Benewah County, Idaho Genealogy

Guide to Benewah 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 for a Coeur d'Alene Indian chief. The County Seat is St. Maries and was founded January 23, 1915. It is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Benewah County 701 W College Ave. St. Maries, ID 83861 Phone: 208-245-2234 County Clerk has marriage, burial, divorce, court and land records from 1915.

Parent County
23 January 1915: Benewah County, Idaho was created from Kootenai County.


 * Named after a chief of the Coeur d'Alene Indian tribe.

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

Populated Places
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.

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 Benewah 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 Saint Maries.

Cemeteries
There are many cemeteries in Benewah County. For a list of those that have been identified, and links to transcriptions and/or photographs of tombstones, go to Benewah 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 Benewah County stakes and wards to about 1948.
 * In 1930, Benewah 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 Benewah 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 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 Benewah 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 Benewah County courthouse in St Maries, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

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


 * Journal, 1915-1930
 * Power of attorney, 1890-1968

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


 * Judgments, 1911-1930; general index, 1911-1930

Miscellaneous records are outlined in the Miscellaneous Series below

Directories
The Idaho State Archives has in its collections copies of many city, county, state and regional directories.

History
The Official website of the State of Idaho and Genealogy Trails holds archival materials and photographs on the history of Benewah County.

Online County Histories


 * These My Children. c1976. By Alberta Murray. Fairfield, Washington : Ye Galleon Press. Online at:.

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 Benewah County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in St Maries, Idaho.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many county records of Benewah 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 records pertaining to land and property. The following can be viewed in the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers:


 * Deeds, 1890-1909; general index, 1890-1948
 * Patents, 1897-1919; general index, 1897-1985

The following may also be helpful:

which includes titles from Benewah County

Maps

 * Family Maps of Benewah County, Idaho (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * A digital Benewah County map of Idaho is available online.
 * Map of Benewah County, Idaho is available online.

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

Online Records

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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 Benewah County. The originals are held in the Benewah County courthouse in St Maries, 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
Online Records
 * 1892-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Current

 * Gazette-Record

Historical
The Idaho State Archives has in its collection copies of many Idaho newspapers, among which are newspapers from Plummer and St Maries.

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate Records
Any existing original probate records for Benewah County should be housed in its county courthouse in St Maries, Idaho. These can be accessed by visiting the courthouse.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed copies of many of the early probate records of Benewah County which can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City also has copies of early Benewah County probate records, and the following can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers:

Online Probate Records


 * 1857 – 1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * , 1915-1943; bond of executors and administrators, 1915-1955
 * , 1925-1946
 * , 1925-1946
 * , 1925-1946

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

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

Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in Benewah 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.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has made available online Idaho births and christenings 1856-1965. Among these are 572 Benewah County births.

Marriage

 * 1800-1987 - Idaho, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $

Over 1200 marriages, 1913-1939, are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

Online Records
 * 1864-1976 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1864-1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1878-1898; 1903-1942 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1947-1963 - at FamilySearch — index

From the Family History Library's online Idaho Marriages 1878-1898, 1903-1948, are 231 Benewah County marriages.

Divorce
Online Records
 * 1947-1963 - at FamilySearch — index

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

Deaths occurring in Benewah County after 1915 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 in Boise, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, the 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.

See also the Family History Library's online Idaho deaths and burials 1907-1965, where there are 314 deaths recorded for Benewah County.

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.


 * Plummer Public Library 800 D St Plummer, ID 83851 Phone: (208) 686-1812 Website
 * Benewah District Library 4345 Fox Rd Tensed, ID 83870 Phone: (208) 274-3002

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * St Maries Idaho Family History Center

Websites

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