Calaveras County is one of the original 27 countiesCreated on February 18, 1850. It later gained territory from no other county. Territory which at one time was in Calaveras County is now in Alpine County, Amador County, and Mono County. The County was named for word calaveras is "skulls." This county takes its name from the Calaveras River, which was reportedly so designated by an early explorer when he found, on the banks of the stream, many skulls of Indians who had either died of famine or had been killed in tribal conflicts over hunting and fishing grounds. The County Seat is San Andreas . See also County History for more historical details.
Calaveras County Cities Include Angels Camp. CDPs(A census-designated place (CDP) is a type of place or area identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes)Include Arnold, Avery, Copperopolis, Dorrington, Forest Meadows, Mokelumne Hill, Mountain Ranch, Murphys, Rail Road Flat, Rancho Calaveras, San Andreas, Vallecito, Valley Springs, Wallace, West Point. Unincorporated Communities Include Altaville, Calaveritas, Campo Seco, Cave City, Douglas Flat, Fourth Crossing, Glencoe, Jenny Lind, Jesus Maria, Milton, Paloma, Sandy Gulch, The Shores of Poker Flat
PLEASE READ FIRST!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link.NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
Calaveras County Clerk-Recorder's Officehas Birth Records from 1877, Marriage Records from 1862, Death Records from 1859 and , Land Records from 1850. The County Recorder-Clerk is responsible for examination and recording of all documents presented for recording that deal with establishing ownership of land in the County or as required by statute; administers the real property transfer tax law and maintains a permanent record and indexes of all documents for public viewing plus providing certified copies requested by the public; recording of all lawful documents such as deeds, deeds of trust, judgments, liens, affidavits, Uniform Commercial Code Financial Statements, etc; and the filing of Births, Deaths, and Marriages.
Calaveras County Clerk of Superior Court has Probate Records from 1851 and Court Records from 1851. The county Superior Court clerk has probate books and files from the county's superior court, civil court records, and naturalizations. Divorces may be here or in the Recorders Office, depending on how it was filed.
Some early court records from the various courts may have been sent to the California State Archives. Besides court minutes and judgements, these records include tax lists, wills, deeds, estate inventories, and marriage bonds. The California State Archives has microfilm of selected county records, 1850–1919.
Below is a list of online resources for Calaveras County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Calaveras County Court Records by clicking the link below:
California Voter Registrations, 1900-1968: This database contains indexes to voter registration lists from various counties in California from 1900-1968. Information listed in these records includes: name of voter, age, address, occupation, and political affiliation.
California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957: This database is an index to passenger and crew lists of ships and some airplanes arriving at Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Pedro, and Ventura in the U.S. state of California, between 1893 and 1957. Information contained in the index includes name of passenger, their age, gender, ethnicity, nationality or last country of permanent residence, arrival date, port of arrival, port of departure, and ship name. If a name of a friend or relative whom the passenger was going to join with, or place of nativity was provided, that information is included as well.
San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists Vol. I [1850-1864]: The volume offered here is a reprint of the first volume in a series dealing with passenger arrivals at the port of San Francisco between 1850 and 1875, though this first volume contains a selection of passenger lists extending only though 1864.
San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists Vol. II [1850-1851]: Volume II is based on completely different sources than the first volume in the series, which covered the years 1850-1864, and it encompasses an additional 16,500 passenger arrivals at San Francisco Bay during the 20-month period from April 1850 to November 1851.
San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists. Vol. III: November 7, 1851 to June 17, 1852: Volume III covers a seven-month period during which approximately 25,000 persons arrived at the port of San Francisco--nearly 50% more than the number of arrivals for the preceding 18-month period covered in Volume II. The year 1852 witnessed a surge in migration to California, and this volume reflects the initial thrust of that surge.
Click Here to Search California Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
California Department of Public Health, Office of Vital Records,
MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410; (916) 445-2684. They have the following records:
Birth & Death Certificates: The state of California began issuing certificates for births and Deaths in July 1905. Birth and death records for current year events and one year prior are available from the county health department; records for all years are maintained by the county recorder.
