Siskiyou County, California Genealogy
Guide to Siskiyou County, California ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
Contents
- 1 County Courthouse
- 2 Places/Localities
- 3 Resources
- 3.1 Bible Records
- 3.2 Biography
- 3.3 Cemeteries
- 3.4 Census
- 3.5 Church History and Records
- 3.6 FamilySearch Catalog
- 3.7 Court Records
- 3.8 Crime and Criminals
- 3.9 Directories
- 3.10 Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups
- 3.11 Gazetteers
- 3.12 Genealogy
- 3.13 History
- 3.14 Land and Property
- 3.15 Maps
- 3.16 Migration
- 3.17 Military History and Records
- 3.18 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 3.19 Newspapers
- 3.20 Obituaries
- 3.21 Periodicals
- 3.22 Probate Records
- 3.23 Repositories
- 3.24 Societies
- 3.25 Taxation
- 3.26 Vital Records
- 3.27 Voting Registers
- 4 Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries
- 5 Websites
- 6 References
| Siskiyou County, California | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of California, United States Genealogy | |
 Location of California in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | March 22, 1852 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Yreka |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Website: www.co.siskiyou.ca.us | |
| Named for: the Siskiyou mountain range | |
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1850 | 1852 | 1873 | 1853 | 1852 | 1853 | 1850 |
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Siskiyou County Courthouse
311 Fourth Street
PO Box 338
Yreka, CA 96097
Phone: 530.842.8084
County Reader has birth, marriage, death and burial records
Court Services has divorce, probate and court records from 1852;
County Cleark has election records, board of supervisor’s minutes from 1860[2]
Historical Facts[edit | edit source]
Parent Counties[edit | edit source]
22 March 1852: Siskiyou County was created from Shasta and former Klamath Counties. County seat: Yreka [3]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named after the Siskiyou mountain range. The county seat Yreka and the county was created 1852. The County is located in the north central area of the state.[4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
1852: County formed from Shasta and Klamath Counties.
1874: February, part of county given to newly formed Modoc County.
1874: May, Klamath County dissolved with Siskiyou County absorbing some of the area.
1887: Land exchanged with Del Norte County.
1901: Small area of land gained from Humboldt County.
For animated maps illustrating California county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation California County Boundary Maps" (1850-1925) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Records Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Places/Localities[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:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
|
|
|
| Native American communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
Populated Places (over 5,000 people)[edit | edit source]
Yreka
Populated Places (over 1,000 people)[edit | edit source]
Dunsmuir, Montague, Mount Shasta City, Tulelake, Weed
Populated Places (under 1,000 people)[edit | edit source]
Dorris, Etna, Fort Jones
Census Designated Places and Unincorporated Communities[edit | edit source]
Big Springs, Callahan, Carrick, Clear Creek, Edgewood, Forks of Salmon, Fort Goff, Gazelle, Greenview, Grenada, Hamburg, Hatfield, Happy Camp, Hilt, Hornbrook, Horse Creek, Klamath River, Klamathon, Lake Shastina, Lake Siskiyou, Macdoel, McCloud, Mount Hebron, Mugginsville, Sawyers Bar, Seiad Valley, Tennant, Thompson Creek
Additional and Former Populated Places[edit | edit source]
Mount Shasta City has had a number of names including Wagon Valley, Strawberry Valley and, until 1924, Sisson. Ager, Bartle, Beswick, Black Bear, Bogus, Butte, Cecilville, Chestnut, Coles, Copco, Cottage Grove, Deadwood, Francis, Gottsville, Hooperville, Igerha, Liberty, Little Shasta, Mott, Mountain, Oak Bar, Oro Fino, Schlitz, Scott Bar, Scott River, Scott Valley, Shasta Springs, Snowden, Somes Bar, Squaw Valley, Table Rock, Tailholt, Upper Soda Springs, Walker
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
- Del Norte
- Humboldt
- Jackson County, Oregon
- Josephine County, Oregon
- Klamath County, Oregon
- Modoc
- Shasta
- Trinity
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biography[edit | edit source]
- Index to Siskiyou County Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
- Miscellaneous Siskiyou County Biographies (CAGenWeb Project)
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
The following web sites may have additional information on Siskiyou County cemeteries.
- Interment.net California cemetery records by County.
- 1850 - 1960 - California Cemetery Transcriptions, 1850-1960 at FamilySearch — index and images
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 7,629 | — |
| 1870 | 6,848 | −10.2% |
| 1880 | 8,610 | 25.7% |
| 1890 | 12,163 | 41.3% |
| 1900 | 16,962 | 39.5% |
| 1910 | 18,801 | 10.8% |
| 1920 | 18,545 | −1.4% |
| 1930 | 25,480 | 37.4% |
| 1940 | 28,598 | 12.2% |
| 1950 | 30,733 | 7.5% |
| 1960 | 32,885 | 7.0% |
| 1970 | 33,225 | 1.0% |
| 1980 | 39,732 | 19.6% |
| 1990 | 43,531 | 9.6% |
| 2000 | 44,301 | 1.8% |
| 2010 | 44,900 | 1.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Siskiyou County, California Genealogy census records online, see: California Census.
Church History and Records[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 California denominations, view the California Church Records wiki page.
- 1864-1985 - California, Church Records, 1864-1985 at FamilySearch — index
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Etna
List of Churches and Church Parishes
FamilySearch Catalog[edit | edit source]
California, Siskiyou, Cecilville
California, Siskiyou, Dunsmuir
California, Siskiyou, Forks of the Salmon
California, Siskiyou, Fort Jones
California, Siskiyou, Greenview Township
California, Siskiyou, Montague
California, Siskiyou, Sawyers Bar
California, Siskiyou, Scott Valley Township
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Crime and Criminals[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Germans[edit | edit source]
Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Siskiyou County, California 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 California Local Histories.
