Jefferson County, Idaho Genealogy

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

County Quick start:


 * Census
 * Birth
 * Marriage
 * Death

Description
The county was named for Thomas Jefferson. The County Seat is Rigby and was founded February 18, 1913. It is located in the east central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Jefferson County Courthouse 134 North Clark Street Rigby, ID 83442-0538 Phone: (208) 745-7756 Fax: (208) 745-6636 County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1914.

Parent County
1913--Jefferson County was created 18 February 1913 from Fremont County. Named for Thomas Jefferson, 3rd U.S. President. A part of the county was taken to create Butte County 6 February 1917. County seat: Rigby

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:

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 Jefferson County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Rigby.

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

For the cemeteries in or immediately adjacent to the cities, please see the city pages for the cities listed above.

Obituaries from all of Eastern Idaho as well as funeral home and cemetery records have been indexed in the Eastern Idaho Death Records Index.

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 Jefferson County stakes and wards to about 1948.


 * The following are local congregations (wards) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which existed in Jefferson County, Idaho prior to 1950. Many of the original records of these church units are in the Historical Library in Salt Lake City. Many of the membership records covering these units from the date of their creation to about 1948 have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. An entire set of local Idaho records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are at BYU-Idaho Library and the Idaho Falls Regional Family History Center.


 * Stakes:

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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County courthouse in Rigby, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

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

Judgment Books

 * Judgments, 1891-1936; index, 1914-1986

History
WorldCat.org is an excellent resource for locating published and archival materials on the history of Jefferson County. Books include:


 * 100 years of Jefferson County progress, by Willard Adams
 * Jefferson County, by Patricia Lyn Scott and Marjorie J Scott
 * Centennial farm families, by Louis J Clements
 * Settlement of Idaho by Utah pioneers: Bingham and Jefferson Counties, by Lou Jean S Wiggins
 * History of Grant Ward, by the Jefferson County Historical Society
 * Mud Lake memories, by Mildred R Staley et al.
 * The Rigby Stake bicentennial history, by the Rigby Stake Bicentennial Committee

Note: This is not a comprehensive list. Many other works exist. WorldCat lists materials on history, biography, ethnic and religious groups, as well as other features of Jefferson County.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah also has:

Memories of Market Lake: a history of Beaver Canyon, Camas, Dubois, Gilmore, Humphrey, Lidy's, Medicine Lodge, Monida, Nicholia, Roberts, Spencer and the pioneers of Yore, plus many other early south-eastern Idaho settlements...by Wm. Stibal Pettite

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 Jefferson County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Rigby, Idaho. You may also want to check Fremont County from which Jefferson was created in 1913.

At this time, there do not appear to be any microfilmed land and property records for Jefferson County, either in the Idaho State Archives or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and at its branch Family History Centers. Once again, it may be wise to check records in Fremont County.

Maps

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

Military
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Jefferson 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 Jefferson County. The originals are held in the Jefferson County courthouse in Rigby, 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.

Current

 * Jefferson Star

Historical
The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed a number of earlier Jefferson County newspapers, and these can be viewed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho. (Check Rigby and Roberts)

BYU Library Digital Collections includes some searchable editions of the Rigby Star newspaper at: https://lib.byu.edu/collections/rigby-star-newspaper/

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Records


 * 1857-1989 - Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com $
 * Probate register, 1914-1940
 * Wills, 1901-1961

The existing original probate records for Jefferson County should be available in the county courthouse at Rigby, Idaho, and can be viewed by visiting there.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed some of the earlier Jefferson County probate records, and these can be viewed at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The in Salt Lake City, Utah has made microfilm copies of some of Jefferson County probate records. Microfilm copies are available in Salt Lake City and in any of the Family History Centers. Some of the records on microfilm for Jefferson County are:

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

Births
Online Records 
 * 1861-1911 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883-1929 - at FamilySearch

Birth records, 1914 to present, for individuals born in Jefferson 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

All of the early marriage records for Jefferson County have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise (PARL), the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and the BYU-Idaho Library in Rexburg. Included are:

• Marriage Records Books, 1914-1932 • Index to Marriage Records, 1914-1932.

Marriages from other sources. Over 2200 marriages from 1914-1952, are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

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

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

After 1914, deaths occurring in Jefferson 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 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, the Family History Library, 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.

Deaths from other sources. There is one other significant source for death information for this county. It is the 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.


 * Lewisville Public Library 3453 E 480 N Lewisville, ID 83431 Phone: (208) 754-8608
 * Jefferson County District Library 623a N 3500 E Menan, ID 83434 Phone: (208) 754-0021
 * Ririe Public Library 464 Main St Ririe, ID 83443 Phone: (208) 538-7974
 * Rigby Public LIbrary 110 N State St Rigby, ID 83442 Phone: (208) 745-8231 Website
 * Roberts Public Library 650 N 2870 E Roberts, ID 83444 Phone: (208) 228-2210 Website
 * Museum Jefferson County Historical Society‎ 118 West 1st South, Rigby, ID 83442-1303 (208) 745-8423‎

Family History Centers

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

Websites

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