Franklin County, Idaho Genealogy

Guide to Franklin 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 after Franklin D. Richards. The County Seat is Preston and was founded January 20, 1913. It is located in the south east area of the state.

County Courthouse
Franklin County Courthouse 39 West Oneida Street Preston, ID 83263-1234 Phone: (208) 852-1090 Fax: (208) 852-1094 County Clerk has marriage records from 1913, court and land records.

Parent County
1913--Franklin County, Idaho was formed 20 January 1913 from Oneida County. In 1930 a boundary realignment changed the northern border to include part of Bannock county. County seat: Preston

Boundary Changes
1913--Franklin County, Idaho was formed 20 January 1913 from Oneida County. In 1930 a boundary realignment changed the northern border to include part of Bannock county.

County seat: Preston

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

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 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 Franklin County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Franklin 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 Franklin 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 the Family History Library can be obtained from their online catalog or listings. More recent records are in the county courthouse in Preston.

A significant volume of the older records for this county have been moved to the Idaho State Archives in Boise. The bulk of records transferred are from the District Court, but most of the old Probate Court estate case files are also included.

Cemeteries
There are many cemeteries in Franklin County. For a list of those that have been identified, and links to transcriptions and/or photographs of tombstones, go to Franklin 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 Franklin County stakes and wards to about 1948.
 * The following are local congregations (wards) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which existed in Franklin 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.

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.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed the following:, Franklin County, Idaho, March 1, 1913 to June, 1950. The copy is available at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of the Library's Family History Centers.

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

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

Judgment Books

 * Judgment records, 1876-1927

See also Franklin County Miscellaneous Series

History
The Franklin County GenWeb site has a brief history of Franklin County available online.

The Idaho Digital Resources website has over 600 images of Franklin County residents, buildings and scenes.

WorldCat.org provides information and locations for these and other historical books:


 * History of Franklin County, Idaho, by W H Simmons
 * A brief history of Franklin: first settlement in the state of Idaho, by the Idaho Pioneer Association
 * Brief history of Oxford, Idaho by Annie C Hatch
 * A Cache legacy: a photo history of Cache Valley, by Herald Journal (Firm)
 * A collection of biographies for Bear Lake, Franklin and Oneida Counties, Idaho, from settlement to 1916 by Glenys J Rasmussen
 * The community of Banida: Centennial, 1910-2010, by Karla Geddes Cattani et al.
 * Franklin, Idaho, Ledger G: 1888-1889 (Business ledgers of different companies delivering goods to Franklin, Idaho.)
 * History of Weston, Idaho, 1865-1929, by Lars Fredrickson
 * Hometown album: a pictorial history of Franklin County, Idaho: horse and buggy days and early auto era, by Newell Hart
 * Idaho facts and statistics pertaining to its early settlement and colonization, with special reference to the Franklin colony; together with stories of the Indian troubles in the southeastern part of the state. Information collected and compiled for the Idaho semi-centennial celebration, held at Franklin, June 14 and 15, 1910. (Digital version available at archive.org.)
 * Know Cache Valley, then and now, by Henry R Cooper, Lavon Christensen, and Claire L Hammond
 * Looking back, by A.J. Simmonds (compilation of weekly history column in the Logan Herald Journal newspaper, 1982-1985.)
 * The passing of the redman, being a succinct account of the last battle that wrested Idaho from the bondage of the Indians (Digital version available at archive.org.)

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 Franklin County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Preston, Idaho.

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

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed originals deeds (1874-1903) found in the Franklin County Courthouse in Preston, Idaho which can be accessed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers.

Maps

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

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Franklin County.


 * January 29, 1863 = Bear River, also known as Massacre at Boa Ogoi


 * Map showing Civil War battles in Idaho.

World War I
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Franklin 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.

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

A reference book for World War II is: Lest We Forget: the Story of the Men and Women from Franklin County, Idaho, who Served in the Second World War, 1939-1946, by Martin K Sorge.

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 Franklin County. The originals are held in the Franklin County courthouse in Preston, 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
Records of the naturalization of people born outside of the United States were often kept in the county courthouses of the respective counties of Idaho. For Franklin County, the following records have been abstracted and are available online. Many of those same records were microfilmed by the Family History Library.

Online Records


 * 1892-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Declaration of Intentions, 1913-1928

Current

 * Preston Citizen

Historical
The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed the following Franklin County newspapers which can be accessed at their facility in Boise:

Cache Valley Clarion: 1940:1:4-1941:12:25 Franklin County Citizen: 1913:1:31:-1942:7:9 Idaho Enterprise: 1879:7:31-1882:9:7 Preston Booster: 1912:1:25-1913:1:15 Preston Citizen: 1942:7:16-9999 Preston Standard: 1901:8:16-1902:9:5 Southeastern Advocate: 1913:12:3-1914:12:30

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 $

According to the Clerk of the District Court, the estate case files from 1913 -(??) have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise (as of 2010). Several of the early Judgment volumes and the Probate minute books are probably still in the vault area on the third floor of the courthouse. The early Miscellaneous Series are also likely still there, too. The Franklin County courthouse is located in Preston, Idaho.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed Franklin County probate records (1910-1939) and these can be viewed at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed copies of the from 1910-1924. These can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers.

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

Vital Records
Idaho Vital Records

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 Franklin 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
Marriages recorded in this county from 1876 to 1940 are available at the Western States Marriage Records Index. Be cautious with any birth, marriage and/or death event as being recorded in Franklin County prior to its creation in 1913. Such events should be cited in the appropriate pioneer county.

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

Divorce
Online Records


 * 1947-1963 - at FamilySearch — index

Death
Online Records


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

Deaths occurring in Franklin 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 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.

In addition, 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.


 * Larsen-Sant/Franklin District Library 109 S 1st E Preston, ID 83263 Phone: (208) 852-0175 Website


 * Oneida Stake Academy Community & Historical Center 100 E Oneida St (intersection of East Oneida and First East Street) Preston, Idaho 83263

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Preston Idaho South Family History Center

Websites

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