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Yuma County, Arizona
Map
Location in the state of Arizona
Location of Arizona in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	December 21, 1864
County Seat	Yuma
Courthouse
Address	250 West 2nd Street, Suite B Yuma, Arizona 85364

United States Arizona Yuma County

Wikipedia has more about this subject: Yuma County, Arizona

County Courthouse

Yuma County Court House 
168 S 2nd Ave
Yuma, Az 85364
Phone:520-329-2170

Clerk Superior Court has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1863 ^[1]

History

Yuma County, Arizona is in the far southwest corner of the state. Principal communities include Yuma and Somerton. It extended to Parker in the north until 1983 when the northern half of the county split off to form La Paz County.

• Until 1821 -  New Spain controlled land that later would become Arizona. Some records of early settlers may have been sent to an archives in Seville, Spain, or to archives in Mexico City.
  
• In 1821 - Mexico obtained jurisdiction over the land that later would become Arizona. Records of this period may have been sent to archives in Mexico City.
• In 1846 - New Mexico Territory was setup, it included land that later would become Arizona.
• In 1852 - New Mexico Territory created counties that stretched east and west from the Texas border to the California border, including land that became Arizona. Land in present-day Yuma County, Arizona was once part of Socorro and Doña Ana counties of New Mexico.^{[2] [3]} Records during this period may have been sent to courthouses in their respective New Mexico counties.
• In 1854 -  the Gadsden Purchase was bought from Mexico, it including land that later became Yuma County. This land was added to the already existing Doña Ana County, of New Mexico. Some records from 1854 to 1863 may have been sent to the Doña Ana County, New Mexico courthouse.
• In 1863 -  Arizona Territory was created from the western half of New Mexico territory. All previous counties were dissolved, and eventually four new counties were created in the new Arizona Territory.

Parent County

21 December 1864 - Yuma County was created  as an original county of Arizona.  County seat: Yuma ^[4]

Boundary Changes

See Previous Jurisdictions to land in Arizona showing dates the jurisdictions were created and where. This will help in determining what jurisdiction your ancestor lived in and where the records are now located.

Record Loss

Some environmental damage has occurred to many of the historical registers.  Meldew and mold have taken its toll on the readability of some of the books and case file contents.

Places/Localities

Populated Places

Neighboring Counties

• Imperial County, California
• La Paz, Arizona
• Maricopa, Arizona
• Pima, Arizona

Resources

Cemeteries

 Arizona Cemetery Transcription and Photo Project

Census

For tips on accessing Yuma County, Arizona census records online, see: Arizona Census.

Church

LDS Ward and Branch Records

• Yuma

Court

Yuma County (Arizona). County Recorder, (Main Author), Powers of attorney (Yuma County, Arizona), Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2002.

Land

Local Histories

Maps

Military

Newspapers

Probate

Taxation

Vital Records

695 marriages from 2 Apr 1864 to 17 Mar 1902 are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.  Some of the early marriage volumes are difficult to read and the writing is hard to decipher due to environmental damage.

Societies and Libraries

Genealogical Society of Yuma Arizona
P.O. Box 2905
Yuma, AZ  85366-2905

Arizona Historical Society Rio Colorado Division
240 Madison Avenue
Yuma, Arizona 85364
520-782-1841

Family History Centers

Introduction to Family History Centers

Yuma Arizona
4300 W 16th St
Yuma, Yuma, Arizona, United States
Telephone: 928-782-6364

This is not a mailing address. Due to limited staff, Family History Centers are unable to respond to mail inquiries.

Web Sites

• USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
• Family History Library Catalog
• Yuma County, Arizona Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

References

1. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Yuma County, Arizona p. 57. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
2. ↑ William Thorndale, and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1987), 26. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 X2th.
3. ↑ Original Counties of New Mexico Territory (map) at http://www.nmgs.org/Graphics/nmcoun-orig.jpg (accessed 9 August 2011).
4. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).

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