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Oregon Secretary of State Archives Division

Clackamas County History & Records

Clackamas County was one of the four original districts created by the provisional government legislative assembly on July 5, 1843. In 1843, Clackamas County covered portions of four present day states and one Canadian province. Its boundaries were: on the north, latitude 54' 40"; on the east, the crest of the Rocky Mountains; on the west, a line from the mouth of the Pudding River to the county's northern border; and on the south, a line from the mouth of the Pudding River to the crest of the Rockies. A law passed in 1844 made the Columbia River the northern boundary of Clackamas County. The United States Great Britain Boundary Treaty (1846) relocated the northern border of both the United States and Clackamas County at latitude 49. The Act of Congress of March 1, 1853 which created Washington Territory enclosed Clackamas County within the present day boundaries of Oregon.

Clackamas County acquired its boundaries in 1854 with the creation of Multnomah County to the north and Wasco County to the east. The area in which Clackamas County is located was explored by Captain Robert Gray, U.S.N. in 1792 and Lewis and Clark in 1805-1806. Clark named the local Indians "Clackamus," hence the county's name.

1857-1858 
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 5 

Series documents contractual agreements recorded by the county clerk. Agreements show date of agreement, consideration, parties' signatures, and date recorded. Subjects of agreements include lumber milling, digging drainage ditches, and Rogue River Indian War claims. Series is not arranged.

1850-1859 
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 5 and Calendar Microfilm 

Series used to assess real and personal property to determine tax liabilities. Assessment rolls show tax year, taxpayer's name, personal property values, name of town in which real property is held, block and lot number of real property, taxes assessed, and assessor's name. The 1852 roll also shows poll tax, number and value of livestock, number and value of wagons, number and value of clocks and watches, and total valuation. Series is arranged chronologically by tax year.

1854-1857 
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 5 and Calendar Microfilm

Series used to document county population and report statistics to the territorial government. Census rolls show resident's name number of legal voters, adult males and females, males aged 10 to 21, females aged 10 to 18, number of males and females under age 10; totals; census date; and census-taker's certification. The 1854 census shows totals only. Series is arranged chronologically by census year.

1845-1848 
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 4

Series documents actions heard in the circuit court. Docket entries show court term; attorneys', plaintiffs, and defendants names; cause of action; description of action; and date of action. Actions include trespass, assumpsit, liquor law violations, divorce, murder, gambling, and justice court appeals. Series is arranged chronologically by date of case entry.

1859 
.1 cubic feet

Series documents the county coroner's investigation of suspicious deaths. Records include the coroner's jury summons and coroner's statement of facts. The only case in this series is one "John Doe" Inquest. Series is not arranged.

1859 
.1 cubic feet

Series documents billings presented by the county court for audit. Records include warrants, vouchers, receipts, letters, case fee bills, jury and witness lists, and account statements. Series is arranged chronologically by court term.
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1850-1859 
.25 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 3 

Series documents actions taken by the county commissioners during regular court sessions. Entries show court term, court location, court officers' and judges' names, and a description of the court's actions. Actions include issuing licenses, locating the county seat, county building construction, paying county expenses, appointing justices of the peace, and reviewing road supervisor's reports. Series is arranged chronologically by date of journal entry.
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1853-1855 
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 5

Series documents the first step in US naturalization proceedings. Declarations show declarant's name, former nationality, renunciation of allegiance to foreign rulers or nations, declarant's signature, date of declaration, and court clerks certification. Series also includes supporting affidavits. Series is not arranged.

1850-1859 
.5 cubic feet

Series used to provide access to deed records. Indexes show grantor's name; grantee's name; township, range, and section numbers; description of property; and deed book letter or number and page number. Series is arranged alphabetically by grantor's or grantee's name.
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1855-1859 
.5 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 2

Series documents deeds filed with and recorded by the county clerk. Entries show grantor's name, grantee's name, consideration, description of property, terms of deed, grantor's signature, witnesses' signatures, certification, date recorded, and recorder's signature. Series is arranged chronologically by date recorded.

1850
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 4

Series documents the recording of donation land claims by the county clerk. Record entries show claimant's name, claim acreage, boundary description, date recorded, and recorder's signature. Series is arranged chronologically by date recorded.

1855-1859 
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 5

Series documents the results of county elections. Abstracts show election date, county and precinct name, office contested, candidates' names, votes received, totals, and election judges' signatures. Subjects include the Oregon Constitutional Convention (1857), county officers, legislative representatives, federal officers, and territorial officers. Series is arranged chronologically by election date.