If not, you should submit your request to the County Recorder’s Office in the county where the birth or death took place or order the birth / death certificate online through VitalChek.
Cost: $14.00 per birth certificate & $12.00 per death certificate.
Processing Time: 12-14 weeks when ordered by mail (Application for Birth or Death Certificate) or 2-5 Days when you order online
Marriage Certificates: The state of California began issuing certificates for marriages since July 1905, except for 1987 to 1995 (The state does not have indexes for the years 1987-1995 so you must request these from the county). Certified copies of public marriage records are available from both the California Office of Vital Records and the County Recorder’s Office in the county where the public marriage license was issued. However, the Office of Vital Records is limited in its ability to search the records, and it can take up to 2-3 years to obtain a certified copy from thier office. Therefore, we recommend that certified copies of public marriage records be requested directly from the County Recorder’s Office or online.
Cost: $13.00 per certificate.
Processing Time: 2-3 years when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order online
Divorce Certificates: Certified copies are not available from State Health Department. Certified copies of actual divorce decrees are only available from the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was filed. The Office of Vital Records issues a Certificate of Record that includes only the names of the parties to the divorce, the county where the divorce was filed, and the court case number – it is not a certified copy of the divorce decree and does not indicate whether the divorce was ever finalized in court. The Office of Vital Records only has information for divorces that were filed with the court between 1962 and June 1984, and our processing times can take up to 2-3 years or Online with VitalChek.
Cost: $12.00 per certificate. Fee is for search and identification of county where certified copy can be obtained.
Processing Time: 2-3 years when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order online
PLEASE READ!! A certified copy fee must accompany all requests for copies of vital records. Requests received without the appropriate fee will be returned to the sender. Make your check or money order payable to the Office of Vital Records. Checks must be drawn on a United States bank. Money orders must be drawn on a United States bank or issued by the United States Postal Service. Do not send cash. If no record is found, they will issue a Certificate of No Public Record and retain the fee for the search according to State law. Before submitting your application to the Office of Vital Records, please view the processing times to make sure they are acceptable for your needs.
Order On-Line: To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek
Below is a list of online resources for Calaveras County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Calaveras County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
California Birth Index, 1905-1995: This database is an index to over 24.5 million births occurring in California between 1905 and 1995.
California Death Index, 1940-1997: his database is an index to the death records in State of California, USA, from 1940 through 1997. The database provides such valuable information as first, last and middle names of the descendants, birth dates, mother's maiden name, father's last name, sex, birth place, death place, residence at time of death, death date, social security number (when available), and the age of the individual when they died.
California Divorce Index, 1966-1984: This database is an index to over 3.5 million divorces that were filed in California (U.S.A.) from 1966-1984. Information that may be found in this database includes spouses' names, divorce date, and divorce county or city.
California Marriage Index, 1960-1985: This database contains a statewide index to over 4.8 million marriages that were performed in California between 1960 and 1985. Information that may be found in this database includes the bride's and groom's names, their ages, the marriage county, and the marriage date.
California Marriages, 1850-1877: This database contains information on individuals who were married in select areas of California between 1850 and 1960. Note that not all counties are included in this index and within the counties that are included not all years within the date range...
Below is a list of online resources for Calaveras County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Calaveras County Census Records by clicking the link below:
California Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 Census Substitute; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index (excluding San Francisco County); 1870 San Francisco County Census Index; 1834 Census Index of Santa Barbara; 1890 Veterans Schedule; 1890 Naval Veterans Schedule.
California Antique Maps & Atlases has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for California and other states.
You can view rotating animated maps for California showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps
You can view rotating animated maps for California showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps.
Below is a list of online resources for Calaveras County Maps. Email us with websites containing Calaveras County Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search California Military Records! - Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.
The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design. A list of Wars fought on American.
