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Josephine County, Oregon
Societies and Family History Resources ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣ County Genealogy Links
Josephine County was created on January 22, 1856 from the western half of Jackson County. This particular county was named in honor of Virginia “Josephine” Rollins, the first white woman to make this county her home.
The Josephine County Seat can be found in Grants Pass plus the county government website is www.co.josephine.or.us
Areas adjoining Josephine County happen to be Curry County (west), Jackson County (east), Douglas County (north), Del Norte County, California (southwest), Siskiyou County, California (south).
Cities and towns situated in Josephine County consists of Cave Junction, Grants Pass.
Josephine County does have Federal Census Schedules to guide in looking into your family tree. United states federal Population Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Josephine Co. Mortality Schedules is available for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Josephine Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Josephine Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. There is free down loadable and printable census forms to help you with your research.
Josephine County Societies and Family History Resources
A list of Josephine County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives.
- Josephine County Historical Society, 512 SW 5th Street, Grants Pass, OR 97526; (541) 479-7827
- RAOGK Volunteers for Oregon (raogk.org)
- Oregon State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Josephine County USGenWeb Archives Project (usgwarchives.net)
- Josephine County, Oregon Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
- Josephine County, Oregon Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
- Oregon Historical County Records Guide (arcweb.sos.state.or.us)
Josephine County Courthouse and Government Records
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Josephine County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Oregon courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Oregon residents. The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Josephine County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records.
The below specifics indicates whatever death, marriage, birth,, land, probate, and court records are typically in Josephine County. The dates stated below are considered the first noted records data for this county.
- Josephine County Clerk has many duties which include vital statistics (births, deaths, marriage) and keeps a permanent public record of real estate transactions.
- Address: 500 NW 6th St, Grants Pass, OR 97526
- Phone: (541) 474-5240
- Marriage Records: 1857
- Land Records: 1854
- Josephine County Circuit Court Clerk has general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, and typically handle cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. Circuit Courts also handle divorce, child custody, disputes over title to land, probate matters, juvenile cases, guardianship, adoption, involuntary commitment, and requests for injunctions.
- Address: 500 NW 6th Street, Grants Pass, OR 97526
- Phone: 541.476.2309
- Court Records: 1848
- Probate Records: 1854
- Josephine County Records Inventory (http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us) The Oregon Historical County Records Guide includes descriptions and listings for each type of record in the inventory. Each series description includes a title and a description of how the records are used (function); types of records that may be included in each category (physical content); type of information that may be found (informational content)
- Oregon Department of Health (VDH) Office of Vital Records has birth and death records dating from 1903; marriage records from 1906; and divorce certificates (not decrees) from 1925. There is a fee for each copy requested.
- Ordering Vital Records – You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Oregon Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.
Josephine County Links
The following are links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Josephine County. Most of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a cost. This is just a list that has been gathered or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to suggest your own most popular Josephine County genealogy or family history related sites.
Josephine Co. OR Books, Newspapers & Publications
- Oregon Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide (raogk.org)
- Oregon historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from Oregon (1816 – 1923) (genealogybank.com) Immediately find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage announcements, birth notices and other items printed in over 2,800 historic U.S. newspapers. Completely new content added on a monthly basis!
- Josephine County, Oregon Books (amazon.com)
- Josephine County Newspapers (usgwarchives.net)
- Josephine County Obituaries (usgwarchives.net)
Josephine Co. OR Birth, Marriage & Death Records
- Oregon Vital Records Research Guide (raogk.org)
- Josephine County Vital Records (usgwarchives.net)
- Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com)
Josephine Co. OR Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
- Oregon Court Records Research Guide (raogk.org)
- Josephine Court Records, including Estates, Probate, & Wills (usgwarchives.net)
- Josephine County Land & Deed Records (usgwarchives.net)
- BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)
Josephine Co. OR Census Records
- Oregon Census Records Research Guide (raogk.org)
- Josephine County, OR Census Records Links
- Josephine County Census Records (usgwarchives.net)
- Josephine County, OR Census QuickFacts
Josephine Co. OR Cemeteries & Church Records
- Oregon Cemetery Research Guide (raogk.org)
- Josephine Co., Oregon Graves (findagrave.com)
- Josephine County Cemetery Transcriptions and Tombstone Photos (usgwarchives.net)
- Josephine County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Josephine Co., Oregon Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Josephine Co., Oregon Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Oregon Church & Bible Research Guide (raogk.org)
- Josephine County, Oregon Church Books (amazon.com)
Josephine Co. OR Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- County Biographies (usgwarchives.net)
- Josephine County Scenic Images (arcweb.sos.state.or.us)
Josephine Co. OR General and History Websites
- See Also State History for Oregon
- Josephine County Oregon (genealogytrails.com)
- History of southern Oregon : comprising Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Curry and Coos Counties (search.ancestry.com)
- Josephine County, Oregon Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Josephine County, Oregon Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Josephine Co. OR Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Josephine County History (usgwarchives.net)
- Josephine County, Oregon (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Oregon – Counties – Josephine (cyndislist.com)
- Josephine Co. ORGenweb (orgenweb.org)
- Josephine County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Josephine Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Josephine Co. OR Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Oregon Links and Information
- Josephine County D.O.T. Map, Sheet [map 1], [map 2], [map 3]
- 1895 Josephine County Map (livgenmi.com)
Josephine Co. OR Military Records
- Oregon Military Records Research Guide (raogk.org)
- Josephine County Military Records (usgwarchives.net)
- Oregon Military Records (Fold3.com) delivers access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Oregon both women and men which served. Ideal for Josephine County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.
Josephine Co. OR Schools & Directories
- Oregon City Directories (search.ancestry.com)