Lewis and Clark County, Montana Genealogy

United States Montana Lewis and Clark County

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

Description
Lewis and Clark County was founded in 1865. The County Seat is Helena. The State is located in the central western area. The name was given in honor of explorers Lewis and Clark.

County Courthouse
Lewis and Clark County Courthouse 316 N Park Avenue Helena, MT 59624 Phone: 406.447.8335 Lewis and Clark County Website County Clerk has birth records from 1907, divorce records from 1895 and land records from 1865 Clerk District Court has marriage, divorce, probate and court records

Lewis and Clark County, Montana Record Dates

 * {| width="91%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"


 * width="91%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" colspan="7" | Beginning Dates for Major County Records
 * width="13%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | Birth*
 * width="13%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | Marriage
 * width="13%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | Death*
 * width="13%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | Court
 * width="13%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | Land
 * width="13%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | Probate
 * width="13%" bgcolor="#e4d8e5" align="center" | Census
 * width="13%" align="center" | 1895*
 * width="13%" align="center" | 1865*
 * width="13%" align="center" | 1895*
 * width="13%" align="center" | 1867
 * width="13%" align="center" | 1867
 * width="13%" align="center" | 1867
 * width="13%" align="center" |
 * colspan="7" | * For earlier dates, try... Church &#124; Obituaries &#124; Cemeteries
 * }
 * width="13%" align="center" |
 * colspan="7" | * For earlier dates, try... Church &#124; Obituaries &#124; Cemeteries
 * }
 * }

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

Boundary Changes

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Montana - shows boundary changes for Montana Counties
 * Montana Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library


 * Parent County: created 2 February 1865 as an original county
 * County seat: Helena

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for Montana starting in 1870. For links to federal census indexes, see Montana Census.

Church Records
''LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Helena

Land and Property Records

 * 1869-1888 Helena Town Site, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, deed records, 1869-1888
 * 1865-1940 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, deed records ; indexes, 1865-1940
 * 1865-1963 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, mining deed records ; indexes, 1865-1963

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
 * 1861 - 1936 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1936 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Maps and Gazetteers



 * See an interactive map of Lewis and Clark County cemeteries and modern-day townships. (Histopolis)
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Montana - shows boundary changes for Montana Counties
 * Historical Maps and Atlases of Montana - maps and atlases of Montana

Military Records
Civil War World War I World War II
 * 1890 at FamilySearch.— index
 * 1890 - 1918 Montana Military Enlistments at Montana Memory Project
 * 1904 - 1918 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, military records, 1904-1918
 * 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
 * 1939 - 1946 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, military discharge books, 1939-1946

For further information see Montana Military Records.

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
 * Butte and Helena newspapers. This database is sometimes free at libraries.
 * 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.

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

Other Records
Public Records


 * 1882-1915 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, election register, 1882-1915
 * 1897-1926 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, school census, 1897-1926
 * 1882-1924 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, school census, 1882-1924

Probate Records
''Online Probate Records


 * 1831 – 1952 Montana Wills and Probate Records 1831-1952 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1904-1962 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, wills and probate proceedings indexes 1904-1962

Tax Records

 * 1868-1895 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, tax list, 1868-1895

Birth

 * 1840 - 2004 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1840 - 2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1841 - 1830, 1841 - 2001 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, death records, 1869-1950; birth records, 1841-1930; indexes, 1841-2001 Viewable

Marriage

 * 1865 - 1859, 1865 - 1975 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, marriage records, 1865-1959 ; Index, 1865 - 1975 Viewable
 * 1865 - 1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1865 - 1950 Montana, County Marriages, 1865 - 1950 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1866 - 1985 Lewis &amp; Clark County, Montana, marriages, 1866 - 1985 indexes
 * 1889 - 1947 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1889 - 1947 Montana Select Marriages 1889 - 1947 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * Western States Marriage Index - Index, incomplete, list of counties included

Death

 * 1840 - 2004 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1840 - 2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1860 - 2007 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1868 - 2011 Montana, Death Index, 1868 - 2011 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1869 - 1950, 1841 - 1930, 1841-2001 Lewis and Clark County, Montana, death records, 1869-1950; birth records, 1841-1930; indexes, 1841-2001 Viewable
 * pre 1954 - 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

 * Helena Montana Family History Center

Museums
Upper Blackfoot Historical Scty P.O. Box 922 Lincoln 59639-0922

Societies
Lewis and Clark County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 5313 Helena 59604 Lewis &amp; Clark County Genealogical Society Lewis &amp; Clark County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 5313 Helena, MT 5960 The Society's general meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month in the large meeting room in the Lewis &amp; Clark Library, 120 South Last Chance Gulch @ 7:00PM The Library is located on the mezzanine of the Lewis &amp; Clark Library, 120 South Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601

Websites

 * Genealogy Inc Lewis and Clark County, Montana
 * Genealogy Trails Lewis and Clark County, Montana
 * Montana Genealogy
 * USGenWeb Lewis and Clark 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