Bingham County, Idaho Genealogy

Guide to Bingham 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
 * Church

Description
The county was named after Henry H. Bingham, a congressman from Pennsylvania and friend of William Bunn, Idaho's Territorial Governor. The County Seat is Blackfoot and was founded January 13, 1885. It is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bingham County Courthouse Clerk's Office 501 North Maple #205 Blackfoot, Idaho 83221 Phone: 208.945.8040 County Clerk has marriage and land records from 1885, divorce and court records from 1900, probate records from 1892, naturalization commission minutes from 1855, and school census 1898-1933.

Parent County
13 January 1885: Bingham County, Idaho was created from Oneida County. Named for Elisha E. Bingham or Henry H. Bingham.

Boundary Changes
4 March 1893: Fremont County created from parts of Bingham and Lemhi Counties.

7 February 1911: Bonneville County created from a part of Bingham County.

30 January 1913: Power County created from parts of Bingham, Blaine, and Oneida Counties.

26 January 1915: Teton County created from parts of Bingham, Fremont, and Madison Counties.

6 February 1917: Butte County created from a part of Bingham County.

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 Bingham County have been microfilmed and/or digitzed and are available at the Family History Library 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. Original records which have been microfilmed or imaged, and more recent records are in the county courthouse in Blackfoot. A considerable amount of inactive records have been transferred to the Idaho State Historical Society in Boise.

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

A school census from 1898 to 1913 is located in the basement storage area at the Bingham County Courthouse. It includes a list of children, ages and name of parents. Contact the County Clerk for details.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)

 * List of Bingham County stakes and wards to about 1948.


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

County Commissioner's 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 Bingham 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 Bingham County courthouse in Blackfoot, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

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


 * Power of attorney, 1866-1917

History
The book Bingham County Historywas published in 1985, commemorating the county's first hundred years.


 * Taylor Mountain Homesteaders: The Compiled Histories of the Settlers of Bingham &amp; Bonneville Counties of Southwest Idaho
 * Settlement of Idaho by Utah Pioneers: Bingham and Jefferson Counties
 * People of the Hills
 * Historical Sketch of Bingham County, Idaho
 * "Old Bingham" the banner county of Idaho at the World's Columbian Exposition, 1893

Online County Histories


 * Bingham County History (Idaho) : Commemorating the State's 100th Birthday, 1890-1990. c1990. By The People of Bingham County. Blackfoot, Idaho : Bingham County Historical Society Book Committee. Online at:.
 * Bingham County history (Idaho) : Written and Compiled by the People of Bingham County Commemorating the County's 100th Birthday, 1885-1985. c1985. By The People of Bingham County. Blackfoot, Idaho : Bingham County Centennial Book Committee. Online at:.
 * Bingham County History Volume II - A Pictorial : Commemorating the County's 100th Birthday. c1986. By The Bingham County Centennial Book Committee. Blackfoot, Idaho : Bingham County Centennial Book Committee. Online at:.
 * Firth. N.d. N.p: n.p. Online at.
 * Histories of the Bingham County Company (Idaho). Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. c1944. By Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Blackfoot, Idaho : n.p.  Online at:.
 * Histories of the Bingham South Company (Idaho), Daughters of Utah Pioneers. c1999. By Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Blackfoot, Idaho : Daughters of Utah Pioneers.  Online at:  Vol. 1,  Vol. 2;.
 * Miracle of the Desert: A History of the Thomas Ward and Surrounding Communities. c1957. By Thomas H. Williams. Blackfoot, Idaho : T.H. Williams.  Online at:.
 * The People of the Hills. c1963. By Miranda Campbell Stringham. Idaho Falls, Idaho : n.p.  Online at:  Vol. 2,  Vol. 3;.
 * Taylor mountain homesteaders : the compiled histories of the settlers of Bingham and Bonneville counties of southwest Idaho. c2008. By Lynn Blatter. Bountiful, Utah : emCole Design.  Online at:.

Land and Property
Generally speaking, land and property records are held at the county level and may be accessed at the county courthouse where the transactions took place. The Bingham County courthouse is located in Blackfoot, Idaho. Some of the earlier records may have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives, and microfilmed copies of these records maybe viewed at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed the following ; Deeds from 1865-1923; Index to Homesteads 1890-1960; Homesteads from 1889 to 1961. These films can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of the Library's Family History Centers.

Maps

 * An 1895 map of Bingham and surrounding counties is available online.
 * A digital Bingham County Idaho map is available online.
 * Map of Bingham County, Idaho is available online.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from for European and African American settlers included:


 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California

Military History and Records
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Bingham 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.

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.

Neither the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho, nor the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah appear to have copies of any Miscellaneous Series in Bingham County. One should check with the Bingham County courthouse in Blackfoot for any possible records which they hold.

Naturalization
Some but not all of the original naturalization records of Bingham County have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise.

Current
Newspapers being published in Bingham County include the Aberdeen Times, published in Aberdeen; the Shelley Pioneer, published in Shelley; and The Morning News, published in Blackfoot (see the individual towns where these newspapers are published for additional information).

Historical
The Morning News was called the Idaho News in 1891 and the Blackfoot News in 1892. Blackfoot Public Library offers access to historic editions of this news paper on microfilm through interlibrary loan. Blackfoot Public Library will also perform brief searches and provide copies for $.10 each.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many of Bingham County's early newspapers which can be accessed at their facility in Boise, Idaho.

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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. Bingham County Mothers' Pensions are included in that index.

Probate Records
Online Probate Records


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

The original estate case files are located in the basement vault of the County Clerk's Office and date from 1885. They are still in their original metal drawers and have to be carefully unfolded to use. Be sure to use the Index to Probate Records (also in the basement vault) for a detailed listing of actions taken by the Probate Court. Some of the probate minute books (sometimes called proceedings) have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has microfilmed the following Court records--(1885-1932) and Widows and Orphan Records 1913-1927.; These films are available for viewing at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of the Library's Family History Centers.

Taxation
Any existing tax assessment rolls for Bingham County should be in the courthouse in Blackfoot 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 Bingham 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. Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in Bingham 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
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

6,451 marriages from 8 Jan 1885 to 6 Nov 1949 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 Bingham 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. After 1911, deaths occurring in Bingham 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.

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, 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.


 * Blackfoot Library‎ 129 North Broadway Street, Blackfoot, ID 83221-2204 (208) 785-8628‎ Website
 * North Bingham County Library‎ 197 West Locust Street, Shelley, ID 83274-1309 (208) 357-7801‎ Website
 * Aberdeen District Library 76 E Central Ave Aberdeen, ID 83210 Phone: (208) 397-4427 Website
 * Snake River School Community Library 924 West Highway 39 Blackfoot, ID 83221 Phone: (208) 684-3063 Website
 * Bingham County Historical Society Museum 190 North Shilling Avenue Blackfoot, ID 83221-2848 Phone: (208) 785-8040 ‎
 * Bingham County Historical Society Archives 121 North Shilling Blackfoot, ID 83221 Phone: (208) 785-9906

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Blackfoot Idaho Family History Center
 * Firth Idaho Family History Center
 * Blackfoot Idaho West Family History Center

Websites

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