Greenlee County, Arizona Genealogy
Guide to Greenlee County, Arizona ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
| Greenlee County, Arizona | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Arizona | |
 Location of Arizona in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | March 10, 1909 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Clifton |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | P.O. Box 1296 223 5th Street |
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 County Courthouse
- 3 History
- 4 Places/Localities
- 5 Populate Places
- 6 Resources
- 7 Societies and Libraries
- 8 Family History Centers
- 9 Websites
- 10 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Greenlee County, Arizona Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1909 | 1911 | 1909 | 1911 | 1881 | 1911 | 1830 |
County Courthouse [edit | edit source]
Greenlee County Courthouse
P O Box 908
Clifton, Az 85533
Phone:520-865-2972
Clerk Superior Court has marriage, divorce,
probate and court records from 1911
County Recorder has land records [2]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County has Clifton as its seat and the County was created March 10, 1909. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
- Until 1821 - New Spain controlled land that later would become Arizona. Some records of early settlers may have been sent to an archives in Seville, Spain, or to archives in Mexico City.
- In 1821 - Mexico obtained jurisdiction over the land that later would become Arizona. Records of this period may have been sent to archives in Mexico City.
- 18 Aug 1846 - During the war with Mexico, the US took control of Santa Fe and proclaimed sovereignty over the land that later became the New Mexico Territory.[4] Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration, the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
- 4 July 1848 - In the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Mexico ceded part of present day Arizona, including all of Greenlee County.[5] Look for records in the National Archives and Records Administration, the Mexico Archives and the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives.
- 9 Jan 1852 - New Mexico redefined the boundaries of previous counties and created new ones to cover all the land within its territory. Land in present-day Greenlee County, Arizona was once part of Socorro and Doña Ana counties of New Mexico.[6] [7] [8] Look for records in Dona Ana and Socorro counties.
- 24 Feb 1863 - The US created the Arizona Territory from the western half of New Mexico Territory.[9] All previous counties were discontinued for this new territory. Look for records in the Arizona State Library and New Mexico State Records Center and Archives
- 10 Nov 1864 - Arizona created Pima and Yavapai counties.[10] Both of these counties named for Indian tribes. Look for records in Pima and Yavapai counties.
- 14 Feb 1879 - Arizona created Apache County from land in Yavapai County.[11] This county named for the Apache Indians. Look for records in Apache and Yavapai counties.
- 10 Mar 1881- Arizona created Graham County from lands in Apache and Pima counties. [12] This county named for Mount Graham, the highest peak in the area. Look for records in Graham, Apache and Pima counties.
10 March 1909 - Greenlee County was created from Graham County[13] County seat: Clifton [14] This county named for an early Arizona pioneer. Look for records in Graham and Greenlee counties.
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
See Previous Jurisdictions to Land in Arizona showing dates the jurisdictions were created and maps. This will help in determining what jurisdiction your ancestor lived in and where the records are now located.
For animated maps illustrating Arizona county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Arizona County Boundary Maps" (1852-1993) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Places/Localities[edit | edit source]
Populate 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:[15]
| Towns | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
- Apache County, Arizona
- Cochise County, Arizona
- Graham County, Arizona
- Catron County, New Mexico
- Grant County, New Mexico
- Hidalgo County, New Mexico
Resources[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries [edit | edit source]
The following web sites may have additional information on Greenlee County cemeteries.
- Interment.net Arizona cemetery records by County.
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1920 | 15,362 | — |
| 1930 | 9,886 | −35.6% |
| 1940 | 8,698 | −12.0% |
| 1950 | 12,805 | 47.2% |
| 1960 | 11,509 | −10.1% |
| 1970 | 10,330 | −10.2% |
| 1980 | 11,406 | 10.4% |
| 1990 | 8,008 | −29.8% |
| 2000 | 8,547 | 6.7% |
| 2010 | 8,437 | −1.3% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Greenlee County, Arizona Genealogy census records online, see: Arizona Census.
