Alpine County, California Genealogy
Guide to Alpine County, California ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Alpine County, California | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of California, United States Genealogy | |
 Location of California in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | March 16, 1864 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Markleeville |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Alpine County Courthouse 99 Water St PO Box 158 Markleeville, CA 96120 Phone: 530.694.2287 Alpine County Website |
County Information[edit | edit source]
Alpine County, California Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1900 | 1900 | 1900 | 1900 | 1900 | 1900 | 1850 |
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, probate,
court and land records from 1900[2]
Historical Facts[edit | edit source]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1864--Alpine County was created 16 March 1864 from Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mono and Tuolumne Counties. County seat: Markleeville [3]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named because of its resemblance to the Swiss Alps. The county seat Markleeville and the county was created March 16, 1864. The County is located in the east central corner of the state.[4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating California county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation California County Boundary Maps" (1850-1925) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Records Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Places/Localities[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:[5]
| Unincorporated communities | ||
|
|
|
| Census-designated places | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biography[edit | edit source]
- Alpine County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
- Alpine County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
- Alpine County Pioneers (Genealogy Trails)
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1870 | 685 | — |
| 1880 | 539 | −21.3% |
| 1890 | 667 | 23.7% |
| 1900 | 509 | −23.7% |
| 1910 | 309 | −39.3% |
| 1920 | 243 | −21.4% |
| 1930 | 241 | −0.8% |
| 1940 | 323 | 34.0% |
| 1950 | 241 | −25.4% |
| 1960 | 397 | 64.7% |
| 1970 | 484 | 21.9% |
| 1980 | 1,097 | 126.7% |
| 1990 | 1,113 | 1.5% |
| 2000 | 1,208 | 8.5% |
| 2010 | 1,175 | −2.7% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Alpine County, California Genealogy census records online, see: California Census.
- Alpine County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Church History and Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about California denominations, view the California Church Records wiki page.
- 1864-1985 California, Church Records, 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Crime and Criminals[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Alpine County, California Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the Wiki page section California Local Histories.
- Alpine County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
- Alpine County History (Genealogy Trails)
- Research Guide to Alpine's County History
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See California Land and Property for additional information about early California land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1863-1879 Pre-emption Claims, 1863-1879(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1864-1866 Certificates of Sale, 1866-1922; General Index to Certificates of Sale, 1864-1866(*); Alpine County Sheriff at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1864-1869 Separate Property, Man & Woman, 1864-1869(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1864-1919 Declarations of Homestead, 1864-1919(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1864-1920 Miscellaneous County Records, ca. 1864-1920(*); Alpine County, County Clerk at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1864-1927 Record of Liens, 1864-1927(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1864-1928 Mortgage Records, 1864-1928; Indexes, 1864-1928(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1864-1930 Deed Records, 1864-1904; Indexes, 1864-1930(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1865-1877 Sheriff's Register of Actions, Alpine County, 1865-1877(*); Alpine County Sheriff at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1865-1890 Administrator's Sales, 1865-1890(*); California Superior Court, Alpine County at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1865-1901 Assessment Rolls, 1865-1901(*); Alpine County Assessor at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1865-1926 Agreements and Contracts, 1865-1926(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1865-1866 Certificates of Sale, 1865-1866(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1867-1928 Bills of Sale, 1867-1928(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1873-1905 Certificates of Sale of Real Estate, 1873-1905(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1880-1931 Miscellaneous Records and Decrees of Distribution (in Probate Causes), ca. 1867-1931; Indexes, 1867, 1880-1931(*); California, Superior Court, Alpine County at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1888-1985 Sheriff/Tax Collector Records, 1888-1985(*); Alpine County Sheriff at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1898-1933 Notices of Attachement Upon Real Estate, 1898-1933(*); Alpine County Sheriff at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1909-1910 Survey Field Notes of Markleeville, Alpine County, California, ca. 1910, and Markleeville Townside History, 1909-1910(*); Alpine County Surveyor at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- 1910-1913 Miscellaneous Records Index, 1882-1883, 1910-1913(*); Alpine County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- Index to Federal Land Records, Alpine County (USGenWeb Archives)
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to and from Alpine County, California Genealogy for emigrant settlers included:[6][7]
- 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
|
- Big Tree Road (Ebbetts Pass) 1851 from western Nevada to Markleeville, Murphys, and Stockton, California
- Sonora Road 1852 from the Carson Trail to Sonora, California
- Luther Pass Trail 1854 connected the Carson Trail and Johnson's Cutoff and allowed travelers to avoid Lake Tahoe. It became one of the routes to the Comstock Lode in Nevada
- 1906-1935 California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Military History and Records[edit | edit source]
- 1768-1921 United States, Burial Registers for Military Posts, Camps, and Stations,1768-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1914-1918 California, Geographical and Name Index of Californians who served in WWI, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
World War II[edit | edit source]
- World War II Army Enlistees, Alpine County (USGenWeb Archives)
- World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)
Korean War[edit | edit source]
- Korean War Army Casualties (USGenWeb Archives)
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1831-1985 California County Naturalizations, 1831-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Alpine County, California Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Alpine County, California Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog. Do NOT use the word County. (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
- California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Index to Alpine County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
- Alpine County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
The county clerk is usually the custodian of probate records. The records include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
You can obtain copies of the original probate records (such as wills and estate files) by writing to the county clerk at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for California - Alpine - Probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1833 – 1991 California Probate Estate Files 1833-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
Repositories[edit | edit source]
Archives, Libraries and Museums[edit | edit source]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- 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.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Societies[edit | edit source]
Taxation[edit | edit source]
California 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 California Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. See the CDC Where to Write website for information on acquiring copies of these records. The State office has records since July 1905. For earlier records, contact the County Recorder. See also How to order California Vital Records
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1800 - 1994 California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1812 - 1988 California Births and Christenings, 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1905 - 1995 California Birth Index, 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1905 - 1920 - Alpine County Birth Index, 1905-1920 (Genealogy Trails)
- 1921 - 1930 - Alpine County Births, 1921-1930 (Genealogy Trails)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1800 - 2007 California, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1850 - 1945 California Marriages, 1850-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1850 - 1952 California, County Marriages, 1850-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1854 - 1885 Western States Marriage Index.
- 1960 - 1985 California Marriage Index, 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1960 - 1985 Alpine County Marriages, 1960-1985 (Genealogy Trails)
- Alpine County Marriage Notices (Genealogy Trails)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1966 - 1984 California Divorce Index, 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1776 - 2000 California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, some images
- 1800 - 1994 California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1905 - 1939 California Death Index, 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1905 - 1907 Alpine County Death Index, 1905-1907 (Genealogy Trails)
- 1940 - 1997 California Death Index, 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
Voting Registers[edit | edit source]
- 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
- 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index, ($)
Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Alpine County Historical Society
P.O. Box 24
Markleeville 96120
Website
Alpine County Historical Society
1 School Street California
Markleeville, CA 96120
Phone:530-694-2317
Website
List of California Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Alpine County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Alpine County CAGenWeb Project
- Alpine County, California Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- USGenWeb Archives
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Alpine County, California, Genealogy Trails
- Alpine County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alpine County, California. Page 84-88 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 81-83.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Alpine County, California. Page 84 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Alpine County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpine_County,_California 04/28/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Alpine County, California," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpine_County,_California#Communities, accessed 11 September 2019 .
- ↑ National Park Service, "California Trail" (map) in California National Historic Trail at http://www.nps.gov/cali/planyourvisit/upload/CALImap1-web.pdf (accessed 5 August 2011).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "California Trail" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Trail (accessed 5 August 2012).
