Franklin County, Washington Genealogy

United States

Washington

Franklin County

Guide to Franklin County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1882, when the county was formed.

Palouse Falls, Franklin County, Washington

County QuickStart: Census Birth Marriage Divorce Death Cemeteries

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Franklin County, Washington
Map
Location in the state of Washington (disambiguation)
Location of Washington in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	November 28, 1883
County Seat	Pasco
Courthouse
Address	Franklin County Website

County Overview

Description

The County was named for Benjamin Franklin. The County is located in the southcentral area of the state.

Pasco, the Franklin County seat and largest population of Franklin County, is part of the Tri-City metropolitan area, and is just across the Columbia River from Kennewick and Richland (Benton County), and across the Snake River from Burbank (Walla Walla County). From the beginning, residence from each of these communities have crossed the rivers to go to church, get married, visit the hospitals, and bury their deceased. Records for Franklin County residence could be in Benton or Walla Walla Counties.

Residence of northern Franklin County may be found in records of Adams County. The northern part of the county has always been more rural with a lower population. They often travel to Connell for various services, but occasionally travel to Pasco (or the Tri-Cities) for larger purchases and business. They may also be found in Walla Walla and Benton county records.

Parent County(s)

Franklin County, Washington was created 28 November 1882 from Whitman.

County Seat:: Pasco . See also Towns and Communities in Franklin County, Washington Genealogy. For Courthouse, see Archives, libraries, etc.

Boundary Changes

See Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

Neighboring Counties

Franklin County, Washington Genealogy is surrounded by: Adams | Benton | Columbia | Grant | Walla Walla | Whitman

Courthouse

Franklin County Auditor has birth, death and burial records 1891-1910, marriage records from 1891; land records.
County Clerk has divorce, probate and court records from 1891.

See also Archives, libraries, etc. in Franklin County, Washington Genealogy.

Dates of Major County Records

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1891	1891	1891	1891	1880	1891	1850
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1907. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Topics for Franklin County, Washington Genealogy

The topics or headings on this page describe records that are used for genealogy and family history. They include links to web sites with indexes, images, or information about the county.

 

Biography

Biographical information is often found in state and local histories or genealogies. See also Washington Biography.

 

Cemeteries

Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Tombstone Transcriptions in Print	List of Cemeteries in the county
FindAGrave	Family History Library	FindAGrave
Tombstone Project	WorldCat	Interment.net
Billion Graves (name)	Washington Periodicals	WA State Digital Archives
WAGenWeb Archives		Linkpendium
Billion Graves		Genealogy Trails
WAGenWeb		FamilySearch Places
See Washington Cemeteries for more information.

Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information. Tombstones, sextons (caretakers) records, and burial records each have slightly different information. See Washington Cemeteries.

Census

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	696	—
1900	486	−30.2%
1910	5,153	960.3%
1920	5,877	14.1%
1930	6,137	4.4%
1940	6,307	2.8%
1950	13,563	115.0%
1960	23,342	72.1%
1970	25,816	10.6%
1980	35,025	35.7%
1990	37,473	7.0%
2000	49,347	31.7%
2010	78,163	58.4%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Federal Census Contents
Names, ages, birthplaces	1850–1940
Birthplaces of parents	1880–1940
Relationships	1880–1940
Family and Neighbors	All years
Immigration year	1900–1930
Citizenship	1910–1940

Censuses 1) Give names, ages, and more about the family; 2) Pinpoint the area to find other records; and 3) Provide clues for further research.

• Washington online census links to FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest and others.
  • Federal Censuses:
    • 1940 • 1930 • 1920 • 1910 • 1900
    • 1890 Veterans Schedule
    • 1880 • 1870 • 1860 • 1850
  • Territorial and State-funded Censuses:
    • 1847–1898

• Statewide printed indexes of federal censuses

• Census indexes at Washington State Digital Archives: (Free)
  • Federal: 1910
  • Territorial: 1885 • 1887
  • These were indexed by local societies and individuals.

• School census records 1912-1925 Part of: Part of Washington County Records 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Church Records

The information church records provide depends upon the church practices and the record keepers. Records may include names, ages, and dates of events such as baptism, marriage, or burial. See Washington Church Records.
List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places
  

Court Records

Your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can clarify family relationships, places of residence, occupations, and family history. See Washington Court Records for courts used through the years.

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

• Power of Attorney Records 1989-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• Franklin 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.

Directories

 

• "Benton, Franklin and Klickitat Counties Directory – 1911-1912, 1915-1916"

 

Ethnic, Political or Religious Groups

 

American Indian

• 1911 - 1919 - Washington, Applications for Enrollment and Adoption of Washington Indians, 1911-1919 at FamilySearch — images

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

Funeral Homes

 

Note: Pasco, the Franklin County seat and largest population of Franklin County, is part of the Tri-City metropolitan area, and is just across the bridge from Kennewick and Richland (Benton County), as well as Burbank (Walla Walla County). Residence of Franklin County often used funeral services and cemeteries in these other communities.