- 1891 - Siskiyou County 1891 in Memorial And Biographical History Of Northern California (CAGenWeb Archives)
Land and Property[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 California Land and Property for additional information about early California land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
- Index to General Land Office Records, Siskiyou County (USGenWeb Archives)
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of California (1850-1925)
- 1895 Atlas of Siskiyou County
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to and from Siskiyou County, California Genealogy for emigrant settlers included:[6][7] :
- California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California :
- Applegate Trail since 1846 (avoided the Forty Mile Desert) by leaving the Humboldt River in Nevada early at present-day Rye Reservoir, Nevada and passing through the Black Rock Desert to Fandango Pass past Goose Lake on to the Lost River and eventually the Willamette Valley in Oregon
- Yreka Trail 1851 from the Applegate Trail to Yreka, California
Online Records
- 1929-1954 - California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935 at FamilySearch — index
Military History and Records[edit | edit source]
- 1850 - 1881 - Index to Militia Units of the State of California 1850-1881, listed by county. (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1883 - Siskiyou County – List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Regiments. Service men in Siskiyou County, California Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Siskiyou County, California Genealogy:
- - 1st Battalion Mountaineers, California Infantry (Union), Company F
- - 5th Regiment, California Infantry (Union), Company A
- 1886 - Civil War Veterans, Gen. Geo. B. McClellan Post No. 84 G. A. R. 1886, Siskiyou County (USGenWeb Archives)
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1914-1918 - California, Geographical and Name Index of Californians who served in WWI, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — index and images
World War II[edit | edit source]
- Index of World War II Army Enlistees, Siskiyou County (USGenWeb Archives)
- Siskiyou County, World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel (USGenWeb Archives)
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Siskiyou County, California Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Siskiyou County, California Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog. Do NOT use the word County. (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Index to Siskiyou County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
- Index to Siskiyou County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
The county clerk is usually the custodian of probate records. The records include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
You can obtain copies of the original probate records (such as wills and estate files) by writing to the county clerk at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for California - Siskiyou - Probate records.
Online Probate Records
- 1782 – 1999 California Wills and Probate Records 1782-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1833 – 1991 California Probate Estate Files 1833-1991 at FamilySearch — images
Repositories[edit | edit source]
Archives, Libraries and Museums[edit | edit source]
- Siskiyou County Library
719 4th Street
Yreka, CA 96097 - http://www.newspaperobituaries.net/california/siskiyou_county_obituaries.htm Searchable Siskiyou County Obituaries Index]
- Siskiyou County Newspaper Index
- SiskiyouHistory.org: A Digital Library of Primary Sources in Siskiyou County History
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Siskiyou County Assesor-Recorder
311 4th Street, Room 108
Yreka, CA 96097
Siskiyou County Clerk's Office
510 North Main Street
Yreka, CA 96097
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
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
- Introduction to Family History Centers
- Etna California Family History Center
- Mount Shasta California Family History Center
- Yreka California Family History Center
Societies[edit | edit source]
The Genealogical Society of Siskiyou County, California
912 S. Main St. Yreka, CA 96097
Phone: 530-842-0277
Email address: gssc1@att.net
GSSC Website
Scott Valley Genealogical Group
P.O. Box 623
Etna, CA 96027
Scott Valley Genealogical Group
Siskiyou County Genealogical Society
PO Box 225
Yreka, CA 96097
Siskiyou County Historical Society
910 South Main
Yreka, CA 96097
Taxation[edit | edit source]
California 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 California Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. See the CDC Where to Write website for information on acquiring copies of these records. The State office has records since July 1905. For earlier records, contact the County Recorder. See also How to order California Vital Records
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1812 - 1988 - California Births and Christenings, 1812-1988 at FamilySearch — index
- 1905 - 1995 - California Birth Index, 1905-1995 at FamilySearch — index
- Early Siskiyou County Birth Notices by year (Genealogy Trails)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1800 - 2007 - California, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1850 - 1945 - California Marriages, 1850-1945 at FamilySearch — index
- 1850 - 1952 - California, County Marriages, 1850-1952 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1852 - 1910 - Siskiyou County Marriages, 1850 thru 1910 (CAGenWeb Project)
- 1854 - 1885 - Western States Marriage Index.
- 1960 - 1985 - California Marriage Index, 1960-1985 at FamilySearch — index and images
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1966 - 1984 - California Divorce Index, 1966-1984 at FamilySearch — index
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1776 - 2000 - California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000 at FamilySearch — index, some images
- 1905 - 1939 - California Death Index, 1905-1939 at FamilySearch — index
- 1940 - 1997 - California Death Index, 1940-1997 at FamilySearch — index
- 1860 - Siskiyou County Mortality Schedule, 1860 (Genealogy Trails)
Voting Registers[edit | edit source]
- 1866-1898 California, U.S., Voter Registers, 1866-1898 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Siskiyou County, CA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- California Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Siskiyou County CAGenWeb
- Linkpendium
- USGenWeb Archives
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Siskiyou County, California Genealogy Trails
- Siskiyou County, CA Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Siskiyou County, California. Page 84-88 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), 81-83.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Siskiyou County, California. Page 87At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Siskiyou County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siskiyou_County,_California 05/08/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Siskiyou County, California," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siskiyou_County,_California#Communities, accessed 24 September 2019.
- ↑ National Park Service, "California Trail" (map) in California National Historic Trail at http://www.nps.gov/cali/planyourvisit/upload/CALImap1-web.pdf (accessed 5 August 2011).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "California Trail" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Trail (accessed 5 August 2012).
