Bethel-Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska

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The AKGenWeb Project & The USGenWeb® Project Welcome:

My name is Martha and I will be your host for 'all things' in this part of our world.
I do not live in Alaska so cannot do 'on the ground research'
but, that said, I am an excellent online researcher and might be able
to find that 'missing portion of your Ancestral Pie'
Please use this Link for Contact: Martha



Table of Contents
History ~ Biography ~ Maps ~ What's New ~ "Old" Bethel Files ~ Odds and Ends
Vital Records ~ Cemeteries ~ Obituaries ~ Newspapers ~ Lookups ~ Family ~ Vital "Odds"
Military ~ Family Search Historical Images ~ Native American's

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Bethel - Kusilvak Census Area: Neighbors
Bristol Bay Borough & Dillingham ~ Kenai Borough
Lake & Peninsula ~ Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Yukon - Koyukuk
Towns & Villages: Historical and Otherwise
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Search Bethel - Kusilvak Census Area Pages

History ~ Biography ~ Maps ~ What's New ~ "Old Bethel Files" ~ Odds and Ends

A little History... Bethel, at its original location, was a Yup'ik village called Mumtrekhlogamute, meaning "Smokehouse People," after the nearby fish smokehouse. It was an Alaska Commercial Company trading post during the late 1800s. It had a population of 41 people in the 1880 U.S. Census. The Moravian Church established a mission in the area in 1885, under the leadership of Rev. John Henry Kilbuck, Jr.
Kilbuck learned Yup'ik, which greatly enhanced his effectiveness as a missionary. Missionaries moved Bethel from Mamterillermiut to its present location on the west side of the Kuskokwim River. A United States Post Office was opened in 1905. Alaska Natives in this area also have a long Christian history, in part from Russian Orthodox, Catholic and Moravian influence. As in many Alaskan villages, Christian tradition has become interwoven with its cultural history. Kusilvak Census Area was formerly known as Wade Hampton Census Area. The new name appropriately reflects and respects the culture and history of Alaska. Kusilvak is a Yup'ik name meaning "the high one." Kusilvak Mountain is the higest mountain in the area, located between Scammon Bay and Mountain Village.
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Biographies - Personal Sketches
I have been able to find some Biographies and 'Sketches' in a few books.
There were two Bio's in the old Bethel-Kusilvak files:
Martin Bugge ~ Amanda Reed Mc Farland

"Pan Pacific Who's Who"
Copyright 1941
Honolulu Star- Bulletin, LTD, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, U.S.A.
The Book can be Read Online or Downloaded
or I will send Scans of Interest. Contact: Martha
Please use this link for a Chart with the Bios for Alaska:

"100 Alaska Bush Pilots"
Compiled by: Anchorage Centennial Commission, June 1967

Available from the FS Catalog

"Tewkesbury's Who's Who in Alaska"
[Includes Business Index] David & William Tewkesbury 301 Goldstein Building, Juneau, Alaska 200 Lyon Building, Seattle, Wash. 1947, Tewksbury Publishers
The Biographies are brief, but interesting.
There is no Index to the book, but the Bio's, alpha arranged and the book is searchable online.
The whole Book can be downloaded from the FS Catalog

The Alaska-Yukon Gold Book "A Roster"...Argonauts of the Klondike gold stampede...Pioneer days and subsequent development of Alaska and the Yukon Territory"
Compiled, edited & published by Sourdough Stampede Ass'n, Seattle WA, 1930
This is a really interesting book, full of names and bits and pieces of Alaska History.

Including, but not limited to:
The Bandit Prince of Skagway ~ The Sheep Camp Snowslide ~ Marine Disasters [1913]
Northern Fraternity ~ Alaska Yukon Pioneers ~ Ladies of the Golden North
Sourdough Stampede Ass'n [Roster w/Portraits] The book is a fully searchable pdf and can be downloaded from the FS Catalog: Please use this link

One last book which is, I think, essential to Alaska History is Bancroft's "Works"
"The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft"

Vol XXXIII - History of Alaska: 1730 - 1885
The Index is here ~ Read Online or Download
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Maps
David Rumsey ~ Historic Map & Atlas Collection Perry-Castaneda ~ Map Collection
Earthquake Fault Maps American Georgaphical Society Library - Digital Map Collection
Humboldt State University Map Collection
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps ~ Railroad Maps
MapGoose
And, of course , Google Earth Alaska
Mining Claims "Mapper"
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"What's New"

