Chouteau County, Montana Genealogy

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

Description
Chouteau County was named after Pierre Chouteau Jr. Pierre Chouteau Jr. was a well known fur trader that established a trading post later known as Fort Benton. It is located in the north central area.

County Courthouse
Chouteau County Courthouse 1308 Franklin Street Fort Benton, MT 59442 Phone: 406.622.5151 Chouteau County Website County Clerk has birth and death records from 1895, burial records and land from 1878; Clerk Courts has marriage records from 1888, divorce and court records from 1879 probate records from 1892

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:

Indian Reservation The Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation is located primarily in Hill County, with a smaller portion in northeastern Chouteau County.

Territory and State Censuses

 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records - How to Use this Collection; index and images; Montana was included in the 1860 Washington and Nebraska Territory Censuses
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records - How to Use this Collection; index and images; Montana Territory Census
 * 1880 - at FamilySearch Historical Records - How to Use this Collection; index and images; Montana Territory Census

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of Montana starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Montana Census.

Church Records
Online Church Records Lutheran Church Presbyterian Church
 * 1875-1940 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county
 * 1910-1951 - U.S., Presbyterian Records, 1701-1970 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; First Presbyterian Church of Carter, Deaths, Baptisms, Births, 1910-1951

Other Church Records The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Fort Benton
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1876-2011 - (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1891-1965 (*); County Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Benton Funeral Home in Fort Benton

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records


 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796 - 1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1863 - 1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images
 * 1876 - 1948 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;  Index and images.

Local Histories

 * Our Fort Benton: The Birthplace of Montana by Nora E Harber. Fort Benton, MT: The River Press. Online at: Ancestry — index & images ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * See an interactive map of Chouteau County cemeteries and modern-day townships. (Histopolis)
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Montana - shows boundary changes for Montana Counties
 * Historical Maps and Atlases of Montana - maps and atlases of Montana

Online Collections
These collections are unique to Montana. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Montana Military Records. Civil War World War I World War II For further information see Montana Military Records.
 * 1890 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1890 - 1918 Montana Military Enlistments at Montana Memory Project
 * 1904 - 1918 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1917 - 1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * Soldiers of the Great War from the State of Montana at USGenWeb.
 * Military Enlistments Montana World War I at Montana Memory Project
 * WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualties for Montana - Index only

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1791-1992 - U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 at Ancestry($), index only
 * 1868-1999 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1870-1999 - Montana, Federal Naturalization Records, 1870-1999 at Ancestry($), index only
 * 1880-1953 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;  Index and images.

Newspapers
 Montana Newspapers Online
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Montana newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Montana newspapers
 * Montana Newspapers by the Montana Historical Society
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Montana newspapers

Montana Newspaper Catalogs
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

Obituaries

 * Obituary Daily Times - large obituary index from newspapers across the United States.

See also United States Obituaries for more about finding United States obituaries.

Other Records
Public Records


 * 1876 - 2011 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;  images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1831-1952 Montana Wills and Probate Records 1831-1952 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * 1876-2011 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1880-1940 (*); County Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1893-1948 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

School Records

 * 1881 - 1940 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images.

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 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Birth

 * 1840-2004 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;  index and images
 * 1840-2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1897-1988 Montana, U.S., Birth Records, 1897-1988 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 1907-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;  Index and images.

Marriage

 * 1800-1994 Montana, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1865-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1865-1950 Montana, County Marriages, 1865 - 1950 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1889-1947 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1889-1947 Montana Select Marriages 1889 - 1947 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1943-1988 Montana, U.S., Marriage Records, 1943-1988 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * Western States Marriage Index - Index, incomplete, list of counties included

Death

 * 1840-2004 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;  index and images
 * 1840-2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1860-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1868-2011 Montana, Death Index, 1868 - 2011 at Ancestry ($) — index
 * 1908-2003 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * pre 1954-2002 Montana State Death Registry Index Pre 1954 & 1954-2002 at Montana State Genealogical Society — index
 * 1954-2011 Montana Death Records at findmypast ($) — index

Divorce

 * 1943-1988 Montana, U.S., Divorce Records, 1943-1988 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)

Voting Records

 * 1884-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Family History Centers

 * Belt Montana Family History Center
 * Conrad Montana Family History Center
 * Fort Benton Montana Family History Center
 * Great Falls Montana Family History Center

Libraries
Chouteau County Library 1518 Main St PO Box 639 Fort Benton, MT 59442 406-622-5222 Website

Museums
Fort Benton, Montana Museum and Heritage Complex PO Box 262 Fort Benton, MT 59442 406-622-5316 Email: [mailto:office@fortbentonmuseums.com office@fortbentonmuseums.com] Website

Websites

 * Chouteau County at Cyndi's List — a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Chouteau County at Genealogy Trails — volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Chouteau County at Montana USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Chouteau County at Montana USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * Chouteau County, Montana at Linkpendium - genealogy and family history
 * Chouteau County, Montana Genealogy at LDSGenealogy.com - collection of links by state, county, city, and record type
 * 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.