Butte County, Idaho Genealogy

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

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Description
The county was named for the buttes that rise from the Snake River plain and served as landmarks to trappers and pioneers who traveled through the area. The County Seat is Arco and was founded February 6, 1917. It is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Butte County Courthouse 248 West Corand Arco, ID 83213-0737 Phone: 208-527-3021 Fax: 208-527-3295 Butte County Website County Clerk has marriage, burial, divorce, probate and school records from 1917, court records from 1895, and land records from 1890.

Parent County
1917--Butte County, was created 6 February 1917 from Bingham, Blaine and Jefferson Counties. County seat: Arco

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 Home Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

This list of places in Butte County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Butte County in Virtual Earth.

Resources
The types of records that follow are used for genealogy and family history. Most tell what you may learn and how to locate the records. Links to Internet sites usually go directly to entries with names, images, or information.

Many of the older court, land, naturalization, probate, pension, and vital records for Butte County have been microfilmed and are available at the in Salt Lake City and through their family history centers. They are also available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise. Details of the county records in these respective institutions can be obtained from their online catalogs or listings. Original records which have been microfilmed and more recent records are in the county courthouse in Arco.

Cemeteries
There are many cemeteries in Butte County. For a list of those that have been identified, and links to transcriptions and/or photographs of tombstones, go to Butte County, Idaho Cemetery Records.

For the cemeteries in or immediately adjacent to the cities, please see the city pages for the cities listed above.

Census
The 1890 federal census for Idaho was destroyed. However, the Idaho State Historical Society Public Archives and Research Library is creating a list of 1890 Idaho residents by indexing a variety of records, 1885-1894. This reconstructed list will substitute for the destroyed 1890 federal census.

For a summary of census records for the state of Idaho, see Idaho Census Records.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)

 * List of Butte County Stakes and Wards to about 1948.


 * The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Butte County, Idaho prior to 1950.
 * For original or later records, check with the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
 * Many of the records to about 1948 are available at the Family History Libraryin Salt Lake City and at its FamilySearch Centers.

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Arco
 * Ballard
 * Darlington
 * Lost River
 * Moore
 * FamilySearch Places

County Commissioners' Records
The minute books of the County Commissioners contain interesting tidbits of history about the county as well as the names of individuals appealing to the County Commissioners for action on issues of concern to them. Minutes of those meetings were recorded from the formation of the county, for most counties. Some counties now post the minutes of current meetings online.

Most of these records have been preserved in the county courthouses of the State of Idaho. Few have been microfilmed. Contact the county clerk for information about years covered and availability.

Online County Records
 * 1882-1970 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Court Records
Some of the early court records of Butte County, Idaho have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho. The records filmed include civil suits, divorce papers, judgment dockets, etc. Copies of these microfilmed court records are also available at the in Salt Lake City, Utah or at any of the Library's Family History Centers. Additional court records and more recent records are housed at the Butte County courthouse in Arco, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

Some of the court records of Butte County that have been microfilmed are:


 * District court minutes, v. 1, 1917-1947
 * Orders and decrees, v. 1, 1918-1930
 * Power of attorney, v. 1, 1881-1967
 * U. S. patent record, 1889-1933; general index, 1889-1974

Judgment Books

 * Judgment records, v. 1, 1912-1963

Miscellaneous records are found listed under the Miscellaneous Series below.

History
Butte County was established February 6, 1917 with its county seat at Arco. It was named for the buttes that rise from the Snake River plain and served as landmarks to trappers and pioneers who traveled through the area. The first white men in the region were thought to be Donald Mackenzie and his Northwest Fur Company trappers in 1818.

Land and Property
Land and Property records are generally recorded in the county courthouse of the county in which the transaction took place. For original records of Butte County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Arco, Idaho.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed some of the early county records of Butte County and these can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

Maps

 * A digital Butte County Idaho map is available online.
 * Map of Butte County, Idaho is available online.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Butte County have been microfilmed. Copies of these records are available at the Family History Library (their ) and are also available online at Ancestry.com, for a subscription fee. The original cards are maintained in the Southeast Regional Archives of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in East Point, Georgia and have been microfilmed by the National Archives as their Microcopy M1509.

