Fergus County, Montana Genealogy

Guide to Fergus County, Montana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for James Fergus. The County has Lewistown as its seat and the County was created 1885. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Fergus County Courthouse 712 W Main Street Lewistown, MT 59457-2562 Phone: 406.538.5119 Fergus County Website County Clerk has birth and death records; Clerk Court has marriage, divorce, probate and court records; County Assessor has land records

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Territory and State Censuses

 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Montana was included in the 1860 Washington and Nebraska Territory Censuses
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Montana Territory Census
 * 1880 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Montana Territory Census

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of Montana starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Montana Census.
 * 1900 1900 federal census index, Fergus County, Montana
 * 1910 1910 federal census index, Fergus County, Montana
 * 1920 Index 1920 federal census, Fergus County, Montana

Church Records
Online Church Records Lutheran Church Presbyterian Church
 * 1875-1940 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county
 * 1916-1947 - U.S., Presbyterian Records, 1701-1970 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Presbyterian Church of Coffee Creek, Baptisms, Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1916-1947
 * 1919-1977 - U.S., Presbyterian Records, 1701-1970 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Community Presbyterian Church of Hilger, Baptisms, Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1919-1977
 * 1924-1935 - U.S., Presbyterian Records, 1701-1970 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Waverly Community Presbyterian Church of Roy, Baptisms, Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1924-1935

Other Church Records The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records


 * Lewiston

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records


 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796 - 1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1863 - 1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * From the Foothills to the Plains; History of Southeastern Fergus County. c1999. By Grass Range History Committee. [Montana?] : Grass Range History Committee..
 * Homestead Fever : History of Denton-Danvers-Coffee Creek. c1977. By Denton Heritage Committee. Great Falls, Montana : Blue Print & Letter Co..

Online County Histories
 * A History of Winifred, Montana. c1988. By Jim Arthur. [Winifred, Montana?] : J. Arthur. Online at Montana Memory Project;.
 * Homestead Shacks Over Buffalo Tracks : History of Northeastern Fergus. c1990. By Roy History Committee. [Roy, Montana?] : Roy History Committee (Montana). Online at Montana Memory Project;.
 * The Heritage Book of the Original Fergus County Area. c1982. By Babbie Deal & Loretta McDonald. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah. Online at Montana Memory Project;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Montana - shows boundary changes for Montana Counties
 * Historical Maps and Atlases of Montana - maps and atlases of Montana

Online Collections
These collections are unique to Montana. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Montana Military Records. Civil War World War I World War II For further information see Montana Military Records.
 * 1890 at FamilySearch.— index
 * 1890 - 1918 Montana Military Enlistments at Montana Memory Project
 * 1917 - 1918 at FamilySearch — Index and images
 * Soldiers of the Great War from the State of Montana at USGenWeb.
 * Military Enlistments Montana World War I at Montana Memory Project
 * WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualties for Montana - Index only

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Records
 * 1791-1992 - U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 at Ancestry — ($), index only
 * 1868-1999 - at FamilySearch — Browseable images only
 * 1870-1999 - Montana, Federal Naturalization Records, 1870-1999 at Ancestry — ($), index only

Newspapers
 Montana Newspapers Online Montana Newspaper Catalogs
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Montana newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Montana newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Montana newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * Central Montana Genealogical Society has newspapers on microfilm. See the Libraries and Societies for their contact information.
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

Obituaries

 * Obituary Daily Times - large obituary index from newspapers across the United States. (Ancestry)

See also United States Obituaries for more about finding United States obituaries.

Probate Records
Online Probate Records


 * 1831 – 1952 Montana Wills and Probate Records 1831-1952 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Vital Records
Central Montana Genealogical Society has marriage indexes, birth and mortuary records. They also have family histories. Please see entry under Libraries and societies.

Birth

 * 1840 - 2004 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1840 - 2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840-2004 at Ancestry ($) — index

Marriage

 * 1800 - 1994 - Montana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1865 - 1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1865 - 1950 Montana, County Marriages, 1865-1950 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1885 - 1916 Fergus County (Montana) marriage records, 1885-1916
 * 1889 - 1947 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1889 - 1947 Montana Select Marriages 1889-1947 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * Western States Marriage Index - Index, incomplete, list of counties included; includes marriages 1885 - 1901.

Death

 * 1840 - 2004 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1840 - 2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840-2004 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1860 - 2007 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1868 - 2007 Montana, Death Index, 1868-2011 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * pre 1900 - 2002 Montana State Death Registry Index Pre 1954 & 1954-2002 at Montana State Genealogical Society — index
 * 1954 - 2011 Montana Death Records at findmypast ($) — index

Family History Centers

 * Lewistown Montana Family History Center

Libraries

 * Resources at the Lewistown Public Library include:


 * Central Montana Church Records
 * Cemetery and Mortuary Records
 * Birth and Marriage Records
 * Montana Census Films
 * Local Histories and Newspaper Microfilms


 * They are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Societies
Central Montana Genealogical Society Located on the upper floor of the Lewistown Public Library 701 West Main Lewistown, Montana, 59457 Telephone: 406–538–5212 Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb Fergus County, Montana project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
 * Kindred Trails separates the resource website links into categories.
 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) There are some Fergus county obituaries listed on this website.