Benton County, Washington Genealogy

United States

Washington

Benton County

Guide to Benton County Washington ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1905, when the county was formed.

Hot air ballon event in Prosser, Benton County, Washington

County QuickStart: Census Birth Marriage Divorce Death Cemeteries

Washington Online Genealogy Records

Benton County, Washington
Map
Location in the state of Washington (disambiguation)
Location of Washington in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	March 8, 1905
County Seat	Prosser
Courthouse
Address	Benton County Courthouse 600 Market Street Prosser, WA 99350-0190 Phone: 509.786.5624 Benton County Website

County Overview

Description

The County was named for a U.S. Senator from Missouri (1821–51) and later U.S. Representative (1853–55) Thomas Hart Benton. The County is located in the southcentral area of the state.

It is important to note where the population of Benton county resides.

Northern Benton county is a Federal Department of Energy Reservation (with the Hanford Nuclear Plants). No one has lived there since 1943. Before then it had a handful of rural communities.

Western Benton county is dominated by Prosser, with very close ties to other Yakima Valley communities. The Yakima River cuts a Valley through the regions rolling hills, and much of the population of Yakima County lives along the river in this valley, which creates a continuous connected group of towns and communities from Pomona in the north, through Yakima City, and into Benton County to Prosser, and Benton City. Many of the residence of western Benton County go to Prosser or into Yakima County for goods and services, as well as to go to the hospital, have children, get married, and for funeral services and burial.

Eastern Benton County is dominated by the Tri-City Metropolitan Area, the fourth largest metro area in Washington State. The three cities that the metro area is named for are Kennewick and Richland in Benton County and Pasco in Franklin County. It also includes the towns of West Richland and Finley (Benton County) and Burbank (Walla Walla County). The area has been a gathering place from prehistoric times because of the intersection of three major rivers. The Snake and the Yakima Rivers empty into the Columbia River in this location, hence it is also called the Three Rivers Region. The county boundaries follow the rivers, Benton county south and west of the Columbia, and Franklin and Walla Walla north and east of the Columbia, with the Snake River between them. From the first settlers in this area, there have been ferries and then bridges that connected these communities. Any resident in or near the confluence of the rivers may have records in Benton, Franklin or Walla Walla county.

The southern boundary of Benton is also the Columbia River, with Umatilla County, Oregon on the other side. The small cluster of communities along the Columbia in the south rely on services in Hermiston, Oregon.

Parent County(s)

Benton County, Washington was created 8 March 1905 from Klickitat and Yakima counties

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

Boundary Changes

• Historical County Boundaries from Newberry Library

For animated maps illustrating Washington County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Washington County Boundary Maps" (1843-1915) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

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.

• Inventory of the county archives of Washington, no. 3. Benton County (Prosser) (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

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

Dates of Major County Records

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1905	1905	1915	1884	1885	1884	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.

As part of the Manhattan Project (see details below) all of northern Benton County was evacuated in 1943. There are *no* town or local records for the towns of Hanford, White Bluffs, or [Old] Richland (1905-1943). There are also no records for the 2 dozen small rural communities scattered throughout northern Benton county. There are federal census, and some school census for these areas, and a very few number of phone directories. There are several books of the personal memories of those evacuated, available in FHLC (see local histories below). Many of the graves in the White Bluff Cemetery were moved to Prosser Cemetery (a few moved to Richland or Kennewick). The graves were moved on very short notice by the family members then present. All remaining graves have no record whatever, and are completely unreachable.

[New] Richland was incorporated in 1958. They have *no* records prior to that date. Personal discussion with the city clerk assures me that even though they have the same name, there is absolutely no tie--legal, financial, records or jurisdiction, with the town of the same name in the earlier time period.

Neighboring Counties

Benton County, Washington Genealogy isurrounded by:Franklin | Grant | Klickitat | Walla Walla | Yakima | Oregon counties: Morrow | Umatilla

Topics for Benton 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	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.	%±
1910	7,937	—
1920	10,903	37.4%
1930	10,952	0.4%
1940	12,053	10.1%
1950	51,370	326.2%
1960	62,070	20.8%
1970	67,540	8.8%
1980	109,444	62.0%
1990	112,560	2.8%
2000	142,475	26.6%
2010	175,177	23.0%
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

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

• School census record 1910-1926 Part of: Washington County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images) An index is available from the Tri-City Genealogical Society
  • See what genealogical information may been 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.

• Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for Benton County, Washington Genealogy are listed in the FamilySearch catalog.

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

 

 

Ethnic, Political and 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.

 

Gazetteers

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

 

Genealogy

A FamilySearch Community Tree is available for this place.

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

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

Local Histories

• Benton County place names includes dozens of obscure historical communities with origins, dates, and how they disappeared.
• Benton County, Washington - a glimpse of the past
• History of the Yakima Valley, Washington : comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton counties
• Kennewick, Washington
• Kin-i-wak, Kenewick, Tehe, Kennewick
• Great memories : early Hanford and the Tri-Cities
• "The long road to self-government" : the history of Richland Washington, 1943-1968 : compiled from clippings, data, booklets, etc. in honor of the 25th anniversary of Richland
• Tales of Richland, White Bluffs, and Hanford, 1805-1943, before the atomic reserve
• Goodbye, White Bluffs
• Tri Cities : the Mid Columbia hub, an illustrated history
• Colors of change in Plymouth
• Finley-Hover history & River View High School
• Benton County, Washington Facts at Genealogyinc.com (mis-labeled as Benton County, Alabama)

History Resources

• "TCGS Digital Collections" online at Tri-Cities Genealogical Society

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. Benton County -- Thumbnail History, HistoryLink.org, Essay 5671.