Online Records

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Miscellaneous Series
Often overlooked by the genealogist, this group of volumes may contain affidavits for citizenship, final disposition of estates, divorce decrees, and many other types of valuable documents. The content varies from county to county, year to year and from clerk to clerk. When the estate case files, civil or criminal files are not available or have been destroyed, you may find key documents recorded here. Most counties will have an index to this series and it is a must search if the information you are seeking is not found elsewhere.

Both the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho, and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah have copies of the miscellaneous record of Butte County. The originals are held in the Butte County courthouse in Arco, Idaho and can be accessed by visiting there. Copies in the Idaho State Archives are available for viewing in Boise. Those held by the can be viewed either at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Records
 * 1892-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Current
Arco Advertiser 146 S. Front St. P.O. 803 Arco, ID 83213

Historical
The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed the following newspapers from Butte County, which can be viewed by visiting their facility in Boise, Idaho:

Arco Advertiser: 1909:3:12- 9999 Idaho Republican News: 1937:2:-1938:6

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1857 – 1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

The existing original probate records for Butte County should be housed at the county courthouse in Arco, Idaho and can be accessed by visiting there.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed the Probate Docket Book 1 (1886-1956) of Butte County and is available for viewing at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has the same film of the of Butte County and it is available for viewing at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers.

Taxation
Any existing tax assessment rolls for Butte County should be in the courthouse in Arco and would need to be accessed by visiting there.

Birth
Online Records
 * 1861-1911 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883-1929 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in the Butte County area are included in and recorded at the state level. These records are restricted for a period of one hundred years from the time of the individual's birth but can be obtained by following the guidelines as issued by the State of Idaho. See the Vital Records section under the subject Idaho for more details.

Marriage
Online Records
 * 1800-1987 - Idaho, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1864-1976 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1864-1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1878-1898; 1903-1942 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1947-1963 - at FamilySearch — index

Over 670 marriages, 1917-1950, are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

Divorce
Online Records
 * 1947-1963 - at FamilySearch — index

Deaths
Online Records
 * 1883-1929 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1938-1961 - at FamilySearch — index

Deaths occuring in Butte County are included in the state-wide registration program. These records are restricted for a period of fifty years from the time of the individual's death but can be obtained by following the guidelines as mandated by the State of Idaho. See the Vital Records section under Idaho for details.

Copies of death certificates from 1911-1954 are on microfilm and can be used at the Idaho State Historical Society (PARL) Library in Boise, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, BYU-Idaho University Library in Rexburg and several other locations.

A state-wide index to Idaho Deaths, 1911-1956 is available online. Efforts to expand this index to 1960 are underway. Another version is Idaho Death Index 1911-1956.

Deaths from other sources. A significant source of death and related information for eastern Idaho families can be found at the following website Eastern Idaho Death Index

Societies and Libraries
Idaho State Archives

Many public libraries provide internet access to sites of value to the family historian. Some have special collections of historical and cultural interest, as well. The following libraries may have some resources of value, but use of some or all of them may require a visit to the library.


 * Lost Rivers Community Library‎ Frnt, 130 West Arco Avenue, Arco, ID 83213 (208) 527-8511‎ Website
 * Howe Branch Library‎ 3512 Little Lost River Hwy, Howe, ID 83244 (208) 767-3018‎ Website
 * State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho 208-334-2774 Website


 * Idaho Historical Society Facebook Page Website


 * Idaho State Archives Digital Collections - Enter County in Search Bar


 * Idaho State Archives


 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution-Idaho Chapter


 * The Idaho Welsh Society -- excellent cultural and historical site

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Moore Idaho Family History Center

Websites

 * The IDGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
 * Butte County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Butte County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)