Washington County, Oregon
This Site is part of
The ORGenWeb Project & The USGenWeb® Project

Hello,
My name is Martha and I will be your guide to historical and genealogical resources for
Washington County, Oregon. I do not live in Oregon, I live on the Central Coast of California,
but have ancestors that graced the Oregon Territory.
I am an experienced online researcher and might be able to help you locate
that missing piece of your 'Ancestral Pie'. Contact: Martha

Dedicated to our past County Coordinator:
Donald Leroy Kelly
Arrived on Mar. 25, 1934 ~ Departed on Aug. 3, 2012 and resided in Cornelius, OR.

Table of Contents
History ~ Biographies ~ Books ~ Pioneers ~ Maps ~ What's New ~ FS "Collections" ~ Queries and Lookups
Vital Records ~ Coroner ~ Mortuary Records ~ Odds
Military ~ Cemeteries ~ Obituaries ~ Crime & Punishment
New Site "Oregon Outcroppings" - New Resources for Oregon Research [Off Site]

Vital Records ~ Coroner ~ Mortuary Records ~ Odds

For General Vital Record Research, begin with Family Search.
'Creative Searching' can be done using just a couple of simple parameters.
In the 'Search' Section, simply enter the place of Birth as Washington County, Oregon
Nothing else, unless you want to bracket years.
Then, at the top of the page is a word " Collections", click on that and a number of databases comes up. Check the ones you wish to see and you are well on your way to discovery!

These two Indexes were created using the above technique:
Marriages and Deaths
The General Section for Oregon is here

Family Search: "Collections" Oregon Neighboring States
California ~ Idaho ~ Nevada ~ Washington [Scroll Down]
Log into your FS Account, Access the Resourses Linked Above

Family Search ~ Michigan Marriages
This link is for folks born in Oregon and who married in Michigan: 1868 - 1925
[Available Info: Full Name, Place of Marriage, Residence, Place of Birth, Age, Occupation, Officiant, Witnesses]
Sign into your FS Account, then use the above link.

First Washington County Marriages
Copied by Mary Ringle Lepschat (Mrs. Joseph) in 1954 for David Hill Chapter
Mrs. Lepchat’s notes were recopied for the Bulletin by Mrs. Jay Balfour.
The Book may be found here: Fully Searchable, Dates begin in the 1850's

Records from the Oregon Statesman: [FS Catalog] Film 857034
Marriages & Deaths: March 1851 - December 1854
Image Ranges 34 - 83

LDS Film 857037 : FS Catalog
This film contains Marriage and Death records that, as far as I know are not indexed on Family Search.
The time frame is 1864 > 1880

Because Yamhill County shares a border with Washington,
I have included the following:
The FS Catalog has a nice set of books for
Yamhill Co. Marriages:
1844 > 1862 ~ 1891 > 1895 ~ 1896 > 1900
11901 > 1906 ~ 1907 > 1912
Sign into your FS Acct, Search, Catalog, Books, Yamhill

Other Resources for Vital Records
Family Search: Historical Images has Vital Records that have not been indexed. If you cannot find vitals for Washington,
check her neighbors records in the Historical Images.
Sign in: Search, Images, Enter Location of Choice

Family Search: Historical Images Section
Here is a film list for Land, Passenger Lists, Homestead and Native American Records:
Washington County

Miscellaneous Records ~ Many of which contain Vital Data
Family Search: Databases and Linked Files
They can be viewed online or downloaded
Border Crossings ~ Homestead Records ~ Biographies
Quaker Periodicals ~ Naturalization Final Papers
American Red Cross Nurses Data
Pass Port Applications ~ Employment Records
Mortality Schedules ~ Tax Records & Assistance
Coroner & Funeral Home Records

US Presbyterian Church Records: 1701 - 1970

Lookups: Newspapers
I have access to archival newspapers and will do lookups.
Please contact me with particulars.

Here is a List of Oregon Newspapers on NewsBank

Free Digital Newspapers
Historic Oregon Newspapers
Purdue University
Chronicling America ~ Google News Archives ~ California Digital Newspaper Archives

Coroner & Mortuary Records

Rigdon Mortuary [Marion County, OR]
This film is included because there are WA County Folks listed.
The pages to this book can be found here: Use This Link

Because Multnomah County borders Clackamas & Washington Co.'s,
The records below may be of interest
Multnomah County Coroner Records
LDS Digital Film # 101940173: Please use this Link [FS Catalog]
The actual Coroner's Ledgers begin with Image #39 - #39 = Pg 1

Odds & Ends

Below is a photo of Minnie Jane [Neal] Castile and her Cousin, Laura Neal.
The Photo is dated 1903.
According to the note on the back of the photo:
"Mamma and Aunt Laura went to a Worlds Fair at Portland - Walking from the Klalock D"

Lyndsay also provided a Family Group Sheet. Please use this Link
For further information on the Castile-Neal Family, Lyndsay may be contacted.
Here is her Email Address Lyndsay G Eddy-Bloomberg
Thank you Lyndsay for Sharing...

The National Archives has a really nice set of digitized records that can be viewed and downloaded.
Please Use This Link For Access

I.O.O.F. Hillsboro Lodge (Montezuma Lodge No. 50)

'Century Past'
All sorts of stuff: Free Online Library

"The Fine Print"
State Coordinator: Bob Jenkins
Assistant State Coordinator: Martha A Crosley Graham
Washington County Coordinator: Martha A Crosley Graham

Please see our ORGenWeb Copyright Disclaimer and other important information.
For information about adopting a Oregon County, an idea or comment, Please Contact Bob

Information contained on all of the pages within the County portion of the ORGenWeb Project
may be used for personal genealogical and historical purposes.
Please be considerate of copyright information and give credit where credit is due.
Donated data will remain with the County in the event of the resignation of the County Coordinator.
Any person donating information in the future retains the right to have it returned to them upon request

Site Updated: 14 Octobert 2024
Online Continuously since 1997 ~ All Rights Reserved
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