We are still collecting names and family histories for our Pioneer Pursuit project. To date, we have 4,364 verified names in our index, but we want MORE!

You can submit genealogies for any man, woman or child who lived in Washington Territory on or before November 11, 1889. You don’t have to be related to a pioneer — find a name and do what we do best: research it. A great place to find who lived here before statehood is the county census record collection from the Washington State Digital Archives — a treasure trove! This would make a great local genealogical or historical society project.

We’ve made it easy for you. There are examples, forms, hints and FAQs on the WSGS website. There’s also a video explaining the process and answering questions from the Pioneer Pursuit Roundtable in April 2023. If you have other questions, please email Info@wasgs.org and put “Pioneer Pursuit” in the subject line.