Below is a list of online resources for Calaveras County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Calaveras County Military Records by clicking the link below:
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service Assessment List for California, 1862–66, is available on thirty-three microfilm rolls at the California State Library in Sacramento. The lists include names, location and description of business, and tax rate for individuals taxed.
Similar to tax records in their yearly listing of residents are the “Great Register” of California, which are miscellaneous county voting registers that exist from the mid-nineteenth century. The registers were compiled and printed about every two years. Before 1900, they show name, address, and age (but the age may remain the same after a man's first entry). From about the mid-1800s, physical descriptions are included, but after the 1898 register, only the name, address, party affiliation, and sometimes occupation are listed.
Before 1892, the lists are county-wide, but usually alphabetical only by first letter or surname. They are particularly valuable for foreign-born voters, as the date and court of naturalization are listed. Copies of the "Great Registers," (1866–1944) are at the California State Library, which also has alphabetical card file abstracts for some of the earlier registers for San Francisco. Records from 1946 are with the individual county registrars of voters.
Below is a list of online resources for Calaveras County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Calaveras County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
The Repositories
in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical
and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical
Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly,
quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies
should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are
usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived
materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be
more generalized and over look the smaller details that local
societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to
look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy
section and may have some resources that are not located at
archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums
in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years
gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All
these places are vitally important to the family genealogist
and must not be passed over.
Below is a list of online resources for Calaveras County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Calaveras County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
The California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco, California 94105; 415-357-1848 — voice; 415-357-1850 — fax; info@calhist.org — e-mail
California State Genealogical Alliance, 19765 Grand Avenue, Lake Elsinore, CA 92330
One way to access many local and county genealogical and historical societies is through the Alliance, which publishes its own newsletter.
California State Archives, Office of Secretary of State, 1020 O Street, Room 130, Sacramento, CA 95814; Reference Desk: (916) 653-2246; General Information: (916) 653-7715; FAX: (916) 653-7363; E-Mail:ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
California Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Click Here to Search California Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.
There are no centralized repositories dealing with church records in California. Scattered records can be found in genealogical publications, the DAR compilations, and on microfilm. The Spanish missions have played a central role in California's religious history.
Printed secondary sources of transcribed cemeteries exist for most California counties. The California State Society of the DAR has collected hundreds of such records. Transcripts are housed both at the national DAR and with some local chapters and libraries.
Below is a list of online resources for Calaveras County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Calaveras County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Califonia Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.
When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Calaveras County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Calaveras County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
California Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
California Pioneer Project - The California Pioneer List (CPL) is a list of settlers to California who migrated to or were born in California prior to 1880 (included in the 1880 California Census) and obtained from those sent (e-mailed) directly from individuals doing genealogical research.
Local history has it that the county seat was "captured" from Double Springs, a cattle ranch-cum-mining town, when residents of nearby Jackson invited county officials for a few rounds of drinks and then made off with the county records. The remains of this building, made of camphor panels shipped from China, can still be seen in Double Springs, making it one of the oldest surviving structures once used as a courthouse in California.
Calaveras County, one of the original 27 counties of the State, was organized at the 1849-50 session of the California State Legislature. At one time it embraced a portion of Amador, Alpine and Mono Counties. In 1854, Amador County was created from Calaveras and El Dorado counties, and parts of Calaveras County was taken to form Fresno County in 1856, Mono County in 1861 and Alpine County in 1864.
Calaveras is a Spanish word meaning skull. This name was first given to the river because of the great quantities of human skulls found along the lower reaches of the river.
Prussian MineThe first officers of the county were: William Fowle Smith, County Judge; Colonel Collier, County Clerk; A. B. Mudge, Treasurer; H. A. Carter, Prosecuting Attorney. Pleasant Valley, better known as Double Springs, was designated as the first county seat. Court was first held in a large tent, and later a small court house was erected from camphor wood imported from China. The old building is still standing at Double Springs. The county seat was moved to Jackson in 1850 where it remained until 1852. (Jackson was at that time in Calaveras County.) In 1852 the county seat of Calaveras county was moved to Mokelumne Hill where it remained until 1863. After an election in 1863 San Andreas was declared to be the county seat. Legal action followed this election, and it was not until 1866 that the county seat was actually moved to San Andreas where it has since remained.