'What's New'
The National Archives has a really nice set of digitized records that can be free accessed.
The Chart below is linked to each resource: Entitled: "Browse by Category"

Genealogy/ Personal History Private Sector Wars/ International Relations Time Spans
Businesses Civil War 1800 –1900
Foundations World War II 1900 –1940
Casualties Labor Unions Korean War 1940 –1955
Civilians Securities Vietnam War 1955 –1965
Military Personnel Places Cold War 1965 –1975
Immigrants Countries Diplomatic Records 1975 –1985
Prisoners of War States Government Spending 1985 –1995
Indexes to Counties Contracts 1995 present
Photographs Cities/Towns
Textual Records Zip Codes Grants and Assistance Browse by Subject

Alaska State Library
Interesting Collections:
Genealogical Resources ~ Historical Collections ~ Historic Alaska Newspapers and more...

Goodies from the 'WayBack Machine"
Alaska Railroad: Archived Websites: From 2007 and on...


>>>Scroll, there are quite a few new resourced listed below<<<

Films # 101677757
Probate Journal & Documents: June, 1954-Feb, 1960
Bethel Precinct

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Family Search: Historical Images
Resources: "Alaska as part of the Russian Empire"
This is a Searchable and Linked pdf for all the Categories Below


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Sanity Hearings: Court Cases
Family Search: 4 Films
These Files are very interesting in that they give a close look at the conditions and circumstances
surrounding the Inhabitants prior to becoming part of the United States.
Locations: Fortuna Ledge ~ Wade Hampton Precinct ~ Koyukuk Precinct ~ Bethel Precinct
The File is Here: Searchable and Linked PDF
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There are newly updated films for Adoptions, Coroner Inquests and Search & Rescue Operations
This Chart contains names, dates and image links for films in the FS Catalog
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There is one more Sanity Hearing / Guardianship on a film that is very interesting:
Film 101760518 - 1914
Sanity Hearings
Michael, Mary - Img 15 & 22>26
Image 27, Guardians for the two Children of Mary Michael:
Lilly & Edward Michael[s]
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Bethel, Alaska Territory, United States - Mining_Locations, B402-00036, 1913, Film 106699872
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1913 Marriages
Film 105128589, Filmed 1964
Russian Orthodox Church, other Churches and Offices
These marriage records appear to be all for Russian folks.
The names are so foreign to this transcriber and the typed information
is strange. There are some names that are capitolized, others are not.
So, rather than make mistakes, the images are here for Researchers to ponder over.
Pages 53 ~ 54 ~ 55 ~ 56 ~ 57
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Alaska Records in the National Archives
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"Old Bethel - Kusilvak Files"
These files were compiled and formatted by former Bethel-Kusilvak Coordinators. [Many Thanks!]
They have been reformatted for easier access. All files are searchable pdf's
Aircraft Registrations ~ Boat Registrations ~ Probate Indexes ~ Towns
Obituaries ~ A - L ~ M - Z
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Odds & Ends

Oregon, Washington and Alaska Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1901-1902 / R. L. Polk & Co.
( no place given prob.Portland, OR, 1901), p. 1-185 (to be cont.), 1901-1902
Digital Images 357 - 504 - Film #4213242 [Scroll down, File is at the bottom of the Page]

Churches ~ 1915 Directory ~ Bibliography ~ Deeds [Recorder & Areas Served]
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The nice folks over at Genealogy Trails have resources that might assist with your research.

Alaska Pioneer Home: 1913-1962 [FS Catalog]
There is a lot of valuable information in this book.Names, Dates of Birth, Nativity, Arrival in Alaska
also...

Alaska Pioneer Home Discharge Files: LDS Films: Linked Chart for Film Numbers

"The Fine Print"

Bethel-Kusilvak Census Area: Coordinator: Martha A Crosley Graham
AKGenWeb State Coordinator: Norma Hass
Assistant State Coordinator: Martha A C Graham

If you are interested in volunteering for this project, please review our "Volunteer" page and contact us!
There are many ways to participate. If you have an idea or comment please let us know.

Information contained on all of the pages within the Bethel-Kusilvak Census Area portion of the AKGenWeb
may be used for personal genealogical and historical purposes.
Please be considerate of copyright information and give credit where credit is due.

Online Continuously Since 1997
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Site Updated: 25 March 2024
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