Thurston County, Washington Genealogy

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Guide to Thurston County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1852, when the county was formed.

Percival Landing Park in Olympia, Thurston County, Washington



County QuickStart:





Thurston County, Washington
Map
Map of Washington highlighting Thurston County
Location in the state of Washington (disambiguation)
Map of the U.S. highlighting Washington
Location of Washington in the U.S.
Facts
Founded 12 January, 1852
County Seat Olympia
Courthouse
Address [http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/clerk/ Thurston County Courthouse


County Overview[edit | edit source]

Tip
 Before the newly-formed county was fully operational, search records of the parent county(s).

Description[edit | edit source]

The County was named for Samuel R. Thurston, the Oregon Territory's first delegate to Congress. The County is located in the west-central area of the state.[1]

Parent County(s)[edit | edit source]

Thurston County, Washington was created 12 January 1852 from Clark County.[2]

County Seat: Olympia [3]. See also Towns and Communities in Thurston County, Washington Genealogy. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Thurston County Courthouse
2000 Lakeridge Dr SW
Olympia, WA 98502
Phone: 360.786.5438

County Auditor has birth and death records 1891-1907 and marriage records from 1891.
County Clerk has divorce probate and court records. [5]

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

Dates of Major County Records[edit | edit source]
Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records[6]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1891 1877 1891 1852 1852 1852 1850
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1907.
General compliance by 1917.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]

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

History[edit | edit source]

In August 1848 Congress established Oregon Territory, which included the future state of Washington. By 1850 there were more than 300 non-Indian inhabitants north of the Columbia River, and as the new communities on and near the southern shores of Puget Sound began to grow, so grew the need for a local organized government and a new county. Simmons (in honor of Michael Simmons) was proposed as the name of the new county.

Instead, Thurston was chosen as the new county’s name and Olympia was chosen as the county seat. The Oregon Territorial Legislature carved the new county out of Lewis County on January 12, 1852. The early Thurston County was considerably larger than it is today, covering territory from west of the Cascades to the coast and north to the Canadian border. However, other counties were quickly formed from parts of Thurston County and by 1877 it had been reduced to its present size.

Thurston County’s name came from Samuel R. Thurston (1816-1851), the first delegate to Congress in 1849 from the new Oregon Territory, who had made a name for himself during his brief tenure in office defending the territorial rights of the northern part of Oregon Territory against the claims of the Hudson’s Bay Company.[7]

Topics for Thurston County, Washington Genealogy[edit | edit source]

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.

Tip
 Don't overlook Thurston County, Washington Genealogy items in the FamilySearch Library Catalog. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see Archives and Libraries.

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

 

Biography[edit | edit source]

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

Business and Commerce[edit | edit source]

 

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

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 GenealogyTrails
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.

Tip
 Check every person buried in the plot, as they may be close relatives.


Census[edit | edit source]

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 1,507 —
1870 2,246 49.0%
1880 3,270 45.6%
1890 9,675 195.9%
1900 9,927 2.6%
1910 17,581 77.1%
1920 22,366 27.2%
1930 31,351 40.2%
1940 37,285 18.9%
1950 44,884 20.4%
1960 55,049 22.6%
1970 76,894 39.7%
1980 124,264 61.6%
1990 161,238 29.8%
2000 207,355 28.6%
2010 252,264 21.7%
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.

Tip
Find your ancestor in every census taken while living.
Click for more census tips



FYI
 Censuses indexed by societies or groups in the area may be more accurate, due to familiarity with local surnames.

Church Records[edit | edit source]

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 Thurston County, Washington Genealogy are listed in the FamilySearch catalog. (Press space bar to select town.)


List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records[edit | edit source]

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.

ArrowGreen.svg.png

For specialized court records, see Divorce  · Guardianship  · Land  · Naturalization · Probate

  • Thurston 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[edit | edit source]

 

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

 

Ethnic, Political or Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

 

American Indians[edit | edit source]
Japanese[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

 

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

 

Mason CountyPierce CountyLewis CountyGrays Harbor CountyWA THURSTON.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources


Genealogy[edit | edit source]

Many local libraries and societies have collections of family genealogies. County histories or biographies often include brief genealogies of the featured persons.

A FamilySearch Community Tree is available for this place.


Guardianship[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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

  • "Tenino" by May Webster Jackson [1923-1943?] online at Washington History
  • Olympia by Hazard Stevens [Boston: Stevens, 1891] at Washington History
History Timeline[edit | edit source]

Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library[8]

Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Phil Dougherty. Thurston County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7979.

  • Native Americans had been residents of southern Puget Sound long before the first documented white settlers passed through in 1792
  • 1792 - May, The first documented exploration of Puget Sound was headed by British captain George Vancouver.
  • 1820s - White explorers next visited the area when scouts of the British-owned Hudson’s Bay Company passed through.
  • 1833 - April, The Hudson’s Bay Company subsequently established Fort Nisqually.
  • 1845 - October, Michael Simmons settled near Tumwater Falls and established the first American settlement in what would become the state of Washington.
  • 1852 - January 12, The Oregon Territorial Legislature carved Thurston county out of Lewis County.
  • 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
  • 1854 - December, Governor Isaac Stevens and 62 leaders of major Indian tribes in western Washington met at Medicine Creek (now McAllister Creek) in Thurston County and signed what became known as the Medicine Creek Treaty.

