Benton County, Washington Genealogy

United States Washington  Benton County   Guide to  genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1905, when the county was formed.

Parent County(s)
was created 8 March 1905 from Klickitat and Yakima counties

County Seat: Prosser. See also Towns and Communities in. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Boundary Changes

 * Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Courthouse
Benton County Courthouse 600 Market Street Prosser, WA 99350-0190 Phone: 509.786.5624 County Auditor has birth records 1905-1907 and marriage records from 1905. County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records. County Assessor has land records.


 * Inventory of the county archives of Washington, no. 3. Benton County (Prosser) (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in.

Neighboring Counties
isurrounded by:Franklin | Grant | Klickitat | Walla Walla | Yakima | Oregon counties: Morrow | Umatilla

Census

 * Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)
 * Federal 1910
 * These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

Church Records

 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for are listed in the . (Press space bar to select town.)

Court Records

 * County Records, 1856-2009. Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what genealogical information may be in these records.
 * Included in this collection: Birth register 1905-1907 vol 1; Birth returns 1905-1907 no 1-38; Birth returns index 1905-1907 vol 1; Declarations of intention 1901-1954; Index to marriage statistics 1906-1939 vol 1; Marriage affidavit record 1906-1939; Marriage affidavit record 1922-

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.

Genealogy

 * "Genealogy Research in " online
 * "Online Document Searching and Marriage Application" online

History

 * "Benton County, Washington Online Historical Directories" online
 * "Benton County, Alabama (Washington) Facts" online
 * "TCGS (Tri-Cities Gen. Soc.) Digital Collections" online
 * "Benton County, Wash" online

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. Benton County -- Thumbnail History, HistoryLink.org, Essay 5671.


 * 1803 - The first inhabitants were the, Umatillas, Klickitats, and Wallulas.
 * 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes.
 * 1858 - A gold rush to British Columbia brought the first influx of white people, as rushers traveled through on their way north.
 * 1880s - Steamboats and railroads connected what would become known as Kennewick to the other settlements along the Columbia River.
 * 1880s and earlier - Benton County has very little rainfall, and some farmers had been successful at dryland farming.
 * 1890s - Irrigation came to the county and brought many changes.
 * 1905 - March 6, Washington State Legislature creates Benton County (out of Klickitat).
 * 1942 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Manhattan District, surveyed the northern part of the county for a secret government project. In 1943, the government ordered everyone living in the town sites of Hanford and White Bluffs to evacuate. Shortly thereafter, a huge government construction project began, known only as the . Thousands of people moved to the Eastern Washington desert. No one knew what they were building, just that it would help the war effort. Only when they heard the news of the devastation caused by the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6, 1945, did the workers know what they had built. "Our bomb clinched it!" read the Richland Villager.

Land and Property

 * 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.

Military

 * World War II (1941–1945) army enlistments at the county GenWeb site has about 400 entries, mostly from Okanogan and other counties. Key (at end of the list) explains codes and columns. Gives year and state of birth. Free.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Naturalization Records, 1905-1954 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free index, no images)
 * Includes Declarations of Intention, Petitions for Naturalization and Certificate Stubs.


 * Naturalization and Citizenship1901-1954 Part of: Washington County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
 * See what [[Washington Naturalization and Citizenship#Record Content|genealogical information may be in these records.

Newspapers

 * Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)

Probate Records

 * 1895-1930 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Public Records

 * Benton Postmaster Index}. Prior to 1965 Part of Washington, Postmaster Indexes, Prior to 1965, FamilySearch Historical Collections for Washington. (Free, browse images)

School Records

 * 1910-1926 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Birth

 * Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Benton County Birth Register.
 * For FHL entries, 1905-1907, click.


 * Birth Returns, 1905-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * 1905-1907 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Marriage

 * Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Benton County Marriages from 1905 to 1920. This database is an index to marriage certificates filed with the Auditor in Benton County, Washington. For FHL entries, click.