1846-1859
.1 cubic feet

Series documents judgments entered in county, circuit, and US District Courts. Docket entries show date of judgment, debtor's name, creditor's name, court name, court journal volume and page number, amount of judgment, date entered, date satisfied, and remarks. Series is arranged alphabetically by debtor's name.

1843-1853
.25 cubic feet
Calendar Microfilm

Series documents cases heard in Clackamas County justice courts. Records include receipts, invoices, case transcripts, affidavits, complaints, summons, writs of execution, arrest warrants, subpoenas, writs of attachment, writs of habeas corpus, jury verdicts, and correspondence. Causes of action include assault, debt recovery, theft, larceny, and trespass. Series is not arranged.

1853-1858 
.1 cubic feet

Series documents petit and grand jury service in the US District Court. Lists show district number, court term, type of jury, jurors' names, residence, days of jury service, mileage traveled to serve, compensation, and court clerk's certification. Series is arranged chronologically by court term.

1853-1859 
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 2

Series documents marriages recorded with the county clerk. Record entries show marriage date, groom's name, bride's maiden name, minister's or justice of the peace's name, date recorded, and recorder's signature. Includes an alphabetical index by name of groom. Series is arranged chronologically by date of record.

1855-1859 
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 4

Series documents the activities and actions of the McLoughlin Fire Engine Company No. 1, a volunteer company organized to fight fires in Oregon City. Entries show date and location of meeting, members present, and a description of the actions of the company. Actions include election of officers, assessment of fines, equipment repair, company financing, and fighting fires (see July 24, 1858 entry). Series is arranged chronologically by meeting date.

1855-1859 
.25 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 4

Series documents mortgages filed with and recorded by the county clerk. Record entries show mortgager's and mortgagee's names, description of property, consideration, terms of mortgage, witnesses' names, certification, date recorded, and recorder's signature. Includes an alphabetical index by name of mortgagee. Series is arranged chronologically by date recorded.

1850-1859 
.1 cubic feet

Series used to provide access to recorded mortgages. Entries show mortgagor's and mortgagee's names, date given, date satisfied, date recorded, and remarks. Most entries are after the territorial period. Series is arranged alphabetically by mortgagor's name.

1846-1846 
.1 cubic feet
Calendar Microfilm 

Series documents the activities of the Oregon City Council. Records include construction proposals, council minutes, council motions, mayor's orders, oaths of office, account statements, and a city assessment roll. Subjects include street repair, city finances, and city officials. Series is not arranged.

1850
.1 cubic feet

Series documents the sale of lots in Oregon City. Register entries show block number or letter, lot number, date of sale, purchaser's name, price paid, remarks, and total paid. Series is arranged numerically by block number.

1850-1851
.25 cubic feet

Series documents the recording of original surveys of Oregon City. Maps show city blocks, lot borders and numbers, street names, streams, the Willamette River, island ownership, public lot locations, and the north south territorial road. 

Both maps show the date recorded and have the county clerk's signature, but the 1850 map has a note (circa 1960) attached which states: "not accepted by the US. Gov't because submitted by a non citizen (Canadian) and used rope for survey." Series is not arranged.

1849-1859
.1 cubic feet

Series used for access to plats filed with the county clerk. Index entries show filer's name, addition name, city name, and plat book volume and page number. Most of the index includes filings after the territorial period. Series is arranged alphabetically by filer's name.

1844-1859 
1.0 cubic feet

Series documents the probate of estates and the administration of insanity and juvenile guardianships. Records include administrator's bonds, vouchers, petitions, estate inventories, property appraisals, receipts, correspondence, estate account ledgers, letters of administration, bills of sale and guardianship petitions. Series is arranged by case number.

1844-1849
.25 cubic feet
Microfilm Reels 2 and 3

Series documents probate court actions. Journal entries show court term, officers' and judges' names, location of court, and actions taken. Actions include appointing estate administrators; approving bonds, estate accountings, and appraisals; revoking appointments; issuing notices, bonds, and letters of administration; and the admittance of wills. Series also includes an internal alphabetical index by estate name. Series is arranged chronologically by date of entry.

1850-1859
.5 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 3

Series documents land conveyances recorded with the county clerk. Entries show grantor's and grantee's names, property description, consideration, terms of conveyance, date recorded. and recorder's signature. Series also includes an alphabetical index by grantors' name. The frontispiece to volume 1 is a plat of St. Johns. Series is arranged chronologically by date recorded.

1859
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 5

Series documents labor assessments and road work completed for county commissioners. Reports show road district name, supervisor's name, laborers' names and assessments, work done and to be done, date audited, and supervisor's signature. Series is arranged chronologically by report date.

