Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Small Group Provides Valuable Archives

Donna Potter Phillips The Spoke

Spokane-area genealogists should be aware of a jewel of a neighboring society which could solve a problem or two with Palouse-area ancestors.

The Whitman County Genealogical Society maintains a small genealogy library with the Whitman County Historical Society in Pullman’s old Gladish School Building, 115 W. Main. It’s available from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on Wednesdays, or by appointment by calling Judy McMurray at (509) 332-2386.

The society has compiled and published an impressive list of materials: “Index of Whitman County Families;” “Index to 1910 Whitman County Plat Book;” “Celebrating Families of Whitman County,” Volumes 1 and 2; “Index to Tombstone Inscriptions of Whitman County,” Volumes 1, 2 and 3; and Randall Johnson’s books “Cashup Davis and His Hotel on Steptoe Butte” and “The Order of the Steptoe Command.”

Current society projects include “Whitman County Birth Records, 1875-1907;” “Celebrating Families of Whitman County,” Volume 3; “Whitman County Marriages,” Books A and B; and “Some Military Records of Whitman County.”

The books may be accessed by mail by sending a $5 research fee to the society.

Society members research genealogy requests if a stamped, self-addressed envelope is included with the query. Volunteer researchers respond when the research is done and request a donation of about $6 an hour, said member Judy McMurray. When the check is received, the material is mailed.

Yearly society membership dues are $12, which includes a quarterly newsletter. Contact the Whitman County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 393, Pullman, WA 99163-0393.

The group meets at 7 p.m., the second Thursday of each month, in the Gladish School. Programs are usually conducted by WCGS members. Anyone who lives in Whitman and Latah counties is invited to attend any meeting.

The Family History Center serving the Whitman County area is in the Latter-day Saints’ meetinghouse at 1657 Blaine, Moscow, Idaho (south, off the Troy Highway). This small branch is open Tuesday-Friday, 1-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The phone number is (208) 882-1769. I suggest you call to confirm hours and schedule an appointment to use the computer.

Genealogists from Whitman County and elsewhere are also lucky when it comes to using U.S. Federal Censuses in the Holland Library on Washington State University campus. It has a nearly complete collection of census microfilms. Films from 1790 through 1880 for all states are there; however, the library does not have the 1880 Soundex and later censuses, with the exception of some Pacific Northwest states. And, there are no census index books, so unless homework is done elsewhere, expect to spend hours rolling the film along, page by page.

My grandson, Trevor Philip Wood, was born in Moscow, in November 1991. I was there, and when he was 2 days old, my daughter Jane (Trevor’s mother) and I spent the evening at the Holland Library looking at census microfilms! The co-eds were astonished, but we wanted to get Trevor started off right doing census work.

Don’t forget the Heritage Quest Roadshow June 16th, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., at the Audubon Park United Methodist Church, 3908 N. Driscoll. Leland Meitzler will lecture on three timely topics and will have a large display of genealogical materials for sale.

The public is invited to this genealogy evening.

, DataTimes MEMO: Donna Potter Phillips welcomes letters from readers. Write to her at The Spokesman-Review, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. For a response, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Donna Potter Phillips The Spokesman-Review

Donna Potter Phillips welcomes letters from readers. Write to her at The Spokesman-Review, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. For a response, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Donna Potter Phillips The Spokesman-Review