Montana, Flathead County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains county records that cover the years 1871 to 2007. The records currently available are:


 * Coroner's records
 * Court records
 * Divorces(1895-1980)
 * Land and Property records
 * Court records (1895-1981)
 * Probate records (1895-1950)
 * Public records
 * Birth records (1881-1942)
 * Death Records (1897-2007)

Each type of record within the county was created for a different purpose, but most were created to keep track of events happening in the lives of the citizens and to track land and property ownership. The records are located at Flathead County courthouse, Kalispell, Montana.

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images available for all users. However, rights to view images on our website are granted by the record custodians. Images in this collection are available for viewing if you are a registered FamilySearch user. You can register for a free FamilySearch account here.

For additional information about image restrictions, please see the Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections page.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Probate
 * Name of Deceased
 * Name of Petitioner
 * Date and place of death
 * Date of court order
 * Name of judge
 * Name of children (if any)

Divorce
 * Name of Defendant
 * Name of Plaintiff
 * Date of Marriage
 * Names of the executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Dates the documents were written and recorded

Jail
 * Name of Prisoner
 * The prisoner's number
 * Age
 * Height
 * Weight
 * Color of hair and eyes
 * Prisoner's complexion
 * Where prisoner was born
 * Special marks or peculiarities as to prisoner or history (i.e juvenile, body descriptions)

Birth
 * Name of Child
 * Sex of Child
 * Date of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Names of Parents
 * Race
 * Age of Parents at time of birth
 * Birth Place of parents
 * Occupation of parents

Death
 * Name of deceased
 * Sex
 * Race
 * Death date
 * Location of death
 * Date and place of Birth
 * Decedent*s occupation
 * Father's and Mother's names

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The place where the event occurred
 * The names of family members and their relationships

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Record Category
 * 2) Select Record Type, Volume, and Year Range

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the age to calculate the birth date to find birth, christening, marriage, and death records
 * Use the probate date as a substitute for the death date
 * Use the name of the undertaker, mortuary, or cemetery to find funeral and cemetery records
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * Use the occupations to find employment or military records
 * Use the information to find the family in census records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Montana.
 * Montana Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation:"Montana, Flathead County Records, 1871-2007." Database with Images. FamilySearch. h http://FamilySearch.org : 29 March 2018. Flathead County Clerk of Court, Kalispell.

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