Siskiyou County was created on March 22, 1852 from Klamath County and Shasta County. Territory which at one time was in Siskiyou County is now in Del Norte County, Humboldt County, and Modoc County. The County has had four Boundary Changes:
Territory in Trinity County from 1850 to 1851, was in Klamath County from 1851 to 1852 when it was moved to the new county.
Territory was in Shasta County from 1850 to 1852 when it was moved to the new county.
Territory in Trinity County from 1850 to 1851, was in Klamath County from 1851 to 1875 when, on the death of Klamath County, it was added to Siskiyou County.
Territory in Trinity County from 1850 to 1851, and in Klamath County from 1851 to 1857, was in Del Norte County from 1857 to 1887 when it was added to Siskiyou County.
The County was named after the mountain range. The origin of the word siskiyou is not known. One version is that it is the Chinook Indian word for "bob-tailed horse." Another version, given in an argument before the state Senate in 1852, is that the French name Six Callieux, meaning "six-stone," was given to a ford on the Umpqua River by Michel La Frambeau and a party of Hudson Bay company trappers in 1832, because six large stones or rocks lay in the river where they crossed. Still others attribute the name to a local tribe of Indians. The County Seat is Yreka . See also County History for more historical details.
Siskiyou County Cities Include Dorris, Dunsmuir, Etna, Fort Jones, Montague, Mount Shasta, Tulelake, Weed, Yreka. CDPs(A census-designated place (CDP) is a type of place or area identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes)Include Carrick, Edgewood, Gazelle, Greenview, Grenada, Hornbrook, Macdoel, McCloud, Mount Hebron, Tennant. Unincorporated Communities Include Forks of Salmon, Happy Camp, Seiad Valley
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.
Siskiyou County Clerk-Recorder's Officehas Birth Records from 1850, Marriage Records from 1852, Death Records from 1873 and , Land Records from 1852. 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.
Siskiyou County Clerk of Superior Court has Probate Records from 1852 and Court Records from 1852. 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 Siskiyou County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Siskiyou 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 Siskiyou County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Siskiyou 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 Siskiyou County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Siskiyou 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 Siskiyou County Maps. Email us with websites containing Siskiyou 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 Siskiyou County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Siskiyou 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 Siskiyou County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Siskiyou 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 Siskiyou County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Siskiyou 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 Siskiyou County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Siskiyou 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 Siskiyou County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Siskiyou 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.
By order of county supervisors, Siskiyou's courthouse was to be "placed in the center of the public square in Yreka City," a foresight that residents say helped save the structure from town fires. The plaza was also the site, in 1895, of a lynching in which four men accused of murder were taken from the jail and hanged from a rail post placed between two small locust trees. The courthouse, one of the oldest in the state, remains in use and is the centerpiece of Yreka's Historic District
The history of Native American peoples in the lands of Siskiyou County has been traced back approximately 7000 years, although the oral history extends thousands of years further.
The area north of Mount Shasta and west into Scott Valley was the territory of the Shasta Indians. The Karuk Tribe lived along the Klamath River an also made their way over the Marble and Salmon mountains into the Scott Valley area. The Modocs lived east of Mount Shasta and up into Butte Valley and the Klamath Basin. The Wintu people lived south of Mount Shasta. The Achomawi and Klamath native peoples also had historical territory within what is now Siskiyou County.
According to legend, a Spanish explorer climbing Mount Diablo near San Francisco in 1821 reportedly saw Mount Shasta and called it " Jesus and Maria" because of the double peaks. Russian sailors probably viewed Mount Shasta from the coast near Fort Ross.
The first authentic record of non-Indian travel in Siskiyou County was in the winter of 1826-27 when Hudson's Bay Company fur trappers under Peter Ogden, traveled through the area. Ogden noted in his journal on February 14, 1827: "I have named this river Sastise River. There is a mountain equal in height to Mount Hood or Vancouver; I have named Mt. Sastise. I have given these names, from the tribes of the Indians."
Early maps portrayed today's Mount Shasta variously as Mount Pitt, Mount Jackson, and Mount Simpson and said that it was over 20,000 feet above sea level. For the most part, the explorers and fur trappers traveled through the area but did not stay for any length of time.
