Clark County, Idaho Genealogy

Guide to Clark 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

Description
The county was named for Sam K. Clark, state senator & pioneer. The County Seat is Dubois and was founded February 1, 1919. It is located in the east central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clark County Courthouse 320 West Main Street Dubois, ID 83423-0007 Phone: 208-374-5304 Fax: 208-374-5609 Clark County Website County Clerk has marriage, divorce, court and land records from 1919.

Parent County
1919--Clark County was created 1 February 1919 from Fremont County. County seat: Dubois

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:

Other Communities


 * Small
 * Medicine Lodge
 * U.S. Sheep Experiment Station

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 Clark County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Clark 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 Clark County have been microfilmed and are available at the in Salt Lake City and through their family history centers. They are also available 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 Dubois.

Cemeteries
There are many cemeteries in Clark County. For a list of those that have been identified, and links to transcriptions and/or photographs of tombstones, go to Clark 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 Clark County stakes and wards to about 1948.
 * In 1930, Clark County was part of Idaho Falls Stake.
 * The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Clark 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.


 * Camas
 * Kilgore
 * Woodrow

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 Clark 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 Clark County courthouse in Dubois, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

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


 * Power of attorney, 1890-1962

Judgment Books

 * Judgment book, 1893-1965; index, 1919-1986

Also see "Miscellaneous" section below.

History
Two published works are Settlers of the Silver Sage by Bonnie Stoddard (Clark County Historical Society) and Settlement of Idaho by Utah Pioneers: Clark, Fremont, and Teton Counties, by Mary N. P. Harris.

A brief history of Clark County History is posted at the Clark County GenWeb website. A digital history is available at the Idaho Historical Society Idaho State Archives.

The Clark County, Idaho Historical Photographs collection has 5,000 photos online.

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 Clark County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Dubois, Idaho.

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

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed and  (1890-1919) of Clark County which can be viewed in the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers.

Maps

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

Military
Because Clark County was not formed until 1919, those who were of military draft age for World War I were included in the draft registration records of Fremont County, the parent county of Clark.

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 Clark County. The originals are held in the Clark County courthouse in Dubois, 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/Citizenship
The in Salt Lake City has microfilmed some Clark County naturalizations, from 1914-1925. These films can be viewed in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers.

Online Records


 * 1892-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Historical
The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed the following Clark County newspapers:

Clark County Enterprise, 1921: 1921:11:17-1922:10:26 Clark County Enterprise, 1959: 1959:7:24-1970:12:31 Clark County Enterprise, Misc: 1919:5:15, 1922:6:29, 1954:2:26 Clark County Enterprise-Banner: 1924:5:8 -1959: Dubois Banner: 1917:6:1-1918:6:29 Dubois Enterprise,1914: 1914:8:27-1928:6:29 Dubois Enterprise,1919: 1919:02:20 Enterprise-Citizen: 1971:1:7-1972:12:28

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 $

The existing original Clark County probate records should be in the county courthouse in Dubois, Idaho and can be accessed by visiting there.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed some of the earlier Clark County probate records which are available for viewing at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah also has microfilms of some of the early Clark County probate records. The following are available for viewing at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers:


 * Idaho Orders and Decrees 1915-1937.
 * Idaho Probate Registers (1913-1986).
 * Idaho Wills 1909-1963.

Taxation
Any existing tax assessment rolls for Clark County should be in the courthouse in Dubois 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 the Clark 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
The in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed marriage records of Clark County from 1919-1982 which can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers. This record is also available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho and can be accessed by visiting the Archives.

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

Clark County is included in the online collection of Idaho County marriages 1864-1950.

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 Clark 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 1907-1965 at Family Search.

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 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.


 * Clark County District Library 160 W Main St Dubois, ID 83423 Phone: (208) 374-5267
 * Heritage Hall Museum‎ 110 South Reynolds Street, Dubois, ID 83423

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Rigby Idaho Family History Center

Websites

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

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

[Idaho,_Clark_County_Records_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records)|Idaho, Clark County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records]]