Minidoka County, Idaho Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Minidoka which means "well, spring". The County has Rupert as its seat and the County was created January 28, 1913. The County is located in the south central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Minidoka County Courthouse 711 G Street Rupert, ID 83350-0474 Phone: 208-436-9041 County Website

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

Census Records
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 Records
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) The following are local congregations (wards) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which existed in Minidoka County, Idaho prior to 1950. Many of the original records of these church units are in the Historical Library in Salt Lake City. Many of the membership records covering these units from the date of their creation to about 1948 have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
 * List of Minidoka County stakes and wards to about 1948.

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * (*) at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1913-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * Court minutes, 1913-1947
 * Power of attorney, v. 1, 1912-1958

Judgment Books
 * Judgment records, 1913-1935

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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1913-1929 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1912-1925 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records
Online Records World War I


 * 1917-1918 World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Minidoka County. at the Family History Library (their )
 * 1917-1918 World War I Draft registration Cards at Ancestry.com, ($)
 * World War I draft registration cards at USGenWeb
 * Prof. J. R. Conway. Cassia and Minidoka counties in the World War. Ogden, Utah : A. L. Scoville Press, 1919. Digital Images

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1892-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Newspapers

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

 Current Historical Copies of issues of many Idaho newspapers are in the collections of the Idaho State Archives. Obituaries- There is a collection of obituaries at the Burley Family History Center covering the period of 1987 to 2013 (with a few dating back to 1972, and additions made as they come) as published in the local newspapers. The collection contains those persons who resided in Cassia and Minidoka Counties. They are indexed by year. Contact our center and we will be happy to look up the obituraries. Phone: (208)878-7286 or e-mail:[mailto:id_burley@familyhistorymail.org Burley Family History Center].

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

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.

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 Minidoka County. The originals are held in the Minidoka County courthouse in Rupert, 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 itsFamily History Centers.

Pension Records
Mothers' Pensions were provided by the State of Idaho for widows and/or orphans, under certain conditions. Petitions for those pensions were filed with the probate court in each county. The original papers for several counties have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise and have been indexed. Minidoka County Mothers' Pensions are included in that index.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1857-1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com $
 * 1920-1923 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1913-1949 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1913-1931 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1911-1957 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Birth

 * 1861-1911 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Marriage

 * 1800-1987 Idaho, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1864-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Privacy law can't publish
 * 1864-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1878-1898;1903-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1947-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * Western States Marriage Index

Death

 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1911-1956 An index to Idaho Deaths, 1911-1956 Idaho state index. also at in BYU Special Collections
 * 1911-1956 Us Genweb US Genweb Idaho Death Index 1911-1956.
 * 1938-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * Western States Marriages

Divorce

 * 1947-1963 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Archives

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

Family History Centers

 * American Falls Idaho Family History Center
 * Burley Idaho Family History Center
 * Carey Idaho Ward Family History Center
 * Shoshone Idaho Family History Center
 * Twin Falls Idaho Family History Center

Libraries

 * DeMary Memorial Library 417 7th St Rupert, ID 83350 Phone: 208-436-3874 Website
 * Minidoka County Historical Society and Museum 99 East Baselin Rupert, ID 83350 Phone: 208-436-0336 Website

Societies

 * State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho 208-334-2774 Website
 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution-Idaho Chapter
 * The Idaho Welsh Society

Websites

 * Minidoka County ID GenWeb, ID GenWeb
 * Idaho, Minidoka County Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)


 * – 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.