Grays Harbor County, Washington Genealogy

United States

Washington

Grays Harbor

Guide to Grays Harbor County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1854, when the county was formed as Chehalis County.

Trawler launched 1950 on the Hoquiam River, Grays Harbor County, WA

County QuickStart: Census Birth Marriage Divorce Death Cemeteries

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Grays Harbor County, Washington
Map
Location in the state of Washington (disambiguation)
Location of Washington in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	February 27, 1907
County Seat	Montesano
Courthouse
Address	Grays Harbor County Courthouse 102 West Broadway Room 203 Montesano, WA 98563 Phone 360.249.3842 Grays Harbor County Website

County Overview

Description

The County was named for a large estuarine bay near its southwestern corner. On May 7, 1792, Boston fur trader Robert Gray crossed the bar into a bay which he called Bullfinch Harbor, but which later cartographers would label Chehalis Bay, and then Grays Harbor. The County is located in the west-central area of the state.

Parent County(s)

Parent County: created in 14 April 1854 as Chehalis County from Thurston. Renamed to Grays Harbor County 15 March 1915.

Boundary Changes

Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Neighboring Counties

• Neighboring Counties: Jefferson | Mason | Pacific | Thurston
  

See also Towns and Communities in Grays Harbor County, Washington Genealogy

Courthouse

Grays Harbor County Courthouse
102 West Broadway Room 203
Montesano, WA 98563
Phone 360.249.3842

County Clerk has probate, divorce and court records from 1860.
County Auditor has marriage records from 1891.
County Assessor has land records from 1855.
County Health Department has birth and death records.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in Grays Harbor County, Washington Genealogy.

• County Seat: Montesano .

See also Archives, libraries, etc.

Dates of Major County Records

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1891	1855	1891	1860	1855	1860	1850
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1907. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss

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

Topics for Grays Harbor County, Washington Genealogy

The topics or headings on this page describe records that are used for genealogy and family history. They include links to web sites with indexes, images, or information about the county.

 

Biography

Biographical information is often found in state and local histories or genealogies. See also Washington Biography.

Business and Commerce

Commercial fishing, the lumber industry were major industries historically. Tourism is more recent.

• Mining Claims, 1881-1928 Part of: Washington County Records 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Cemeteries

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
WAGenWeb		FamilySearch Places
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

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	285	—
1870	401	40.7%
1880	921	129.7%
1890	9,249	904.2%
1900	15,124	63.5%
1910	35,590	135.3%
1920	44,745	25.7%
1930	59,982	34.1%
1940	53,166	−11.4%
1950	53,644	0.9%
1960	54,465	1.5%
1970	59,553	9.3%
1980	66,314	11.4%
1990	64,175	−3.2%
2000	67,194	4.7%
2010	72,797	8.3%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

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.

• See Washington Census Years for online availability of Federal, Territorial, and State-funded censuses.

• Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
  • Federal: 1860 • 1870 • 1880 • 1910
  • Territorial: 1871 • 1879 • 1881 • 1882 • 1885 • 1887 • 1889
  • State-funded: 1892 • 1894
  • These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

Church Records

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 records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for Grays Harbor County, Washington Genealogy are listed in the FamilySearch catalog. (Press space bar to select town.)

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Montesano

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Court Records

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

• Grays Harbor Frontier Justice Part of “Frontier Justice”: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)
  • The court procedures of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of the Washington Territory. The index has many abstracts that provide names and what is happening in disputes, settlements in civil and criminal cases as well as probate, equity and admiralty cases.

.

 

Ethnic, Political or Religious Groups

American Indian

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

Japanese

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

 

Gazetteers

• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

 

Genealogy

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 Resources

• Grays Harbor Resources at Grays Harbor Genealogical Society

Guardianship

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

Local histories for Grays Harbor County, Washington Genealogy may include biographies, history of churches, schools, local government with names of officials, military information, and more. See Washington Local Histories.

• Grays Harbor County, Washington Facts at StateofUS.com (mis-labeled as Grays Harbor County, Alabama)

History Timeline

Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Wilma, David. Grays Harbor County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7766.

• The original residents of what would become Chehalis, then Grays Harbor County, were members of the Quinault Tribe.
• 1787 - The largest village in the area was at the mouth of the Quinault River and was so named.
• 1792 - May 7, Boston fur trader Robert Gray crossed the bar into the bay he called Bullfinch Harbor, but which later cartographers would label Chehalis Bay, then Grays Harbor.
• 1824 - Irishman John Work of the Hudson's Bay Company explored the area.
• 1800s (mid) - The county’s first permanent white settler was Irishman William O’Leary.
• 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
• 1907 - February 27, Grays Harbor County was founded.
• Early 1900s - Grays Harbor County boomed. Immigrants from all over the world flocked to jobs offering cash wages.
• 1920s - The wood-products industry -- logging, milling, and pulp manufacture -- started a long, slow decline.

Land and Property

Land records (especially deeds) may give the name of a spouse, heirs, and witnesses, who are sometimes 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.

• County Land Records, 1850-1954 at Washington, County Land Records, 1850-1954 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

• Land Records 1981 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Plats and Surveys Records 1980 - 2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
• Recorded Agreements and Contracts 1981 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Mining Claims, 1881-1928 Part of: Washington County Records 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Maps

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

The BLM also has Cadastral and other survey information at Oregon and Washington Land Status and Cadastral Record, please note this is separate from the survey dropdown on the main glorecords.blm.gov page.

• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

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 Records: (1st deed may reveal previous residence)
• Death-related records of children may give town or county of birth
• Records of relatives and neighbors

Military

 

• 1921-1925 Washington, World War I Veteran's Compensation Fund Application Records, 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — index
• Some military records for this county have been digitized at the Washington State Digital Archives.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. Note: Until 1922 in the United States, women's citizenship was based on that of their husbands.

