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Guide to Adams County, Washington ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for the second President of the United States, John Adams. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Adams County, Washington Courthouse 210 W. Broadway Ritzville, WA Phone: (509) 659–3240 Adams County Courthouse 210 W Broadway Avenue Ritzville, WA 99169-1860 Phone: (509) 659–3257 County Auditor has birth and death records to 1907 and marriage records. County Clerk has divorce and probate records. County assessor has land records

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:

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 Paula Becker. Adams County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7835.
 * 1803 Before this time, the land that would later make up Adams County was part of the territory of the Palouse tribe.
 * 1853 March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1863 January 20, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Stevens County.
 * 1869 George Lucas, an Irish emigrant, was Adams County's first permanent white settler. He established a way-station at Cow Creek along the road to
 * 1871 November 29, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Whitman County (out of Stevens).
 * 1880 James G. Bennett harvested a small wheat crop near Ritzville.
 * 1881 May, The began laying track through Adams County.
 * 1883 November 28, Washington Territorial Legislature creates Adams and Franklin counties (out of Whitman).
 * 1884 Brothers Ben and Sam Hutchinson built a cabin on lower Crab Creek.
 * 1889 November 11, Washington becomes a state.
 * 1897 Adams County bumper wheat crop spurs shift from cattle ranching.
 * 1901 The first homesteaders arrived.
 * 1928-1931 During a severe drought that resulted in dustbowl conditions, many people left the area.
 * 1942 was completed in 1942.
 * 1950 Construction on the reached the Othello area, bringing the water of the Columbia River to irrigate Adams County's dry land.

Cemeteries

 * Tombstone inscriptions of Adams County, Washington

Census Records

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)
 * Specific censuses for this county: Territorial: 1885,1887, and 1889


 * 1850-1914 Web: Washington, U.S., Various County Census Records, 1850-1914 at Ancestry (Free)
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only; Includes: School Census Records, 1912-1932 (browse images)
 * Washington online census links to FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest and others. Includes Federal Censuses, 1860–1940; 1890 Veterans Schedule; '''Territorial and State Censuses, 1847–1898
 * Statewide printed indexes of federal censuses
 * See Washington Census Years for online availability of Federal, Territorial, and State-funded censuses.

Church Records

 * Pioneer History to about 1900... Adams County, Washington Churches of Christ and Christian Churches, at NCBible.org.

Lutheran List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Adams Frontier Justice Part of "Frontier Justice": Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1888 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.
 * Power of Attorney Records 1988 - 2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
American Indian
 * 1911-1919 at FamilySearch— How to Use this Collection; index & images

Japanese
 * Japanese Internment World War II Files, 1942-1946. Public Welfare/Social Security Department at Washington State Digital Archives.
 * Assistance Cases, Evacuee Referrals for Resettlement and Assistance, 1945-1946

Genealogies

 * Adams County History Book, 2 v. by Adams County Historical Society, online index to vol 1. "The book contains over 300 family histories"

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * County Recorder's Office: check deeds, file mining claims, get assistance in finding ownership of a particular property, and obtain copies of county plat maps. This office has county plat records dating back to 1878, prior records having been destroyed in a fire.
 * Land Records 1988 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free: Index - some images)
 * Plats and Surveys 1988 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collections. (Free: Index - some images)
 * Typically agreements and contracts recorded in the auditor’s office deal with real property.
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Land Index 1895-1920; Petitions for sale of real estate 1903-1910.

Local Histories

 * Adams County -- Thumbnail History at Historylink.org
 * Adams County History Book, 2 v. Adams County Historical Society
 * online index to vol 1
 * Illustrated history of the Big Bend country by Western Historical Publishing Company [(Spokane, Wash.) Western Historical Pub. Co., 1904] at Washington History

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records

 * 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * Washington State Digital Archives (Free) has digitized various types of naturalization-related records. For Adams County the collection includes:
 * Certificates of Naturalization 1906 - 1945
 * Naturalization Records, 1903-1956
 * Declarations of Intent, 1890-1907
 * Orders of Naturalization, 1890-1906
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Naturalization card index 1890-1945; Naturalization records-miscellaneous 1917-1927; Naturalization records 1898-1906.