1855-1858
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 5

Series documents the construction of roads in Clackamas County. Reports include surveys, field notes, road work completed, worker rosters, and road district boundaries. Information shown includes report date, supervisor's name, road district number, and road location. Series is arranged chronologically by report date.

1850
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 4

Series documents the recording of the official plat of San Francisco, California in the only US court on the West Coast at the time. Plat shows streets, blocks, surveyor's certification, and court clerk's certification. Series is not arranged.

1855-1859
.1 cubic feet

Series documents the sale of property attached by the county sheriff to satisfy judgments. Certificates show sale date, buyer's name, judgment parties' names, sale property description, amount paid, sheriffs' signature, and date recorded. Also includes a few writs of attachment. Series is arranged chronologically by date of sale.

1858
.1 cubic feet 
Microfilm Reel 4

Series documents freight shipments on the Relief's daily Portland Oregon City Portland run. Ledger entries show date, shipping location, consignor's name(s), shipment destination, brands and trademarks, description of shipment, volume, rate, amount paid, and remarks. Series is arranged chronologically by date of entry.
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1852-1859
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 3

Series documents brands and stock marks recorded with the county clerk. Record entries show mark or brand owner's name, mark or brand description, date recorded, and recorder's signature. Series includes an alphabetical index by owner's name. Series is arranged chronologically by date recorded.

1847-1854 
.25 cubic feet
Calendar Microfilm 

Series documents the collection of assessed taxes. Tax roll entries show taxpayer's name, poll tax owed, county tax owed, school tax owed, territorial tax owed, and total tax owed. Some years also include "paid" notations. Series is not arranged.

1849-1859
.25 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 5

Series documents actions relating to US District Court cases. Docket entries show court term. plaintiffs and defendant's names, cause of action, attorney's names, judgments, and case disposition. Series is arranged chronologically by date of first court entry.

1846-1859
4.5 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 4

Series documents cases heard in US District Court. Records include executions, attachments, summons, briefs, judgments, fee bills, pleas, motions, subpoenas, petitions, transcripts, complaints, answers, correspondence, jury lists, verdicts, depositions, account statements, affidavits, bills of exceptions, warrants, confessions, writs of habeas corpus, indictments, and exhibits.

Causes of action include replevin, lien enforcement, divorce, claims for debt, habeas corpus, and ceriatorari.

Series also includes the trials of United States v. Telakite, et al; United States v. Frank Escaloom; and Clackamas County v. Joseph Stanfield which related to the Whitman Massacre in 1847. Series is arranged alphabetically by plaintiffs name.

1846-1859
.5 cubic feet 
Microfilm Reel 5

Series documents fees charged and received by the US District Court and the circuit court. Ledger entries show plaintiffs and defendant's names, court term, cause of action, and an itemized listing of case fees. Series is arranged chronologically by date of case entry.

1849-1856
.1 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 5

Series used to provide access to the US District Court Journal by case name. Index entries show case name and journal page number(s). Series is arranged alphabetically by plaintiffs name.

1849-1859
.25 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 4

Series documents actions taken in cases heard in US District Court. Journal entries show court term, location of court, jurors' names, case name, cause of action, and description of action. Actions include lien enforcement, habeas corpus, ceriatorari, mutiny, liquor law violations, Indian land sales, claims for debt, theft, arson, divorce, murder, assault, and rape. Series is arranged chronologically by session date.

1849-1859 
.25 cubic feet
Microfilm Reel 4

Series documents actions taken in cases heard in US District Court. Journal entries show court term, location of court, jurors' names, case name, cause of action, and description of action. Actions include lien enforcement, habeas corpus, ceriatorari, mutiny, liquor law violations, Indian land sales, claims for debt, theft, arson, divorce, murder, assault, and rape. Series is arranged chronologically by session date.

1849-1859
.5 cubic feet

Series documents actions taken by and filed with the US District Court clerk which are not included in case records. Records include expense claims, receipts, invoices, petitions, appeals, bonds, jury rosters, correspondence, fee bills, agreements, informal dockets, clerk's minutes, subpoenas, bonds, affidavits, jury verdicts, and correspondence. Subjects include courthouse construction, formation of school districts, poor relief, precinct creation, and jury selection. Some early material is from the Clackamas County Circuit Court. Series is arranged chronologically by court term.

The stump of an old tree sticks up in Timothy Lake and Mt. Hood shows in the distance.
Timothy Lake in Clackamas County with Mt. Hood in the distance.


Learn more about Clackamas County in the Oregon Blue Book.