Benton County, Washington Genealogy

United States Washington  Benton County

Guide to Benton County Washington genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.


 * Quick start:
 * Census
 * Birth
 * Marriage
 * Death

County Overview

 * County Seat: Prosser . For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

County Formation
Benton County, Washington was created 8 March 1905.

Boundary Changes
Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

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


 * Parent Counties: created 8 March 1905 from Klickitat and Yakima counties
 * County Seat: Prosser


 * Boundary Changes: No counties created from this county.

Resources
The types of records that follow are used for genealogy and family history. Most tell what you may learn and how to locate the records. Links to Internet sites usually go directly to entries with names, images, or information.

Cemeteries
The links are to volunteer submitted tombstone lists and may be incomplete. In addition to these links try USGenWeb Tombstone Project - Benton County, Washington for tombstone lists and photos.

Census

 * 1910
 * 1920
 * 1930
 * 1940

Court Records
Many of your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can establish family relationships and places of residence, occupations, and other family history information. See Washington Court Records for the various courts through the years.

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

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

Guardianship
Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by the probate and the Federal District courts. See Washington Court Records.

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. Okanogan County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7608.


 * The first inhabitants were the Yakamas, Umatillas, Klickitats, and Wallulas.
 * In 1858, a gold rush to British Columbia brought the first influx of white people, as rushers traveled through on their way north.
 * During the 1880s, steamboats and railroads connected what would become known as Kennewick to the other settlements along the Columbia River.
 * Benton County has very little rainfall, and some farmers had been successful at dryland farming.
 * Irrigation came to the county in the 1890s and brought many changes.
 * Washington State Legislature creates Benton County (out of Klickitat) on March 8, 1905
 * In 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 Manhattan Project. 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 bomb 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.

Naturalization and Citizenship
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.)

Washington State Digital Archives has digitized various types of naturalization-related records, including declarations of intentions, delayed birth files, naturalization affidavits, notifications of application for admission to US citizenship, orders fixing naturalization terms, petitions and records, petitions, receipts for certificates of citizenship, record of final decrees of citizenship and record of petitions dockets. Depending on the county, records range from 1854-1988.

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.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Kennewick Washington Family History Center
 * Prosser Washington Family History Center
 * Richland Family History Center located at 1314 Jadwin Ave., Richland WA 99352; phone (509) 946-6637 houses the collection of the Tri-City Genealogical Society. It also has helpful staff, free family history classes, some online databases, and access to the normal family history center resources.

Libraries

 * Mid-Columbia Library System has many books of genealogical value, maps, and many local newspapers on microfilm dating from the late 1800s to the present. In the library there is also access to online databases and volunteers from the TCGS.
 * Richland Public Library has access to online databases, some books of genealogical value, and the local Tri-City Herald newspaper on microfilm.

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.

Birth

 * Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Benton County Birth Records. This database contains the names of people who were born in Benton County from 1905-1907. For FHL entries, 1905-1907, click.

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.

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.

Death

 * Washington Death Certificates 1907-1960 A free internet index to the 1907-1960 death certificates can be found at FamilySearch Record Search, no images are available. A transcribed death certificate may contain such information as name of the deceased, date and place of death, age, gender, birth date and birth place, mother’s maiden name and name of spouse, place of residence, occupation and certificate numbers.

Websites

 * The Benton County WAGenWeb Project, a member of The WAGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Benton County.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Benton County. (Mirror site)
 * Family History Library Catalog for Benton County.
 * Benton County, Washington Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Tri-City Genealogical Society has online data for Benton and Franklin Counties.

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.

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

Extinct Communities