Wards and Branches of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fremont Stake, Utah

This page includes the boundaries of wards and branches around 1930's, a timeline history, and how to obtain the records.

Source for this page: p. 265-266.

Fremont Stake
Stake boundaries as of about 1930 — see Encyclopedic History..., p.265-266.


 * Area of the County: FREMONT STAKE OF ZION (formerly Bannock Stake), Idaho, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in parts of Madison County and in the south part of Fremont County, Idaho.
 * Headquarters in (town):Rexburg, Idaho
 * Boundaries of stake:consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in parts of Madison County and in the south part of Fremont County, Idaho.

History Timeline up to about 1930


 * 1884 - At a special meeting held Feb. 4, 1884, the Bannock Ward was organized as the Bannock Stake of Zion. The name of Bannock. Stake was changed to Fremont in 1898 in order to avoid confusion, as the saints in Bannock Co., Idaho, (created in 1893) had been organized as the Bannock Stake July 25, 1898.
 * 1884 - Fremont was chosen for the former Bannock Stake on account of its location in Fremont County, Idaho. As new wards sprang into existence in the Bannock (Fremont) Stake, other stakes were organized and Fremont Stake may be considered the parent of several of them.

Obtain the Records

 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Wards and Branches
Archer, Burton, Hibbard, Independence, Lyman, Newdale, Plane, Rexburg 1st, Rexburg 2nd, Rexburg 3rd, Rexburg 4th, Salem, Sugar City and Teton.

Archer Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p.27.

Boundaries:


 * Consists of Latter-day Saints residing in that part of Snake River Valley through which the south fork of Snake River enters Snake River Valley. The townsite is located about eight miles northeast of Rigby and 10 miles south of Rexburg.

History timeline


 * 1902 - On March 2, 1902, the Lyman ward of the Fremont Stake was divided and its south part organized as the Archer Ward. The Archer Ward contained the original Lyman Ward, which, however, had been abandoned.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Burton Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p. 101-102.

Boundaries: BURTON WARD, Fremont Stake, Madison Co., Idaho, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in a tract of country lying between the Teton River on the north and the Snake River on the south and between Rexburg on the east and Henry’s Fork of Snake River on the west

History timeline


 * 1884 - Non-Latter-day Saints and Latter-day Saint settlers located upon their respective quarter sections in 1884.
 * 1884 - Branch organized
 * 1887 - August 21, 1887 the branch became a Ward.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Hibbard Branch
See Encyclopedic History..., p.336.

Boundaries:


 * HIBBARD WARD, Fremont Stake, Madison Co., Idaho, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing on the so-called Teton Island, a delta-shaped island formed by the two forks of Teton River emptying into Snake River at this point.

History timeline

1895 - Members of the Salem and Rexburg wards March 2,1895 were organized as an independent branch of the Church.


 * 1895 - Organized as a regular bishop’s ward May 19, 1895.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Independence Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p. 358-359.

Boundaries:


 * INDEPENDENCE WARD, Fremont Stake, Madison Co., Idaho, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in a country district a short distance west of Burton Ward, or in a tract of country lying between Teton River on the north and Snake River on the south, and between Rexburg on the east and Henry’s Fork on the west. Independence is eight miles southwest of Rexburg and ten miles north of Rigby.

History timeline


 * 1902 - The first meeting of this branch was held March 23, 1902.
 * 1902 - On April 13, 1902, the branch was organized as a ward.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Lyman Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p. 453.

Boundaries: LYMAN WARD, Fremont Stake, Madison Co., Idaho, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in that part of Snake River Valley which lies immediately south of Rexburg

History timeline


 * 1882 - Latter-day Saint settlers and others located at different points near the river in 1882.
 * 1833 - A branch of the Church was organized for the benefit of the few Latter-day Saint settlers.
 * 1884 - The branch was organized as the Lyman Ward.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Newdale Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p. 582-583.

Boundaries: NEWDALE WARD, Fremont Stake, Fremont Co., Idaho, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing at Newdale, a station on the Orvin and St. Anthony, branch of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, and vicinity. Newdale is 2 1/2 miles east of Teton and 12 miles northeast of Rexburg.