Land and Property[edit | edit source]

Land Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒  Y  M
Seller (Grantor) Green check.png  
Seller's Spouse Green check.png  
Buyer (Grantee) Green check.png  
Heirs   Green check.png
Witnesses Green check.png  
Land Description and Dates Green check.png  
Tips -or- Land Contents

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

Maps[edit | edit source]

 

Wathurston.jpg
This map highlights the county within the state of Washington. The map soon will have inter-active links. Area map and other information from 1895: http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/WA/

Migration[edit | edit source]

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

Military[edit | edit source]

 

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, his* foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information.     *Women were not naturalized until 1922 in the United States.

  • 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: Declaration of intention 1833-1980; Naturalization journal 1891-1905; Petition records 1889-1929.

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

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.

Finding More Washington Newspapers

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

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

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.

ArrowGreen.svg.png

See also: Newspapers • Libraries • Societies • Funeral Homes • Obituaries of neighboring counties or of the person's previous residence • Family records.

Also check:

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

 

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

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.

Public Records[edit | edit source]

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

Taxation[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]
Birth Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒
  Y  M
Name of Child Green check.png  
Birth Date and Place Green check.png  
Parent's Names Green check.png  
Mother's Maiden Name Green check.png  
Parent's Ages   Green check.png
Parents' State or Country of Birth Green check.png  
Name of Doctor or Midwife Green check.png  

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.[9]

ArrowGreen.svg.png

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Birth Records.

For earlier or unrecorded births, search:


Marriage[edit | edit source]
Marriage Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒
  Y  M
Date of Marriage or License Green check.png  
Names of Bride and Groom Green check.png  
Ages Green check.png  
Birth Places Green check.png  
Residences Green check.png  
Names of Parents   Green check.png
Husband's Occupation   Green check.png
Witnesses Green check.png  
Minister or Officiator Green check.png  

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

Tip
 Search all documents that exist for a marriage, since information on them will vary.


ArrowGreen.svg.png

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Marriage Records.


FYI
 Witnesses or affiants may be relatives or close family friends. The affidavits also include physician's certificates.
Death[edit | edit source]
Death Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒
  Y  M
Name of Deceased Green check.png  
Death Date and Place Green check.png  
Age or Birth Date and Place Green check.png  
Parent's Names Green check.png  
Mother's Maiden Name Green check.png  
Name of Spouse   Green check.png
Residence Green check.png  
Occupation Green check.png  

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....[10]

ArrowGreen.svg.png

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Death Records.

Divorce[edit | edit source]

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

Voting Registers[edit | edit source]

 

Websites[edit | edit source]

Tip
 Check back often with these websites. Internet offerings are growing at record rates.
Local societies and libraries may know of other websites.



Sites with online indexes or images of records
WAGenWeb Thurston County Free Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
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 Thurston County, Washington Genealogy
Websites at RootsWeb -Thurston 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 ($)
CyndisList Free Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
Major catalogs for hard copy collections of Thurston 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.
See also local libraries and Washington Archives and Libraries

Archives, Libraries, etc.[edit | edit source]

See also a List of Washington Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies  

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

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

Libraries[edit | edit source]

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.

FYI
 A library's Unique Collections may include card indexes of local records, newspapers, scrapbooks, genealogy papers, files of a genealogical or historical society, and other unpublished manuscripts.


Museums[edit | edit source]

 

Societies[edit | edit source]

Olympia Genealogical Society
PO Box 1313
Olympia, Washington 98507-1313
E-mail:geniebug@comcast.net
Website
Facebook

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:[11]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
  • Belmore
  • Bordeaux
  • Boston Harbor
  • Bush
  • Delphi
  • Driftwood
  • East Olympia
  • Fir Tree
  • Gate
  • Helsing Junction
  • Independence
  • Indian Summer
  • Kelly's Korner
  • Lake Lawrence
  • Lamberts Corner
  • Littlerock
  • Maytown
  • McIntosh
  • Mima
  • Mushroom Corner
  • Offutt Lake
  • Plumb
  • Puget
  • Rignall
  • Saint Clair
  • Schneiders Prairie
  • South Bay
  • Steamboat Island
  • Sunnydale
  • Sunrise Beach
  • Union Mill
  • Vail
Native American communities
Census-designated places
Ghost towns

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

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Thurston County, Washington," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thurston_County,_Washington. accessed 18/07/2019
  2. ↑ The Evolution of Washington Counties by Newton Carl Abbott, Fred E. Carver, 1979. Published by the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society and Klickitat County Genealogical Society.
  3. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
  4. ↑ John H. Long, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries (Chicago: Newberry Library, 2006) online.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Thurston County, Washington page 734, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Thurston County, Washington . Page 732-735 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), 733-734.
  7. ↑ HistoryLink.org - The Free Onlline Encyclopedia of Washington State History
  8. ↑ John H. Long, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries (Chicago: Newberry Library, 2006) online.
  9. ↑ Washington State Archives - Digital Archives, Birth Records, About this Collection
  10. ↑ About Death Records at Washington State Digital Archives.
  11. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Thurston County, Washington," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thurston_County,_Washington, accessed 26 March 2019.
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