Genealogy Assistance
The Seattle Genealogical Society offers research services to both members and non-members. Whether you’re struggling to locate a particular ancestor or need assistance navigating historical documents SGS provides support via email, telephone or in-person consultations. By contacting our research coordinator at research@seagensoc.org you can be paired with a knowledgeable volunteer ready to assist.
One of the most valuable services offered is the lookup request. Members can request a lookup at no charge, while non-members pay a fee of $15 per surname. Please email research@seagensoc.org to request a lookup in any of the following:
- King County Court Case Index (KC3I), 1850’s-1980: An immense database containing around 1.7 million entries of King County Court cases.
- Seattle Obituaries: Obituaries from the The Seattle Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Christine Pulliam Obituary Collection from 1895 to present.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Membership Applications: About 25,000 original membership applications from two Seattle-area VFW posts reveal personal and military details of veterans — crucial for military genealogy.
- 1890 Seattle Substitute Census: Combining territorial census data, city directories, and the Ballard census helps fill gaps when the federal 1890 is unavailable.
- Additionally, SGS offers lookups in items from the SGS Library catalog and articles published in the Journal of Seattle Genealogical Society (formerly SGS Bulletin).
Engage a private family researcher to do more extensive research.