Fremont County, Idaho Genealogy

Guide to  genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records, since 1893, when the county was formed.



Quick start:


 * Census
 * Birth
 * Marriage
 * Death

County Courthouse
Fremont County Courthouse 151 West 1st North St. Anthony, Idaho 83445 Phone: 208-624-7332 Fax: 208-624-7335 County Clerk has birth and death records 1907-1911,marriage, divorce, probate, land, court and naturalization from from 1893 and military records from 1919.

Parent County
1893--Fremont County, Idaho was created 4 March 1893 from parts of Bingham and Lemhi Counties. County seat: St. Anthony

Boundary Changes
18 February 1913' -- Jefferson County created from part of Fremont County

18 February 1913 -- Madison County created from part of Fremont County

26 January 1915 -- Teton County created from parts of Bingham, Fremont, and Madison Counties

1 February 1919 -- Clark County created from part of Fremont County

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

Places/Localities
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 Fremont County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Fremont 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 Fremont County have been microfilmed and are available at the in Salt Lake City and through their family history centers. Be sure to use their on-line catalog for details. They are also available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at BYU-Idaho's McKay Library in Rexburg. Original records which have been microfilmed and more recent records are in the county courthouse in St. Anthony. Portions of some record series have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise.

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

A school census from 1904 to 1956 is located in the Clerk's Office at the county courthouse. It includes a list of children, ages and name of parents. Contact the County Clerk for details.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)

 * List of Fremont County stakes and wards to about 1948.
 * The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Fremont 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.


 * Stakes: Fremont Stake, Fremont Idaho

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 Fremont 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 Fremont County courthouse in St Anthony, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

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


 * Commissioners' records, 1892-1902
 * Homestead records, 1893-1956; general index, ca. 1893-1956

Judgment Books

 * Judgment books, 1885-1909; index, 1893-1985
 * Judgments, 1908-1934

Also see Miscellaneous Series records.

History
The Fremont County GenWeb site has a brief history of Fremont County online.

Published historical works include: (See Worldcat.org for locations in libraries. Also see the FamilySearch catalog for books available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.)


 * Progressive men of Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Fremont and Oneida Counties, Idaho (Digital version available at archive.org.)
 * History of the uplands, Farnum, Drummond, Squirrel, Lamont, and communities faded into the past, 1896-1990 : history of homesteading and pionering, histories of families by contribution, and special permission of articles from the "Snake River Echoes" by Tressa Murdock Garrett and Percy Blaine Hawkes
 * Settlement of Idaho by Utah pioneers : Clark, Fremont, and Teton counties, by Mary N Porter Harris
 * 50th anniversary, Ashton, Idaho, by the Ashton Hearld
 * Teton Dam tragedy : an account of the Teton Dam disaster in Fremont County, Idaho, as compliled from the pages of the Chronicle-News, by Fremont County Chronicle-News
 * Ashton, Fremont County, Idaho, by Seth Ernst Gordon
 * Centennial farm families, by Louis J Clements
 * Early upland communities between Fall &amp; Teton Rivers
 * Education in the Upper Snake River Valley : the public schools (1880-1950) by Harold S Forbush
 * Historical edition, Fremont County Chronicle News.
 * History of Teton City, Idaho 1883-1900 with Teton centennial 100 years of progress, by James L Downing
 * History of the uplands, Farnum, Drummond, Squirrel, Lamont, and communities faded into the past, 1896-1990 : history of homesteading and pionering, histories of families by contribution, and special permission of articles from the "Snake River Echoes" by Tressa Murdock Garrett and Percy Blaine Hawkes
 * Lawmen and outlaws in Fremont County
 * On the bench : the story of Egin Bench, Fremont County, Idaho, by Fern Christensen Humphries

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 Fremont County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in St Anthony, Idaho. Both the Idaho State Archives and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City have microfilmed copies of many of the Fremont County land and property records. These can be viewed at the Archives in Boise, Idaho, or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, or in any of the Library's Family History Centers.

Deeds:

The deeds from 1893 to 1934 have been microfilmed by the. Note: some of the first volumes contain transcripts from Bingham County deed books for land located in Fremont County (as it was in 1894).