Gold was discovered in Siskiyou County around 1850. One group of prospectors found gold on the South Fork of the Salmon River above Cecilville in the spring of 1849. More was found on the flats near a ravine called Black Gulch in March of 1851 by Abraham Thompson. Six weeks after the discovery 2,000 miners had arrived in "Thompson's Dry Diggings" to test their luck. Joaquin Miller described Yreka during 1853-54 as a bustling place with "...a tide of people up and down and across other streets, as strong as if in New York". More stage lines used the town for a stage stop than any other community in the state.
Settlers moved into every part of the county during this era, displacing the native peoples by force and establishing roads, towns and businesses. The town of Yreka was incorporated in 1857. The area currently known as Mt. Shasta City was originally called Strawberry Valley because of the many wild berries found there. The town at the northern end of Scott Valley was first named Wheelocks after O.C. Wheelocks who built a trading post here in 1852, then called Ottiitiewa, the Indian name for the Scott Valley branch of the Shasta tribe, then finally renamed Fort Jones in 1860 after the US Army fort had been built. Happy Camp was named in 1851, reportedly by a group of miners "celebrating their survival of the hardships of the trip up the treacherous Klamath and of having found a spot where 'the pickings' seemed so promising, they named it 'Happy Camp." (according to Vera Toleman's history, published by the Siskiyou County Historical Society).
In August of 1854, a party of eight made the first attempt to reach the summit of the celebrated Shasta Butte, or Mount Shasta, then thought to be the highest peak in California.
The Siskiyou County area made worldwide headlines during the Modoc war of 1872-1873 when a small band held off the U. S. Army in the area near Tulelake, now known as Lava Beds National Monument and Captain Jack's Stronghold. Even through the Modocs were greatly outnumbered, it took the army more than a year to squash the rebellion. This was the last armed resistance by California Indians.
While gold and mining continued as an economic force in Siskiyou County during the last quarter of the ninteenth century, the expansion of ranching and logging brought more settlers to the area.
The Southern Pacific Railroad line was built, following a survey begun in 1855 by U.S.Army Corps of Topographical Engineers which determined the best route for a railway from the Sacramento Valley to the Columbia River, Oregon Territory. When construction ended in 1887, there was a celebration in Ashland, with dignitaries from Portland and San Francisco driving the golden spike.
With the coming of the railroad in the late 1880's. Shasta Springs, just north of Dunsmir, became a popular destination resort and railroad stop. The town of Dunsmuir got it's name in 1886 when Canada's Alexander Dunsmuir fell in love with the town (then named Pusher after the pusher engines that would be attached to push a train uphill on the northbound runs) and promised the town a water fountain if they named the town after his family. In 1897, the town of McCloud was established by George W. Scott and William VanArsdale, founders of the McCloud River Railroad Company.
The first quarter of the twentieth century saw the growth of Siskiyou County communities. Logging grew as the economic mainstay of the area, with ranching and agriculture. The lands around Tule Lake were settled and the marshlands drained for agriculture. In 1906 the Butte Valley Congregation of the Church of the Brethren started the town of Macdoel, while Dorris, named for Presley Dorris of the D ranch, was incorporated in 1908.
The city of Sisson's changed it's name to Mount Shasta in 1924. In 1919, Chico Normal School (now Chico State University) developed a summer campus on the land where the Mt. Shasta City park is now located.
Siskiyou County from 1925 through 1949 saw the area through the depression and World War II. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) completed many projects in the region during the 1930s...including reconstructing the Clear Lake Dam, building the Refuge Headquarters at Tule Lake, roads, tails, wilderness shelters, rock walls, and tree planting.
The Dorris fire of 1934, in which twenty-two businesses and fifty residences were destroyed before the fire was brought under control. In 1941, several Northern California and Southern Oregon counties attempted to secede from their respective states to form a new state - Jefferson. The outbreak of WWII interrupted the efforts.
During the War, Tule Lake was the site of an Internment Camp, a World War II camp for the internment of Japanese Americans and Japanese living in the US, and of a POW Camp for European war prisoners. German and Italian prisoners actually helped in the harvest in the Tulelake basin during the war years. Highway 97, the Al-Can highway which runs from Weed to Alaska, was completed during the mid 1940s.
In the 1930's, Snowman's Hill, located off Highway 89, was a popular place for snow sports. It is reported that Guy W. Ballard met first Saint Germain in August of 1930 on Mount Shasta, inspiring worldwide activities that continue to the present, with Mount Shasta as a spiritual center.
The following companies are currently offering free trials on their subscriptions from 7 to 14 days. You can receive more information by clicking the links below:
California 