• County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982 at Washington, County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Included in this collection: Petition records, Petition index, Petition records index, Naturalization certificate receipts, Journal of Citizenship, Journal of Citizenship index, Delectation of Intention, Delectation of Intention Index, and Application & Oaths.

• Declarations of Intention, 1884-1971 Washington State Archives. These records include both an index and images to Declarations on Intention, Vol 1-20, 32 filed with Grays Harbor County Superior Court, between 1884-1971.

Newspapers

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.

• Grays Harbor County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
• 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)

Finding More Washington Newspapers

Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Grays Harbor 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)

• Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library

Obituaries

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.

Also check:

• Newspapers of Grays Harbor County, Washington Genealogy
• Local Funeral Homes, Libraries, or family records.
• Obituaries of neighboring counties

 

Probate Records

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, 1884-1930 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Includes Record of wills 1884-1929 and Index to wills 1860-1930.

Public Records

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

• Grays Harbor County Postmaster Index. Part of Washington, Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965, FamilySearch Historical Collections for Washington. (Free, browse images)

• Power of Attorney Records 1981 - 2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

School Records

 

• School Registers are arranged by grade and gives names, ages, attendance. School Censuses include names, birth dates, parents or guardians.

Taxation

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.

Vital Records

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

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. See also Washington Birth Records.

Aberdeen City Clerk, Birth Register, 1890-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives

• Washington, County Birth Registers, 1873-1965 — index and images
• Birth Records, 1891-1930 Part of: Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • Includes Birth register 1891-1930 and Birth returns index 1891-1907.

• Birth Register, 1891-1908 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Birth Register, 1891-1908 Part of the Washington County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • These records were filed under Chehalis, now Grays Harbor County.

For earlier or unrecorded births, search:

• Washington Delayed Birth Certificates often include statements of witnesses to the birth.
• Death Records often give birth date, place, parents
• Censuses to learn age, family members, location, etc.
• School Censuses in Washington give date of birth and name of parent or guardian
• Cemeteries usually give birth date or age, and sometimes birth place
• Obituaries often include birth info, living and deceased family members, and more

Marriage

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

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

• 1871-2007 Marriage Records, 1871-2007 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Includes Index to register of marriages 1893-1920; Marriage certificates 1871-2007; register 1893-1922; returns 1966.

• 1872-2013 - Marriage Records, 1871-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• 1969-2014 Washington Marriage Index, 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — index

Divorce

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
• County Divorce Records, 1852-1950 part of Washington, County Divorce Records, 1852-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Death

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. See Washington Death Records.

• 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
• Washington, County Death Registers, 1881-1922 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index
• Death Records, 1891-1937 Part of: Washington County Records 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Includes Coroner's record 1905-1937; Death register 1891-1907 and Death returns 1891-1907.

• Washington, County Deaths, 1891-1907 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

• Death Register, 1891-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

 

Websites

Check back often with websites. Local societies and libraries may know of other websites.

Sites with online indexes or images of records
Grays Harbor 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 Grays Harbor County, Washington Genealogy
Websites at RootsWeb - Grays Harbor 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	"Grays Harbor County, Washington Facts" (mis-labeled "Grays Harbor County, Alabama Facts")

Major catalogs for hard copy collections of Grays Harbor 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.

Listed below are archives in {{{1}}} County. For state-wide facilities, see Washington Archives and Libraries.

Resources for Grays Harbor 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 Grays Harbor County, Washington Genealogy. When you find items you'd like to access, see Get a Copy

Family History Centers

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

• Elma Washington Family History Center
• Federal Way Washington Family History Center
• Ocean Shores Washington Family History Center
• Olympia Washington Family History Center
• Shelton Washington Family History Center
• Silverdale Washington Family History Center
• Tacoma Washington Family History Center
• Vashon Washington Family History Center

• Kitsap Regional Library - an affiliate library
• Northwest African American Museum - an affiliate library
• Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Libraries

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.

• Timberland Libraries - Grays Harbor County
  • Grays Harbor County Libraries Branches and Locations
  • Genealogy / Data Base Tools
  • Special or Unique Collections (help needed from each branch)

Museums

 

• Aberdeen Museum of History
• Chehalis Valley Historical Museum
• Museum of North Beach
• Polson Museum

Societies

Grays Harbor Historical Societies
Website

Grays Harbor Genealogical Society
PO Box 916
Aberdeen WA 98520
420 7th Street
Hoquiam, WA 98520
E-mail:info@graysharborgenealogy.com
Website
Facebook

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:

Cities
Aberdeen Cosmopolis Elma Hoquiam	McCleary Montesano (county seat) Oakville	Ocean Shores Westport
Unincorporated communities
Alder Grove Aloha Artic Axford Bay City Carlisle Chehalis Village Copalis Crossing Deckerville	Garden City Gray Gables Grays Harbor City Heather Melbourne New London Newton Nisson	Ocosta Quinault Saginaw Sine South Elma South Montesano Vesta Whites
Native American communities
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation‡	Quinault Indian Reservation‡
Census-designated places
Aperdeen Gardens Amanda Park Brady Central Park Chehalis Village Cohassett Copalis Beach Grayland	Hogans Corner Humptulips Junction City Malone Markham Moclips Neilton Ocean City	Oyehut Pacific Beach Porter Queets‡ Qui-nai-elt Village Santiago Satsop Taholah

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

FamilySearch affiliate libraries may have access to center-only databases, but do not always have all services normally provided by a family history center.