Bonner County, Idaho Genealogy

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

Quick start:


 * Census
 * Birth
 * Marriage
 * Death

Description
The county was named after Edwin L. Bonner who established a ferry on the Kootenai River in 1864 near present day Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The County Seat is Sandpoint and was founded February 21, 1907. It is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bonner County Courthouse 215 South First Ave Sandpoint, ID 83864-1392 208-265-1438 Fax: 208-265-1434 County Clerk has birth and death records 1907-1911 marriage, divorce and court records from 1907 probate from 1890 and land records from 1889.

Parent County
21 February 1907: Bonner County was created from Kootenai County. Named for Edwin L. Bonner who established a ferry on the Kootenai River near present day Bonners Ferry.

Boundary Changes
23 January 1915: Boundary County created from portions of Bonner and Kootenai Counties

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

Places/Localities
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.

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 Bonner County have been microfilmed and are available at the in Salt Lake City and 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 Sandpoint.

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

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
In 1930, Bonner County was part of Northwestern States Mission. There were no stake organized in the area at the time.


 * The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Bonner 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.
 * Sandpoint


 * 21 February 1907: Bonner County was created from Kootenai County, Idaho.

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.

Court Records
Some of the early court records of Bonner 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'sFamily History Centers. Additional court records and more recent records are housed at the Bonner County courthouse in Sandpoint, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

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


 * Civil actions, 1904-1928; register, 1911-1912; index, 1904-1911
 * Power of attorney, 1883-1938; index, 1891-1986

Judgment Books

 * Judgments, 1891-1931; index, 1882-1949

(Includes divorces, probate documents, civil and criminal actions and many other court actions.)

Miscellaneous records are outlined in the Miscellaneous Series below.

History
The book Beautiful Bonner: the History of Bonner County, Idahowas published in 1991. Its companion book is Beautiful Bonner: History and Memories.

Another published work is Hoodoo Valley Historyby the Bonner County Historical Society.

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 Bonner County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Sandpoint, Idaho.

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

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed some pertaining to land and property, which can be viewed in the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers. Films available are:


 * Civil actions, 1904-1928; register, 1911-1912; index, 1904-1911
 * Deeds, 1885-1906; index, 1885-1910
 * Miscellaneous court records, 1905-1933

Maps



 * A digital Bonner County Idaho map is available online.
 * Map of Bonner County, Idaho is available online.

Military History and Records
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Bonner 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. These records are also available online on the Bonner County GenWeb site. See the links to other Military records from Bonner County on this site.

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 Bonner County. The originals are held in the Bonner County courthouse in Sandpoint, 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.

Current

 * Bonner County Bee
 * Priest River Times

Historical
The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed some of the early Sandpoint newspapers as well as other Bonner County newspapers which can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho. The newspapers are listed under the name or town where the newspaper was published.

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Any existing original probate records for Bonner County should be in the county courthouse located in Sandpoint, Idaho. You can access these records by visiting the courthouse.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilm copies of many of the early Bonner County probate records which can be read at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah also has some microfilms of earlier Bonner County probate records. The following are available for viewing at the Library in Salt Lake City, or at any of itsFamily History Centers:



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

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

The Birth Registers for Bonner County, 1907-1911, have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in Bonner 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.

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 3200 marriages, 1907-1931, 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

The death registers for Bonner County, 1907-1911 have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah.

After 1911, deaths occurring in Bonner 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 issued 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, the Family History Library, 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 the US Genweb Idaho Death Index 1911-1956.

Societies, Libraries and Museums
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.


 * West Bonner District Library 219 Main St Priest River, ID 83856 Phone: (208) 448-2207 Website
 * East Bonner County District Library 1407 Cedar St Sandpoint, ID 83864 Phone: (208) 263-6930 Website
 * Priest Lake District Library 28769 Hwy 57 Priest Lake, ID 83856 Phone: (208) 443-2454 Website
 * Bonner County Genealogy Society
 * Bonner County Historical Society and Museum

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Priest River Idaho Family History Center
 * Sandpoint Idaho Family History Center

Websites

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