Mason County, Washington Genealogy

United States

Washington

Mason County

Guide to Mason 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.

Gig Harbor Waterfront and Mt. Rainier, Mason County, Washington

County QuickStart: Census Birth Marriage Divorce Death Cemeteries

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Mason County, Washington
Map
Location in the state of Washington (disambiguation)
Location of Washington in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	March 13, 1854
County Seat	Shelton
Courthouse
Address	Mason County Courthouse 411 N 5th PO Box 340 Shelton, WA 98584 Phone 360.472.9670 Mason County Website

County Overview

Description

The County was named for Charles H. Mason, the first Secretary of Washington Territory. The County is located in the west-central area of the state.

Parent County(s)

Mason County, Washington was created 13 March 1854 from King and Thurston.

County Seat: Shelton . See also Towns and Communities in Mason County, Washington Genealogy. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Boundary Changes

• Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Courthouse

Mason County Courthouse
411 N 5th PO Box 340
Shelton, WA 98584
Phone 360–472–9670

County Auditor has marriage records from 1892, death records 1891-1906 and land records from 1850’s.
County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in Mason County, Washington Genealogy.

Dates of Major County Records

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1891	1892	1891	1889	1856	1871	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 Mason 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

Traditional dugout canoes from Squaxin Island, Mason County, Washington

• Mining records 1892-1934 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.

Census

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	162	—
1870	289	78.4%
1880	639	121.1%
1890	2,826	342.3%
1900	3,810	34.8%
1910	5,156	35.3%
1920	4,919	−4.6%
1930	10,060	104.5%
1940	11,603	15.3%
1950	15,022	29.5%
1960	16,251	8.2%
1970	20,918	28.7%
1980	31,184	49.1%
1990	38,341	23.0%
2000	49,405	28.9%
2010	60,699	22.9%
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.

• The 1860 census records of Sawamish County, Washington Territory renamed Mason County in 1864. (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free); and Ancestry ($)
  • Federal: 1910
  • Territorial: 1857 • 1871 • 1879 • 1880 • 1881 • 1883 •  • 1885 1887 • 1889
  • State-funded:1892
  • 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 Mason 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

• Shelton

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

• Power of Attorney Records 1985 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Mason 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 procedure of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of 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.

Directories

• Online Historical Directories listed by Google.

 

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

Funeral Homes

• "Mason County Death and Funeral Cards 1890-1931" at Washington Digital Archives

Maps and Gazetteers

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

 

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

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. 

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

• A brief history of Shelton, Washington (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

• History of the Puget Sound country, Volume 1 ,Volume 2 by William Farrand Prosser [New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company, 1903] at Washington History.

• "Mason County, Washington Facts" at StateofUS.com (mis-labeled as Mason 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. Mason County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7730.

• The Coast Salish peoples who made their homes along the watershed of upper Hood Canal called themselves Tuanook (also Twana Twanoh, and Skokomish Twana) or "Big River People"
• 1792 - George Vancouver of the British Royal Navy mapped Hood or Hood’s Canal
• 1853 - March, Major Hugh A. Goldsborough took up a donation land claim in the Cota Valley near present-day Shelton .
• 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
• For the first settlers, the dense stands of fir, hemlock, spruce, and cedar represented a barrier to settlement.
• These same forests later became a boom to the area.
• 1854 - April 15, Sawamish County was created.
• 1864 – The name of the county was changed to Mason County.
• 1893 - The Panic of 1893 was the most severe economic crisis in the nation’s history and many logging and milling operations shut down.
• 1900s - early, Mason County grew as immigrants flooded into the logging camps and mill towns

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.

• Land Records, 1850-1954 at Washington, County Land Records, 1850-1954 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • Includes: Deed Record indexes AND Deeds. (Mis-labeled as only deed record indexes)

• Records at Washington State Digital Archives Collection: (Free)
  • Land Records 1985 and 2005
  • Plats and Surveys Records 1885 - present
  • Recorded Agreements and Contracts 1985 - present

• Mining records 1892-1934 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • Locations of mining claims

Maps

 

This map highlights the county within the state of Washington. The map soon will have inter-active links.

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 the collection: Application & oaths 1937-1974; Declaration of intention 1890-1969; Final record 1890-1911 vols 1-3; Miscellaneous correspondence 1908-1938; Petition records 1880-1948.

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.

• Mason 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 Mason 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)

• Allyn Times - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1889-1891
• 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 Mason 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.

• Washington, County Probate Case Files, 1832-1950 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free)

• Record of wills 1884-1929 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)

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.

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

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.

• Washington, County Birth Registers, 1873-1965 — index and images

• Birth Returns, 1891-1894 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Birth Records, 1891-1907 at Washinton State Digital Archives Collection (Free)

• Birth register 1891-1906 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • Includes Birth returns 1891-1894.

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
  

• 1857-2013 Marriage Records, 1857-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• 1887-2008 Marriage Records1887-2008 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • Includes Marriage certificates 1951-2002.

• 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. 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
• Washington, County Deaths, 1891-1907 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, search with links to images)

• Death register 1891-1906 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)

• "Mason County Death and Funeral Cards 1890-1931" at Washington Digital Archives

Websites

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

Sites with online indexes or images of records
WAGenWeb for Mason County	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
Mason County Washington Genealogy Research	Free	Contains information for researching genealogy in Mason County WA, Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
USGenWeb	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 Mason County, Washington Genealogy
Websites at RootsWeb - Mason 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	"Mason County, Washington Facts" (mis-labeled "Mason County, Alabama Facts")

Major catalogs for hard copy collections of Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason 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

• Poulsbo 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
• The Seattle Public Library - 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 Public Libraries - Mason County - William G. Reed Public Library
  • Branches and Locations
  • Genealogy / Data Base Tools
  • Special or Unique Collections (help needed from each branch)

 

Societies

Mason County Historical Society
427 W Railroad Ave
Shelton, WA 98584
(360) 426-1020
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
Shelton (county seat)
Unincorporated communities
Arcadia Eldon Grant Harstine Island	Lake Cushman Lilliwaup Matlock	Oakland Potlatch Tahuya
Native American communities
Squaxin Island Tribe	Skokomish Tribe
Census-designated places
Allyn Belfair	Grapeview Hoodsport	Skokomish Union
Ghost towns
Amelia

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.