Gold PanningThe Calaveras Chronicle, the first weekly newspaper published in California, was first published on October 28, 1851, at Mokelumne Hill.
The first grove of Big Trees, "Sequoia Gigantea," discovered in California was the Calaveras Grove of Big Trees. These were located in 1852 by A. T. Dowd, a hunter for the Union Water Company which was at that time building an aqueduct from the Stanislaus River to Murphys.
The largest gold nugget found in the United States was taken from the Morgan Mine at Carson Hill in November, 1854. When weighed on Adams Express Company's gold scales in Stockton, it balanced the scales at 214 pounds and eight ounces, Troy.
The first three story building erected in the interior of California was in Mokelumne Hill.
Hydraulic MiningCalaveras County is famous for its lode and placer mines, and for many years it was the principal copper producing county in California. Cement production from its vast limestone deposits has become one of the county's major industries in recent years.
The following places were early day mining communities: Angels Camp, Fourth Crossing, Mokelumne Hill, Calaveritas, Old Gulch, Douglas Flat, Vallecito, Murphys, Sheep Ranch, San Antone, Rich Gulch, Campo Seco, Copperopolis, West Point, Glencoe, Middle Bar, Carson Hill, Robinson's Ferry, Jesus Maria, Mountain Ranch, El Dorado, North Branch, Camanche, Railroad Flat, Blue Mountain City, Telegraph City, Petersburg, Gwin Mine and Jenny Lind.
Angels CampJohn W. Robinson and Stephen Mead were licensed by the Court of Sessions of Calaveras county on August 13, 1850 to maintain a ferry on the Stanislaus River at Robinson's Ferry. L. Martin and Aristede L. Pench were licensed to maintain a ferry at Middle Bar on the Mokelume River on June 5, 1850 by the Court of Sessions of Calaveras County.
A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California - CALAVERAS COUNTY- Chicago, Lewis Publ. Co., 1891
The name "calaveras " is a corrupt form of the Spanish word for skulls. Some incline to the belief that some devout friar, desirous of commemorating the crucifixion, slightly changed the name Calvary.
The stream was named by Captain Moraga, who headed the first expeditions made on the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. He encamped on the stream, and was surprised in the morning to find that he had stopped among numerous bones and skulls of men. He had chanced upon an ancient battle-ground, where had taken place a sanguinary conflict between two tribes of Indians. It is said that 3,000 dead remained on the field. Some think, however, that these dead were the remains of those taken by the fearful scourge of 1833, referred to elsewhere in this volume.
When Calaveras County was organized, February 18, 1850, Double Springs became the county-seat, for a short time only, however, for it was captured by a stratagem and transferred to Jackson, where it remained for nearly two years. From that place it was transferred to Mokelumne Hill, as the result of a choice by the people. But the politicians asserted that men on the south side of the Mokelumne River got the offices, and they went to work to convince the people that their interests would be better served by having a new county organized. By this time (1853) there were several ambitious towns willing to take charge of the county seat and furnish "grub" and whisky, particularly the latter, and all were rich enough to indulge in the luxury of going to law. It was also urged, with too much reason to be disputed, that the public funds were being wasted at Mokelumne Hill, where the officers were behaving themselves very loosely.
June 14, 1854, according to act of the Legislature, the people by vote set off Amador County, containing Jackson, from Calaveras.
Calaveras County had Mokelumne Hill for the seat of government, its gilded mountain having acquired for it the preponderating influence, until in 1866 the more central San Andreas gained the supremacy. (By the way, it is claimed that this name should have been spelled San Andrés.) Mokelumne Hill became prominent in 1850; suffered severely by fire in 1854, and began to decline in the '60s. San Andreas was laid in ashes in 1856, but is now a flourishing town.
