Seattle Genealogical Society volunteers
provide research services for members and non-members. Our researchers will make every effort to find information for you, however we cannot guarantee success. To make a request simply fill out an online research request or print and complete a Research Request Form and mail it in with your payment. Be sure to include your email address so that we can acknowledge receipt of your request. Thank you! There is no fee for members. The fee for non-members is $10 per hour per name, minimum of $7.50. Please note that we don't complete in-depth research.
SGS will research or do look-ups in the following collections:
- King County Court Cases Index (KC3I), 1881-1980
The KC3I includes (among other things) information for every probate case and divorce in King County from 1881 to 1980. More information about this unique collection and how to submit a query of the index can be found on the King County Court Cases Index page.
- Seattle Obituaries
We will search a 10-14 day period following date of death to lookup an obituary in Seattle’s newspapers. The fee is $7.50 per name for non-members.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Membership Cards
In partnership with two local VFW Posts in Seattle, SGS obtained and scanned aproximately 20,000 original membership cards. While veterans of the posts may have resided in Seattle, these people were originally from a variety of states and countries. The typical membership card provides the veteran's name, birth date, address and details of their military service. Some cards may also provide the specific location(s) of of the veterans service, their occupation inand out of the military and names of relatives.
- 1890 Seattle Substitue Census
Several years ago the Seattle Genealogical Society embarked on a project to create a substitute 1890 census for what is now the City of Seattle. This project involved transcribing and indexing the 1889 Washington Territorial Census for residents of the City of Seattle. The substitute census also incorporates the 1888-1889 Seattle City Directory and the 1890 Census for the City of Ballard.
- Journal of SGS Issues and Articles
Order an electronic copy of the Journal of Seattle Genealogical Society (formerly SGS Bulletin). Please specify the issue(s) ordered by date, volume number, and issue number. The fee is $7.50 per issue. For a printed copy mailed to you, please add $2.00 shipping and handling.
- Other Lookup Services
SGS will do lookups in resources listed in our Library Catalog as well as Seattle Public Library. The fee for non-members is $10.00 per hour per name, minimum of $7.50. If our research is expected to exceed one hour, our researcher will contact you with an estimate of the additional time it will take to complete the research before proceeding. Please be specific about who we should research, with dates and places for the relevant events. Include the specific resources you would like us to check.
Research fees help the Society maintain and ensure continued access to our outstanding research library, and are charged whether or not the search is successful.
Requests may be made online or by sending a completed Research Request form along with a self-addressed stamped envelope and the appropriate research fees to: Seattle Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 15329, Seattle WA 98115-0329. Please make your check/money order payable to the Seattle Genealogical Society.
Although we will consult available indexes, we regret that we are unable to obtain copies of vital records, court action, land, or similar records outside of the SGS collection. You may obtain a list of professional researchers in the Seattle area, who can provide more extensive research services for a fee, at the Puget Sound Chapter-Association of Professional Genealogists.