Church[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 Arizona denominations, view the Arizona Church Records wiki page.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records
- Clifton
- Duncan
- Franklin
- Morenci
- York
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court[edit | edit source]
Land[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 Arizona Land and Property for additional information about early Arizona land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Greenlee County, Arizona 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 Arizona Local Histories.
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Military[edit | edit source]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
- 1861-1865 - Arizona Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
World War II[edit | edit source]
- 1940-1945 - Arizona, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Finding More Arizona Newspapers[edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Greenlee County, Arizona Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- Arizona Historical Digital Newspapers at Arizona Memory Project
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Greenlee County, Arizona Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Other Records[edit | edit source]
- 1910 – 1926 Arizona, Greenlee County, Voting Records, 1910-1926 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Probate[edit | edit source]
From 1850 to 1864 during the territorial period, probate records of Arizona were kept by the probate courts of New Mexico. Then until 1912, the records were handled by county probate courts. Since then probate records, such as wills, claims, administrations, case files, and calendars are kept in the custody of the clerk of the superior court in the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Subjects Search for Arizona, Greenlee - Probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1803 – 1995 Arizona Wills and Probate Records 1803-1995 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Arizona Department of Health Services , the county clerk's office of the county where the event occurred or order electronically online.
Birth Records[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1855-1930 - Arizona, Birth Certificates and Indexes, 1855-1930 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1887-1935 - Arizona Birth Certificates, 1887 - 1935 at MyHeritage - index and images
- 1909-1917 - Arizona Select Births and Christenings 1909-1917 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1909-1917 - Arizona, Birth Certificates, 1909-1917 at [FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection, index
Marriage Records[edit | edit source]
Online Marriage Indexes and Records
- 1833-1949 - Arizona, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1864-1982 - Arizona Marriage Collection 1864-1982 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1871-1964 - Arizona, County Marriages, 1871–1964 at FamilySearch — index and browse images, incomplete - How to Use this Collection
- 1888-1908 - Arizona Select Marriages 1888-1908 at Ancestry.com — index $
Death Records[edit | edit source]
Online Death Indexes and Records
- 1870-1963 - Arizona Death Certificates, 1870 - 1963 at MyHeritage ($) - index and images
- 1910-1911 and 1933-1994 - Arizona Select Deaths and Burials 1910-1911 and 1933-1994;at Ancestry.com — index $
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Greenlee County Historical Society
315 Chase Creek
P.O. Box 1125
Clifton, AZ 85533
Telephone 928-865-3115
Hours 2-4:30 T, Th, Sat.
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
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Greenlee County, Arizona AZGenWeb
- Greenlee County, AZ History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Greenlee County, Arizona Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Greenlee County, Arizona. Page 56-57 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), 52.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Greenlee County, Arizona p. 56. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Greenlee, Arizona," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenlee_County,_Arizona 7/10/2017.
- ↑ Williams 108-110
- ↑ U.S. Stat., vol. 9, pp. 922-943; Parry, 102: 29-59; Van Zandt, 11, 28-29; Walker and Bufkin, 19, 20A
- ↑ William Thorndale, and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1987), 26. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 X2th.
- ↑ Original Counties of New Mexico Territory (map) at
(accessed 9 August 2011).
- ↑ N.M. Terr. Laws 1851, 1st assy., 1st sess./p. 119; N.M. Terr. Laws 1851, 1st assy., 2d sess. /pp. 266, 292
- ↑ U.S. Stat., vol. 12, ch. 56[1863]/pp. 664-665; Ariz. Terr. Laws 1864, 1st assy./ pp. vii-viii; Van Zandt, 162
- ↑ Howell Code, Ariz. Terr. Laws 1864, 1st assy., ch. 2/ pp. 24-25
- ↑ Ariz. Terr. Laws 1879, 10th assy./ pp. 96-97
- ↑ Ariz. Terr. Laws 1881, 11th assy./ pp. 155-157
- ↑ Ariz. Terr. Laws 1909, 25th assy./ pp. 43-56
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Greenlee County, Arizona," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenlee_County,_Arizona, accessed 23 February 2019.