Southward, Carson and Angel hold positions corresponding to the Volcano quartz group. Copperopolis sprang into prominence for awhile as a productive copper mine about the same time that the silver lodes called attention to the higher ranges eastward, and prompted the organization of Alpine County in 1864, with the seat at Silver Mountain, named for the highest peak of the county, and subsequently at Markleeville. Its hopes in these deposits met with meager realization, and its lumber and dairy resources languished under the decadence of Nevada as its chief market.
Although most of the mining camps of Calaveras and Amador declined after a brilliant career, agriculture flourished in many sections, particularly in the fertile western parts, around towns like Ione City and Milton. Among prominent ancient mining towns were Yeomet, which had a promising position at the junction of the Cosumnes north and south forks; Mule town, which was kept up awhile by hydraulic mining; Drytown, which received its final blow from a conflagration in 1857; Fiddletown, which grew until 1863; Plymouth, which began to gain in 1873; Lancha Plana, which was supported by bluff mining, boasted a journal and claimed nearly 1,000 inhabitants in 1860; and Murphy, which was flourishing in 1855. Carson's Flat was the great camp in 1851; and Copperopolis arose in 1861, and in 1863–'64 shipped over $1,600,000 worth of copper net via Stockton.
In 1850 Calaveras stands credited with farms worth $76,800, containing $172,800 worth of live-stock and $14,700 in implements. The census of 1880 gives it 467 farms, valued at $756,000, with live-stock at $262,000, and produce at $308,000,—the total assessments standing at $1,871,000; yet the population fell from 16,299 in mining days to 9,090 in 1880.
For the Stockton & Copperopolis Railroad--the only thoroughfare of the kind running into the county—see under head of San Joaquin County.
The members of the State Assembly from Calaveras County have been: Isaac Ayer, 1865 –'68; James Barclay, 1863; E. T. Beatty, 1855 –'57; Tunis S. Bever, 1867–'68; C. L. F. Brown, 1871–'72; James Burdick, 1859; Thomas Campbell, 1862; William Childs, 1861; M. M. Collier, 1865–'66; F. F. Davis, 1863; B. Dyer, 1864; Edward Fahey, 1873–'74; P. A. Gallagher, 1860; John L. Gibson, 1871–'72; George W. Gilmore, 1873–'74 ; Martin W. Gordon, 1854: E. L. Green, 1869-70; J. W. Griswold, 1862; A. J. Houghtaling, 1854; W. P. Jones, 1852; L. Langdon, 1864; C. A. Leake, 1853; C. W. Lightner, 1859; John Y. Lind, 1851; B. L. Lippincott, 1861; B. F. Marshall, 1858; F. W. McClenahan, 1887; C. A. McDaniel, 1854; F. G. McDonald, 1863; W. S. McKim, 1852; Otto Menzel, 1867–'68; H. A. Messenger, 1880; Charles E. Mount, 1859; D. W. Murphy, 1851; Thomas O'Brien, 1858, 1861–'62; W. A. Oliver, 1853; Eustace Parker, 1858; S. N. Parker, 1864; James Pearson, 1855–'56; W. P. Peek, 1873–'74; William C. Pratt, 1854; J. B. Reddick, 1875–'76, 1881; W. M. Rogers, 1853; Martin Rowan, 1854; N. G. Sawyer, 1865–'66; L. M. Schrack, 1871–'72; H. A. Shelton, 1860; George L. Shuler, 1857; S. B. Stephens, 1855; T. W. Taliaferro, 1855–'56; Mark S. Torrey, 1885; Joseph S. Watkins, 1857; A. R. Wheat, 1877–'78, 1883; W. S. Williams, 1869–'70; Samuel Wilson, 1860; A. R. Young, 1869–'70; George E. Young, 1852.
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