• Columbia Memorial Funeral Chapel and Gardens
• Mueller's Greenlee Funeral Home
• Hillcrest Funerals and Cremations

Gazetteers

• FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

 

Genealogy

Many local libraries and societies have collections of family genealogies. County histories or biographies often include brief genealogies of the featured persons.

A FamilySearch Community Tree is available for this place.

Guardianship

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

History

Local histories for Franklin County, Washington Genealogy may include biographies, history of churches, schools, local government with names of officials, military information, and more. See Washington Local Histories.

• Franklin County, Washington Facts at StateofUS.com (mis-labeled as Franklin County, Alabama)

• Illustrated history of the Big Bend country by Western Historical Publishing Company [(Spokane, Wash.) Western Historical Pub. Co., 1904] at Washington History

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 Elizabeth Gibson. Franklin County -- Thumbnail History, History Link.org Essay 7452.

• Before white settlers came to the area now known as Franklin County, the region’s Native Americans fished for salmon.
• 1805 - Meriwether Lewis and William Clark arrived at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers.
• 1805 plus a few years - David Thompson, of the North West Company, arrived here and claimed the land for Great Britain.
• 1850s - After the end of the Indian Wars of the 1850s, settlers felt it was safe to move into the Columbia Basin.
• 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
• 1879 - Travelers began settling near the site of modern-day Pasco.
• 1883-November 28, The Washington Territorial Legislature created Franklin county.

Land and Property

Land Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Seller (Grantor)
Seller's Spouse
Buyer (Grantee)
Heirs
Witnesses
Land Description and Dates
Tips -or- Land Contents

Land records (especially deeds) may give the name of a spouse, heirs, and witnesses, who may be relatives or in-laws.

County deeds, mortgages, and leases show transfers from person to person. See also Court Records for actions involving real estate. See Washington Land for government-to-person records.

• Land Records 1989 - present at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
• Plats and Surveys Records 1884-1998 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
• Recorded Agreements and Contracts 1989-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Maps

• FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

 

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Most residents came to Washington from other states or crossed the border from Canada. (See Seattle Passenger Lists for those who came from other countries.) Although few other migration records exist, try:

• Censuses (use birthdates and places of children as clues)

• Land (1st deed may reveal previous residence)

• Death-related records of children may give town or county of birth

• Records of relatives and neighbors

Military

 

• 1921-1925 - Washington, World War I Veteran's Compensation Fund Application Records, 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — index
• Some military records for this county have been digitized at the Washington State Digital Archives.

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.

• Naturalization and citizenship 1890-1906 Part of: Washington County Records 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Includes Declarations of intention, petition evidence 1874-1945; Naturalization cards 1907-1945; Petitions for naturalization 1907-1929; Petition evidence 1907-1929, Petitions for naturalization 1907-1929.

• Naturalization Records, 1874-1974 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

Newspapers

Small town newspapers provide historical content and contain obituaries, birth or death notices, legal notices, and community news, such as visits to or from out-of-town relatives. See Washington Newspapers for tips, resources, and details.

• Franklin County, Washington Genealogy Newspapers (Sortable by towns, years, and titles)

Finding More Washington Newspapers

Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Franklin County, Washington Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:

• WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
• Do a search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog. To select a county in Washington, add a comma, slide way down to the county list, then click Search. (Almost every state seems to have a Washington County)

• Tri City Herald (Pasco, Washington) (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Obituaries

Obituaries may mention birth, marriage, spouse, parents, living family members, education, occupation, and more. See Washington Obituaries for state level collections and United States Obituaries for tips and insights.

See also: Newspapers • Libraries • Societies • Funeral Homes • Obituaries of neighboring counties or of the person's previous residence • Family records.

Also check:

• Newspapers of Franklin County, Washington Genealogy
• Local Funeral Homes, Libraries, or family records.
• Obituaries of neighboring counties

 

Probate Records

Probate records identify heirs of the decedents, give the (approximate) death dates, and provide specifics about property holdings. The records were kept by the county judge.

These include wills, inheritance records, dockets, and other documents regarding property and estates of individuals who have died. See also Court Records for civil actions involving estates. Also see Washington Probate Records.

• Probate case files 1890-1930 Part of: Washington County Records 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Public Records

Public records are documents created by civil authorities that either don't fit comfortably in another topic, or that could fit in several topics.

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

School Records

 

• School census records 1912-1925 Part of: Part of Washington County Records 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

Taxation

Washington tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Washington Taxation.

Vital Records

The county auditors in Washington kept records of birth, marriage, and death. The county clerk has the divorce records - the earliest dates to the present.

Visit the Washington State Department of Health website to order a Washington Birth, Death, Marriage or Divorce Certificate. See Washington Vital Records for details and history of the records. .

Birth

Birth Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Name of Child
Birth Date and Place
Parent's Names
Mother's Maiden Name
Parent's Ages
Parents' State or Country of Birth
Name of Doctor or Midwife

In 1891, coroners, physicians, and midwives were to "return" births and deaths to the county auditor. Many went unrecorded. In 1907, the State Center for Health Statistics assumed this responsibility.

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Birth Records.

