Plumas County, California Genealogy
Guide to Plumas County, California ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Plumas County, California | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of California, United States Genealogy | |
 Location of California in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | March 18, 1854 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Hettinger |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Plumas County Courthouse 520 Main Street Quincy, CA 95971 Phone: 530.283.6218 Plumas County Website |
County Information[edit | edit source]
Plumas County, California Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1860 | 1860 | 1860 | 1860 | 1860 | 1860 | 1850 |
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Plumas County Courthouse
520 Main Street
Quincy, CA 95971
Phone: 530.283.6218
County Clerk has divorce records from 1860; County Recorder has birth, marriage, death and probate records from 1860; County Museum Archives has biographies and photographs[2]
Historical Facts[edit | edit source]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
18 March 1854: Plumas County was created from Butte County. County seat: Quincy [3]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named from the Spanish words for the Feather River (Río de las Plumas), which flows through the county. The county seat Quincy and the county was created 1854. The County is located in the northeast area 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]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Native American communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biography[edit | edit source]
- Plumas County Biographies (Genealogy Trails)
- Index to Plumas County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
- Plumas County Biography Index (CAGenWeb Project)
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 4,363 | — |
| 1870 | 4,489 | 2.9% |
| 1880 | 6,180 | 37.7% |
| 1890 | 4,933 | −20.2% |
| 1900 | 4,657 | −5.6% |
| 1910 | 5,259 | 12.9% |
| 1920 | 5,681 | 8.0% |
| 1930 | 7,913 | 39.3% |
| 1940 | 11,548 | 45.9% |
| 1950 | 13,519 | 17.1% |
| 1960 | 11,620 | −14.0% |
| 1970 | 11,707 | 0.7% |
| 1980 | 17,340 | 48.1% |
| 1990 | 19,739 | 13.8% |
| 2000 | 20,824 | 5.5% |
| 2010 | 20,007 | −3.9% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Plumas County, California Genealogy census records online, see: California Census.
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
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Portola
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]
Germans[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 Plumas 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.
- Plumas County History Records (USGenWeb Archives)
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
- 1854-1888 Deeds, 1854-1888(*); Plumas County Recorder at FamilySearch Library Catalog — images
- Index to Plumas County Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of California (1850-1925)
- 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 Plumas County, California Genealogy for emigrant settlers included:[6][7]
- California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
- The Lassen Cutoff 1848 was established by gold rushers from Oregon going to California. It branched off the Applegate Trail at Davis Creek, went through Devil's Garden to the Pit River passing east of Mt. Lassen, and turning west to Lassen Rancho, California, and from there to Sacramento. In some years as much as 1/3 of emigrants mistakenly took the Applegate Trail-Lassen Cutoff, a much longer and more difficult trail than the Truckee or Carson routes.
- Beckwourth Trail 1850 left the Truckee Trail near present-day Sparks, Nevada going to Oroville and Marysville, California
- Nobles Road 1851 from the Applegate Trail at Rabbithole Springs in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada to Shasta City, California
- 1906-1935 California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Military History and Records[edit | edit source]
- Plumas County Military Records (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1882 - Veterans Of The Mexican War Living In Plumas Co. In 1882 (USGenWeb Archives)
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Regiments. Service men in Plumas County, California Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Plumas County, California Genealogy:
- - 1st Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company F
- - 5th Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company F
- 1883 - Plumas County List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
- 1886 - Ren Dixon Post No. 122, G. A. R. 1886, Civil War - Rosters (USGenWeb Archives)
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]
- Index to Plumas County World War II Army Enlistments (USGenWeb Archives)
- Plumas County Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (Genealogy Trails)
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- California Digital Newspaper Collection at UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Plumas County, California Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Plumas 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).
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Plumas County Obituary Index (Genealogy Trails)
- Plumas County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
- Plumas County Obituary Index (CAGenWeb Project)
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 - Plumas - Probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1782 - 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1880 - 1919 Plumas County California list of will book testators SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills - free
- 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
- Doris Foley Library for Historical Research Nevada County Library - an affiliate library
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
- Plumas County Vital Records (CAGenWeb Project)
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($)
- Early Plumas County Birth Notices by year (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. Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1854 - 1885 Western States Marriage Index.
- 1960 - 1985 California Marriage Index, 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images. Also at: MyHeritage($)
- Early Plumas County Marriage Notices by year (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
- 1940 - 1997 California Death Index, 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at: MyHeritage($)
Voting Registers[edit | edit source]
- Transcription of Plumas County Great Register of Voters by year (Genealogy Trails)
- 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
- 1866-1910 California, Great Registers, 1866-1910 at MyHeritage - index, ($)
Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Plumas County Historical Society
P.O. Box 695
Quincy 95971
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Plumas County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Plumas County CAGenWeb
- Linkpendium
- USGenWeb Archives
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Plumas County, California Genealogy Trails
- Plumas County CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Plumas 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), Plumas County, California. Page 86 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, "Plumas County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumas_County,_California 05/05/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Plumas County, California," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumas_County,_California, accessed 19 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).