Mortgages:

The volumes in this very large series are found in the Clerk's Office. The series has not been microfilmed by the Family History Library.

Homestead:

This series has been microfilmed and consists of three volumes. They date from 1888-1957. Note: some of the first volume contain transcripts from Bingham County record books for land located in Fremont County. Additional homestead documents including affidavits, abandonment, citizenship, etc. sometimes may be found in the Miscellaneous Series.

Patents:

This group of documents have been microfilmed from 1889-1948.

Others:

Water rights:

The volumes for this series of records are found in the Clerk's Office. They cover 1894-1919. There are many references to water and water rights in the Miscellaneous Series.

Mining claims:

These volumes are also in the Clerk's Office and cover 1878-1923. Annual assessment statements and other mining documents may be found in the Miscellaneous Series.

Canal records:

One volume only, 1886-1900.

Maps



 * An 1895 map of Fremont and surrounding counties is available online.
 * A digital Fremont County Idaho map is available online.
 * Map of Fremont County, Idaho is available online.

Military
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918 for Fremont 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.

Copies of soldier's discharge papers from 1918-1955 are located in the Fremont County Courthouse and have been microfilmed by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. When using the originals at the courthouse, be aware the pre-1943 documents are found in the Miscellaneous Records series, vol. F-I. After 1943, they are in a separate series by themselves. There maybe use restrictions on the more recent volumes as social security information may be included in the individual soldier's papers.

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.

This series has been microfilmed from 1892-1934 by the in Salt Lake City, Utah and can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers. The Idaho State Archives also has microfilmed copies of the Fremont County miscellaneous records and which can be viewed at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The original records and later records are at the Fremont County courthouse in St Anthony, Idaho and can be accessed by visiting there.

Current

 * Standard Journal

Historical
the Idaho State Archiveshas microfilmed the following Fremont County newspapers which can be accessed at their facility in Boise:


 * Ashton Herald: 1942:1:8: -1986:5:29
 * Fall River Review: 1989:6:15:-9999
 * Fremont County Chronicle-News: 1952:8:7-1986:5:29
 * Fremont County Herald-Chronicle: 1986:6:5-9999
 * Fremont County News: 1916:6:7-1952:8:7
 * Fremont Current: 1997:7:24-9999
 * Fremont Republican: 1898:3:12-1899:4:15
 * Teton Peak: 1899:4:22-1904:11:10
 * Teton Peak-Chronicle: 1904:11:17-1950:12:21

BYU's Digital Collections has selective issues (1906ish) of The Rigby Star.

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1857 – 1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

The original estate case files can be used by consulting with the County Clerk's Office. The probate registers [indexes] from 1911-1960, are in the clerk's office. The clerk of the District Court has the post-1960, probate register series. This office is on the 3rd floor of the courthouse. The Fremont County courthouse is located in St Anthony, Idaho.

The in Salt Lake City has filmed probate proceedings (1893-1907) and Wills (1889-1961), which can be viewed in the Library in Salt Lake City, Utah ;or in any of it's Family History Centers. The McKay Library at BYU-Idaho also has copies of most of the microfilm,

The Idaho State Archives also has copies of some of the earlier probate records of Fremont County are can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

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

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

The Birth Registers for Fremont County, 1907-1911 have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in Fremont 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.

Idaho Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records) gives details about this collection that covers 1856-1965.

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

•Marriage Records Books, 1893-1948 •Index to Marriage Records, •Marriage Register, 1907-1956.

Some Idaho Marriage Records (1878-1898, 1903-1942) are online and there are 111 Fremont County marriages among them.

Marriages from other sources. Over 4,900 marriages for Fremont County residents from 1893-1956, are available on the Western States Marriage Index

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

The Death Register for Fremont County, 1907-1911, has been microfilmed and is available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. After 1911, deaths occurring in Fremont 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 1911-1956

Idaho Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records) gives detail oabout this collection that covers 1907-1965.

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.


 * Fremont County District Library 925 Main Ashton, ID 83420 Phone: (208) 652-7280 Website

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Ashton Idaho Family History Center
 * Island Park Idaho Family History Center
 * St Anthony Idaho Family History Center

Websites

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