• 1803 - The first inhabitants were the Yakima Indians, Umatillas, Klickitats, and Wallulas.
• 1853 - March 2, U.S. President Millard Fillmore establishes Washington Territory.
• 1858 - A gold rush to British Columbia brought the first influx of white people, as rushers traveled through on their way north.
• 1880s - Steamboats and railroads connected what would become known as Kennewick to the other settlements along the Columbia River.
• 1880s and earlier - Benton County has very little rainfall, and some farmers had been successful at dryland farming.
• 1890s - Irrigation came to the county and brought many changes.
• 1905 - March 6, Washington State Legislature creates Benton County (out of Klickitat).
• 1942 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Manhattan District, surveyed the northern part of the county for a secret government project.
• 1943 - The government ordered everyone living in the town sites of Hanford, White Bluffs, and [Old] Richland, as well as all the rural communities in northern Benton County, to evacuate. Shortly thereafter, a huge government construction project began, known only as the Matthattan 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 bombs 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.

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.

• County Recorder's Office: check deeds, file mining claims, get assistance in finding ownership of a particular property, and obtain copies of county plat maps, 1878-present (prior records having been destroyed in a fire).
  • Online Document Searching Deeds, mortgages, etc. from 1985

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

 

• Washington, World War I Veteran's Compensation Fund Application Records, 1921-1925 at FamilySearch — index
• World War II enlistments of Benton County, Washington residents. This is a partial list. The NARA website cautions: "This series does not contain records of all World War II Army enlistees."

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 Records, 1905-1954 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free index, no images)
  • Includes Declarations of Intention, Petitions for Naturalization and Certificate Stubs.

• Naturalization and Citizenship 1901-1954 Part of: Washington County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Includes Declarations of intention 1901-1954; Petitions 1907-1954; Naturalization Records 1907-1929.

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.

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

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.

 

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 1895-1930 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.

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

• Petition Records 1912-1984 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • Petitions for roads, courthouse removal, other civil matters.

• Mother's pension records 1913-1937 Part of Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.
  • These were single mothers trying to qualify for welfare support.

School Records

 

• School census record 1910-1926 Part of: Washington County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records. These give exact birth dates of the children.

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.

• Washington State Digital Archives has a database of Benton County Birth Register.
  • For FHL entries, 1905-1907, click here.

• Birth Returns, 1905-1907 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)
• Washington, County Birth Registers, 1873-1965 — index and images
• Birth Returns, Register, Index, 1905-1907 Part of: Washington County Records, 1856-2009 at FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)
  • See what genealogical information may be in these records.

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
  

• 1905-1920 - 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 here.

• 1905-1980 - Marriage Records, 1905-1980 at Washington State Digital Archives Collection. (Free)

• 1901-1954 - Marriage Records 1901-1954 Part of: Washington County Records, 1856-2009 FamilySearch Historical Collections. (Free, browse images)

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

• • See what genealogical information may bee in these records.
  • Includes Marriage license applications 1939-1980, certificates 1905-2008 , license index 1906-1926; Marriage affidavits 1905-1922.

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
The Benton County WAGenWeb Project	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
The USGenWeb Archives Project	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or 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 Benton County, Washington Genealogy
Websites at RootsWeb - Benton WA	Free	Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
Linkpendium	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
CyndisList	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
Genealogyinc.com	Free	"Benton County, Washington Facts"
Facebook.com	Free	"Washington Genealogy Network Group on Facebook"
Tri-City Genealogical Society	Free	Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)

Major catalogs for hard copy collections of Benton 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 Benton 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 Benton 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 Libraries

• Kennewick Washington Family History Center
• Prosser Washington Family History Center
• Richland Family History Center
• West Richland 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 Public Libraries -
  • Branches and Locations
  • Genealogy Research Tools
  • Special or unique Collections: collections of genealogical value are available from 1800s to the present. (Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest and others)

Museums

 

• East Benton County Historical Museum is located at 205 Keewaydin Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336-0602 (509) 582-7704 / ebchs @ frontier.com
• The REACH is the new museum that has replaced CREHST. The museum is located in Columbia Park West. The photo collections are no longer available.
• CLOSED** 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.

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
Benton City Kennewick	Prosser (county seat) Richland	West Richland
Unincorporated communities
Apricot Audrey Badger Berrian Bettie Chaffee East White Bluffs Edna Ethel Geneva Junction Gibbon	Ginger Helen Highland Horse Heaven Kiona Longview May Junction Nancy North McNary North Prosser North Prosser	Pearl Pierce Plymouth Ruby Ruth Susie Wahluke Whitcomb Whitstran Willa Yellepit
Census-designated places
Finley
Ghost towns
Hanford	Mottinger	White Bluffs

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

Family History Library