 * Marriage Records, 1905-1980 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)


 * 1901-1954 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)

Death

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

Websites

 * The Benton County WAGenWeb Project (Free), a member of The WAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Web Sites at RootsWeb - Benton WA (Free)
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project (Free) for Benton County. (Mirror site)
 * Tri-City Genealogical Society (Free) has online data for Benton and Franklin Counties.
 * Current Collections at Washington State Digital Archives (Free) Type county name, click Search, then select a collection. Collections were posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page in November, 2013.
 * Historical Collections at FamilySearch.org. (Free) Click "Last Updated." Collections through October 2013 have been posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page.

Sites that search the Internet for records online:


 * Linkpendium (free)
 * CyndisList (free)

Major catalogs to offline genealogical records: Catalogs refer to books, microfilm, manuscripts, and/or Internet images and indexes for various topics.


 * for (Select topics. Add comma to select towns.)
 * WorldCat To find libraries near you that have items of interest, see WorldCat Online Catalog.
 * Allen County Public Library (Indiana)
 * See also local libraries and Washington Archives and Libraries

Archives, Libraries, etc.
Resources for 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 (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana) for.

Family History Centers

 * Kennewick Washington Family History Center 895 W Gage Blvd, Richland, WA United States Location Map.


 * Prosser Washington Family History Center 1835 Highland Dr., Prosser, WA United States Location Map


 * Richland Family History Center 1314 Jadwin Ave., Richland WA 99352 United States Location Map

Libraries

 * Mid-Columbia Library System, 405 S. Dayton Street, Kennewick 99336 Phone: (509) 582-4745. Has volunteers from Tri-City Genealogical Society


 * Online Resources:In the library there is also access to online databases.


 * Unique Collections: many books of genealogical value, maps, and many local newspapers on microfilm dating from the late 1800s to the present


 * Benton City Library, 708 9th Street, Benton City 99320 Phone: (509) 588-6471


 * Online Resources: Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest and others.


 * Unique Collections:


 * Keewaydin Library, 405 S. Dayton, Kennewick 99336 Phone: (509) 586-3156


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Kennewick Library, 1620 S. Union, Kennewick 99338 Phone: (509) 783-7878.


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Prosser Library, 902 Seventh Street, Prosser 99350 Phone: (509) 786-2533


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:


 * Richland Public Library, 1270 Lee Blvd, Richland 99352 Phone: (509) 942-7450


 * Online Resources: online databases
 * Unique Collections: some books of genealogical value, and the local Tri-City Herald newspaper on microfilm


 * West Richland Library, 3803 W. Van Giesen, West Richland 99353 Phone: (509) 967-3191


 * Online Resources:


 * Unique Collections:

Museums

 * The Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science, and Technology (CREHST) is a museum and science center created to tell the dynamic story of the Columbia Basin and surrounding region." It features an excellent exhibit and materials available on the Hanford project and the huge influx of people to support it in the 1940's. Two collections of interest specifically to genealogists are their photos collections (indexes for Marlin's Columbia Photography, North Light Studio and Wendland Studio) and their collection of General Electric Company newsletters.

Societies

 * East Benton County Historical Society primarily runs a museum of local history and a research library. The museum features local history, from the ancient petrified forests to the Native Americans to the pioneers and settlers. Of special note is an extensive photograph collection depicting life in Kennewick, Richland, Finley, Hover, Hanford, White Bluffs and surrounding areas. "The museum library houses an extensive collection of materials including obituaries, local history files, family history information, high school annuals and books of local and regional interest. There are also 121 books from Dr. Glen Axford's Audubon Collection." (From the http://ebchs.org/ website under Museum Info: Research Library)
 * The Tri-City Genealogical Society has an extensive collection of local and regional resources as well as references for other areas. Check their resources page for an updated list of their holdings. They also provide genealogical help at the Mid-Columbia Library, have online resources, and conduct local research for a small fee.

Towns and Communities
See a list of towns and communities in Benton County per Wikipedia.

Extinct Communities