History timeline


 * 1914 - First cabin there in 1914.
 * 1915 - As a railroad company erected an attractive depot there in the spring of 1915.
 * 1915 - The branch of the Church, when first organized, was called the Bowerman Branch.
 * 1916 - Newdale Ward was organized Dec. 17, 1916.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Plano Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p.660.

Boundaries: PLANO WARD, Fremont Stake, Madison Co., Idaho, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing at Plano, a station on the Ucon and St. Anthony branch of the Oregon Short Line Railroad. Plano is located on the so-called Egin Bench. History timeline


 * 1985 - they were organized on Nov. 3, 1895, as the Hiatt Ward, thus named in honor of the Hiatt family. The first settlers on the Egin Bench belonged to the Egin Ward.
 * 1900 - In 1900 the name of the ward was changed to Plano.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Rexburg Wards
See Encyclopedic History..., p.669-700.

Boundaries: The settlement of upper Snake River Valley began in 1879. The settlement of Egin, on Henry’s Fork, and another on Poole’s Island, had already been commenced when on March 11, 1882.


 * REXBURG 1ST WARD consists of Latter-day Saints residing in the east part of Rexburg and includes most of the business part of the town, together with some of the best residences.


 * REXBURG 2ND WARD consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in the west part of the town of Rexburg and in adjacent country districts


 * REXBURD 3RD WARD consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in the southwest part of the town of Rexburg, the west boundary extending to Burton Ward and the south boundary to the Lyman Ward.


 * REXBURG 4TH WARD consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in the southeast part of the town of Rexburg. Rexburg 4th Ward was organized Sept. 27, 1925 out of the Rexburg 1st, 2nd and 3rd wards.

History timeline


 * 1882 - The several small settlements founded in Snake River Valley were grouped together and organized as the Bannock Ward Dec. 18, 1882.
 * 1882 - Headquarters were established at Rexburg, which had already become an important settlement.
 * 1882 - A ferry boat was launched on Henry’s Fork in 1882, which was used until a bridge was built over the river in 1890.
 * 1884 - The Bannock Ward was organized as the Bannock Stake Jan. 26, 1884.
 * 1887 - The saints at Rexburg were organized as a ward Aug. 21, 1887.
 * 1887 - Rexburg was divided into three wards, namely, the Rexburg 1st, the Rexburg 2nd and the Rexburg 3rd wards.
 * 1925 - The fourth ward was added in 1925.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Salem Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p.736-737.

Boundaries: SALEM WARD, Fremont Stake, Madison Co., Idaho, consists of Latter-day Saints residing on the east half of the so-called Teton Island in Snake River. The town of Salem is three miles north of Rexburg

History timeline


 * 1883 - Land was first claimed by Latter-day Saints in the vicinity of Salem in 1883.
 * 1884 - Townsite was named of Salem and on Nov. 23, 1884, a ward organization was effected.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Sugar City Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p.841.

Boundaries: SUGAR CITY WARD, Fremont Stake, Madison Co., Idaho, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing at Sugar City, a station on the Idaho Falls, Ashton and West Yellowstone branch of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, and vicinity. Sugar City is seven miles south of St. Anthony, 30 miles northeast of Idaho Falls, and also five miles northeast of Rexburg.

History timeline


 * 1903 - Idaho Sugar Company built a sugar factory at a point about five miles northeast of Rexburg.
 * 1904 - By the close of 1904 there were 35 houses, including two stores, one hotel, an opera house and several rooming houses in the town, also two lumber yards, a meat market and a school house.
 * 1904 - Nearly all the inhabitants were Latter-day Saints, who were organized as the Sugar City Ward on July 24, 1904.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Teton Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p.868-869.

Boundaries: TETON WARD, Fremont Stake, Fremont Co., Idaho, consists of the Latter-day Saints occupying a tract of country lying northeast of Rexburg. The Teton townsite is in the Snake River Valley on the south bank of the Teton River, from which stream it takes its name. The little town of Teton is almost on the boundary line between Madison and Fremont counties and is nine miles northeast of Rexburg

History timeline


 * 1883 - That part of Snake River Valley now included in Teton Ward was first settled in 1883.
 * 1883 - On Oct. 27, 1883, the Teton Branch was organized as a part of the Bannock Ward.
 * 1844 - The Teton Ward was organized June 10, 1884.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the FamilySearch Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.