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Hints and Help

  • Washington Territory was established in 1853. Prior to that time, it was part of the Oregon Territory.
  • Be aware of county boundary and name changes between 1857 and 1892.
  • Before beginning your research, we suggest you check the WSGS Pioneer Index. You may find the Pioneer you’re planning to research has already been researched. If you do find the Pioneer in the index, please send an email to Washington State Genealogical Society asking to see the genealogical data associated with the pioneer. If you are a WSGS member, you already have access to the complete Pioneer histories in the Members’ Only section. If you’re not a member, we encourage you to join so you have full access to all the data.  It is only $12.00 per year.
  • We suggest you join the free Washington State Genealogy group, at https://groups.io/g/Washington-State-Genealogy to ask questions, offer help, and coordinate with other Pioneer Pursuit researchers.
  • The Washington Territorial Censuses were done on odd numbered years, every 2-3 years, beginning in 1857.  Not all censuses are available for all years or all counties.  Washington Territorial census records are available at Ancestry.com, “Washington, U.S., State and Territorial Censuses, 1857-1892” and at the Washington State Archives in Olympia.
  • 1885, 1887, 1889
    Asotin: 1885, 1887, 1889
    Chehalis (now Grays Harbor County): 1860, 1871, 1885
    Clallam: 1857, 1860, 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887
    Clark: 1860, 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887
    Columbia: 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889
    Cowlitz: 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887
    Douglas: 1885, 1887
    Franklin: 1885, 1887
    Garfield: 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1892, 1898
    Island: 1860, 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887
    Jefferson: 1860, 1871, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1891 [wow!]
    King: 1856, 1871, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1892
    Kitsap: 1857 (county then called Slaughter), 1860, 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889
    Kittitas: 1885, 1887, 1889 
    Klickitat: 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1892
    Lewis: 1857, 1860, 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887
    Lincoln: 1885, 1887, 1889
    Mason: 1860 (county then called Sawamish), 1871, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1892
    Pacific: 1883, 1885, 1887
    Pierce: 1857, 1871, 1878, 1879, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1892
    San Juan: 1885, 1887, 1889
    Skagit: 1885, 1887
    Skamania: 1871, 1885, 1887
    Snohomish: 1871, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889
    Spokane: 1885, 1887
    Stevens: 1871, 1878 (includes Spokane and Lincoln counties), 1885, 1887, 1892
    Thurston: 1871, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1892
    Wahkiakum: 1871, 1885, 1887
    Walla Walla: 1885, 1887, 1892
    Whatcom: 1860, 1871, 1885, 1887, 1889 
    Whitman: 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889
    Yakima: 1883, 1885, 1887
  • 1890 Special Census of Veterans and Widows is available at Ancestry.com.  Has some WA counties.
  • Check local genealogical societies, historical societies and museums for local collections of records.  Lists of genealogical societies and their holdings can be found here on the WSGS website.  Lists of museums and historical societies can also be found on the website. 
  • Don’t forget to look at WA State Archives: www.digitalarchives.wa.gov.
  • Citations:  You can copy and paste from online sources into your document.  Be sure to include the URL.  It is acceptable to use citation source writers from your genealogy software program.  If you need assistance with doing source citation, check Evidence Explained, by Elizabeth Shown Mills, Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore, MD, 2007 or https://www.evidenceexplained.com/.