470 Albite Rd
  Gardnerville, NV 89410
  Phone: 775-266-2508
• 1625 Library Ln
  Minden, NV 89423
  Phone: 775-782-9841

Societies

Listed below are societies in Douglas County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Nevada Societies.

• Carson Valley Historical Society
  Main St
  P. O. Box 165
  Genoa, NV 89411
  Phone: 775-782-4235
• Douglas County Historical Society
  Carson Valley Museum and Cultural Center
  1477 U. S. Highway 395 N, Suite B
  Gardnerville, NV 8941
  Phone: 775-782-2555
  Fax: 775-783-8802
  Email: dchs@HistoricNV.org
  Website
• Nevada State Genealogical Society
  P.O. Box 20666
  Reno, NV 89515-0666
  Facebook
• Clark County Nevada Genealogy Society
  PO Box 1929
  Las Vegas, NV 89125-1929
  Website
• Nevada Historical Society
  1650 North Virginia Street
  Reno, NV 89503
  Phone: 775-688-1190
  Fax: 775-688-2917
  Website
• Tri-State Genealogical Society
  For Arizona, California, Nevada
  PO Box 21902
  Bullhead City, AZ 86439
  Website

Websites

• Douglas County NVGenWeb Part of the USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
• Nevada Genealogy Network
• FamilySearch Catalog - 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

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.