Newspapers

 * Adams County, Washington Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)
 * 1855-2009 Washington Newspapers, 1855-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
 * Adams County news (Select "Washington State journal and Adams County news (Ritzville, WA)" from Select Newspapers listing)
 * Washington Digital Newspaper at Washington State Library

Public Records

 * Adams County Auditor, Miscellaneous Recordings at Washington State Digital Archives Collections. (Free: Index + Images)
 * Includes a variety of documents, such as affidavits for wills or property, judgements, even occasional death records.
 * Prior to 1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Adams Ordinances passed. (Free: Index - some images)
 * Passed by various governing bodies in Adams County and recorded by the Adams County Auditor
 * Adams Powers of Attorney, 1988-2012 (Free, Indexes and some images)
 * One person (grantor) appoints another person (grantee) to act on his or her behalf in health, financial, and property issues.
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Part of Washington County Records, 1856-2009. (Free, browse images)

Voting Records

 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only

Periodicals

 * Washington Periodicals

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Probate bonds 1903-1923; Probate claims 1903-1917; Probate letters 1904-1927; Probate records1885-1931; Will record index 1885-1920; Will records 1888-1959; Letters of Administration 1888-1964.

School Records
Online School Indexes and Records


 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes School census 1912-1932; School registers 1903-1926.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Birth

 * Adams County Births 1894 - 1907, 1910 - 1915 Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * Database includes several delayed birth returns recorded in 1942.
 * For FamilySearch Catalog, click
 * 1873-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * See Public Records section for Mother's Pensions. These give exact dates of birth for her children.

Marriage

 * 1801-1962 Washington, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1865-2004 Washington, Marriage Records, 1865-2004(If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Sea
 * 1884-1892 Marriages from 12 Jun 1884 to 12 May 1892 are available on the Western States Marriage Index website.
 * 1884-2012 Marriage Records, 1884-2012 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1803-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images only
 * Includes Marriage certificates 1951-1991; licenses 1923-1928; and returns 1904-1942.
 * 1947-1948 Marriage Certificates, 1947-1948 Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Death

 * 1907-1960 Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1881-1979 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1907-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * Adams County Death Returns 1893-1907; 1907; 1910, 1913 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free, index and images)
 * FamilySearch Catalog for microfilm.

Divorce

 * Archives, Libraries, etc.
 * 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Family History Centers

 * Basin City Washington Family History Center
 * Ephrata Washington Family History Center
 * Moses Lake Washington Family History Center
 * Othello Washington Family History Center
 * Quincy Washington Family History Center
 * Ritzville Washington Family History Center
 * Royal Washington Family History Center
 * Wahluke Washington Family History Center
 * Warden Washington Family History Center

Libraries
Resources for Adams County are available in libraries, archives, and other repositories at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation. See these headings for Adams County details: Courthouse·FamilySearch Centers·Libraries·Museums·Societies

Libraries Othello Library, 101 E. Main Street, Othello 99344 Phone: (509) 488-9683Website
 * Online Resources: Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest, and others.
 * Unique Collections:

Ritzville Public Library, 302 W Main, Ritzville 99169 Phone: (509) 659-1222Website
 * Online Resources: (None seen Oct, 2013)
 * Unique Collections:

Societies
Adams County Historical Society Box 526 Lind, WA 99341-0526 509-677-3642 Facebook Website Big Bend Chapter American Historical Society of Germans from RussiaWebsite

Websites

 * Adams County WAGenWeb Project
 * USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Washington State Digital Archives
 * Websites at RootsWeb - Adams WA
 * Allen County Public Library (Indiana)
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.