• Delayed birth registrations 1877-1927 Part of: Washington County Records 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections (Free, browse images)
• Washington, County Birth Registers, 1873-1965 — index and images

For earlier or unrecorded births, search:

• Delayed Birth Certificates often include statements of witnesses to the birth.
• Death Records to learn birth date, place, parents
• Census to learn age, family members, location, etc.
• School Censuses give date of birth and name of parent or guardian
• Cemeteries for birth date or age, maybe birth place
• Obituaries for any of the above and more
• See also Neighboring and Parent counties and How to Find Washington Birth Records.

Marriage

Marriage Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Date of Marriage or License
Names of Bride and Groom
Ages
Birth Places
Residences
Names of Parents
Husband's Occupation
Witnesses
Minister or Officiator

Marriage records include certificates, marriage returns, license applications or affidavits. Counties kept the records until 1968, when the state took over.

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Marriage Records.

• 1801-1962 - Washington, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
• 1855–2008 - Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008 at FamilySearch — index and images
  

• 1892-1906 - Marriages from 25 Aug 1892 to 24 Oct 1906 are available on the Western States Marriage Index website.

• 1884-2003 - Marriage Records 1884-2003 Part of: County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections (free)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Includes Marriage certificates 1890-2003 and Marriage license applications 1939-2003.

• 1889-2013 - Marriage Records, 1889-2013 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• 1969-2014 - Washington Marriage Index, 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — index

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.

Online Records

• 1969 - 2014 - Washington Divorce Index, 1969-2014 at FamilySearch — index

Death

Death Records reveal
Yes or Maybe ⇒	Y	M
Name of Deceased
Death Date and Place
Age or Birth Date and Place
Parent's Names
Mother's Maiden Name
Name of Spouse
Residence
Occupation

In 1891, coroners, physicians and midwives were to report (or return) all births and deaths under their supervision to County Auditors. On July 1, 1907, the State took over....

See Washington Online Genealogy Records for indexes.
Also see Washington Death Records.

• Washington, County Death Registers, 1881-1922 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection, index
• Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

 

Websites

Sites with online indexes or images of records
Franklin County WAGenWeb	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
Tri-City Genealogical Society (TCGS) has online data for Benton and Franklin Counties.	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
USGenWeb Archives Project	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
Washington State Digital Archives	Free	Includes indexes, some linked to images. Type county name, click Search, then select a collection. Collections were posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page in December, 2013.
FamilySearch Historical Collections	Free	Search indexes or browse images at FamilySearch.org. Click "Last Updated." Collections through December 2013 have been posted to the appropriate topics for this Wiki page.

Sites that search for links pertaining to Franklin County, Washington Genealogy
Websites at RootsWeb - Franklin WA	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
Linkpendium	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
CyndisList	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
StateofUS.com	Free	"Franklin County, Washington Facts" (Mis-labeled " Franklin County, Alabama facts"

Major catalogs for hard copy collections of Franklin County, Washington Genealogy Books, microfilm, or manuscripts of genealogical records
FamilySearch catalog	Select topics. To select towns, add a comma to the search box.
WorldCat	To find nearby libraries that have specific items, see WorldCat Online Catalog.
Allen County Public Library (Indiana)
See also local libraries and Washington Archives and Libraries

Archives, Libraries, etc.

See also a List of Washington Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies  

Resources for Franklin County, Washington Genealogy 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 FamilySearch Library (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana) for Franklin County, Washington Genealogy. When you find items you'd like to access, see Get a Copy

Family History Centers

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.

• Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Basin City Washington Family History Center (Mesa)
• Columbia Basin Washington Family History Center (Eltopia)
• Pasco Washington Family History Center

Libraries

Local public libraries—even smaller ones—often have Unique Genealogical Collections that are not online for the area they serve. Many libraries in Washington have an area dedicated to local history and genealogy.

• Mid-Columbia Libraries
  Website
  

Branches (additional branches shown at above website):

• Basin City Library
  50-A N. Canal Blvd.
  Basin City, WA 99343
  Phone: 509-269-4201
• Connell Library
  118 N. Columbia
  Connell, WA 99326
  Phone: 509-234-4971
  
• Merrills Corner Library
  5240 Eltopia West
  Eltopia, WA 99330
  Phone: 509-297-4341
• Kahlotus Library
  255 Weston
  Kahlotus, WA 99335
  Phone: 509-282-3493
• Pasco Library
  1320 W. Hopkins
  Pasco, WA 99301
  Phone: 509-545-1019

Museums

 

• Franklin County Historical Society and Museum has an extensive collection of records, artifacts, and collected stories for Franklin County historical places and people.
• 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 starting in the 1940's and continuing through today. Two collections of interest specifically to genealogists are their photos collections and their collection of General Electric Company newsletters. Both these collections contain information on residents of Franklin County.

Societies

Tri-City Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 1410
Richland, WA 99352-1410
Website

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.

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:

Cities
Connell Kahlotus	Mesa	Pasco (county seat)
Unincorporated communities
Eltopia	Farrington	Harder
Census-designated places
Basin City	West Pasco
Ghost towns
Drumheller Levey	Martindale	McAdam

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