Madison County, Idaho Genealogy

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

Idaho Online Genealogy Records

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Description
The County was named for President James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. The County has Rexburg as its seat and the County was created February 18,1913. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Madison County Courthouse 134 E. Main Rexburg, ID 83440-0389 Phone: (208) 356-3662 Fax: (208) 356-8396 County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1914.

Parent County
1913-- Madison County was created by the legislature on 18 February 1913 from Fremont County. The formal organization of the Madison County government took place on 5 January 1914. Researchers seeking information on early settlers must also search Bingham County records from 1883 to 1893 as it was the pioneer county for the entire upper Snake River valley. Fremont County was created from Bingham County in 1894 and is the successor record keeper for early Madison County residents.

Boundary Changes:
26 January 1915 -- a portion of the eastern part of Madison County was removed and became part of Teton County.

Record Loss
A significant event occurred in 1976 which has an effect on historical records in this county. The Teton Dam broke early on Saturday morning, June 5th, and flooded much of Madison County. Among other areas affected was the basement of the county courthouse. It was engulfed and anything stored there was soaked with flood waters. Among other items destroyed were the probate case files and the early tract books.

The flood also destroyed church, family and Rexburg and Sugar City records.

Places/Localities
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:

The above 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 Madison County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Madison 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 Madison 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 Rexburg.

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

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

The Eastern Idaho Death Index also has an exhaustive listing of all of the cemeteries in Madison County. The local chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers have a project to attach a digital photograph of each gravestone as time and seasons permits. Burton, Rexburg and Sugar City have many images included.

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 Madison County stakes and wards to about 1948.


 * The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Gem 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 FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City and at its FamilySearch Centers.

List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * 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


 * at FamilySearch — index and images

Court Records
Some of the early court records of Madison 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 Madison County courthouse in Rexburg, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

Some of the records of the courts of Madison County that have been microfilmed include:

Judgment Books

 * Judgments, 1912-1937; index, 1914-1964

Directories
The Idaho State Archives has a collection of city, county, state and regional directories.

History
One local history written by a Ricks College history professor can be found at this citation. Crowder, David L., Rexburg, Idaho: The first one Hundred years 1883 – 1983 (Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers ltd, 1983) The Book may be hard to find.

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 Madison County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Rexburg, Idaho.

Deeds and other land records of Madison County start in 1914 when it was formed. Some early deeds recorded in Fremont County (pre-1914) for land now located in Madison County were transcribed and are listed in the early volumes in Madison County.

Microfilmed copies of many of these records are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and at its branch Family History Centers.

Maps

 * A digital Madison County Idaho map is available online.
 * Map of Madison County, Idaho is available online.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Madison County have been microfilmed. Copies of these records are available at the Family History Library (their ), the Madison County GenWeb site, 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 Madison County. The originals are held in the Madison County courthouse in Rexburg, 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

Current

 * Rexburg Standard Journal
 * Post Register

Historical
Copies of issues of many Idaho newspapers are in the collections of the Idaho State Archives.

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Pension Records
The Original of the following record is found in the Madison County Courthouse in Rexburg. It has been microfilmed and copies can also be found at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho or at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, or in any of the Library's Family History Centers:

Idaho. Probate Court (Madison County)

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Estate case files from 1914 to 1976 were destroyed in the Teton Flood. Fortunately, the Probate Register: Estates and claims (Index) did survive and can be searched at the district court office in the main courthouse building (second floor). The five volume set lists the name of the descendant, date of petition for probate and other key items involved in probation.

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

Vital Records
Note:Many early births and deaths for residents of eastern Idaho were not recorded in Boise, and it wasn't until the 1950's that the majority of these events are included in the Statewide collection.

Births
Online Records


 * 1861-1911 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883-1929 - at FamilySearch

Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in Madison County 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. .

Marriages
All of the early marriage records for Madison County have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise (PARL), the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and the BYU-Idaho Library in Rexburg. Included are:

•Marriage Records Books, 1915-1936 •Index to Marriage Records, 1915-1986.

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

Marriages from other sources.

Over 2,286 marriages from 14 Jan 1914 to 14 Feb 1950 are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

Death
Online Records


 * 1883-1929 - at FamilySearch.
 * 1938-1961 - at FamilySearch — index

Deaths occurring in Madison County after 1911 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 Archives 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
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.


 * Madison District Library 73 N Center St Rexburg, ID 83440 Phone: (208) 356-3461 Website


 * Sugar Salem School/Community Library 1 Digger Dr Sugar City, ID 83448 Phone: (208) 356-0271 Website


 * McKay Library Brigham Young University - Idaho 525 South Center St. Rexburg, Idaho 84440-0405 Website: BYU-Idaho Library

The Library and its Special Collections Department provide access to a large collection of original research material on Utah and Eastern Idaho settlers. It is especially comprehensive for materials relating to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). The Upper Snake River Family History Center is hosted in the Library.


 * Upper Snake River Valley Historical Society‎ 51 North Center Street, Rexburg, ID 83440-1539 (208) 356-9101‎ website

Family History Centers

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

Websites

 * The Madison County ID GenWeb Project, a member of The IDGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
 * Madison County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Madison County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)