Bear Lake County, Idaho Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for Bear Lake. The County Seat is Paris and was founded January 5, 1875. It is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bear Lake County Courthouse 30 N Main St. Paris, ID 83261 Phone: 208-945-2208 Bear Lake County Courthouse

County Clerk has birth records 1907-1911, death records 1907-1915, marriage and land records from 1884.

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:

Census Records
For a summary of census records for the state of Idaho, see Idaho Census Records. 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.

Church Records
Catholic Church
 * 1864-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection - index

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
 * List of Stakes and Wards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bear Lake County, Idaho to about 1948.
 * The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Bear Lake 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 Family History Libraryin Salt Lake City and at its FamilySearch Centers.

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records Some of the early court records of Bear Lake County, Idaho have been microfilmed and are available in Boise, Idaho at the Idaho Historical Society. 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 Bear Lake County courthouse in Paris, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there. Some of the Bear Lake County court records that have been microfilmed are:  Judgment Books
 * Brands, 1875; index, 1875 Bear Lake County
 * Court records, 1875-1899
 * Minutes, 1875-1896; index, 1875-1948 (County Commission)
 * Judgments, 1837-1940; dockets, 1875-1975

(Includes divorces, probate documents, civil and criminal actions and many other court actions.)

Miscellaneous records are outlined in the Miscellaneous Series below.

Directories
The Idaho State Archives has in its collection copies of city, county, state and regional directories.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records The Idaho State Archives can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed some records pertaining to land and property. The following can be viewed in the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers:
 * Brands, 1875; index, 1875 Bear Lake County
 * Deeds, 1876-1919; index, 1875-1925 Bear Lake County
 * Possession claims, 1875-1923; index, 1875-1948 Bear Lake County
 * Separate property for married women, 1885-1925

Local Histories
A brief history of the Bear Lake Valley is available on the Official County page and additional history can be found on the Bear Lake County GenWeb site. Other books published on the history of Bear Lake County and Bear Lake Valley can be found at WorldCat.
 * A Photo History of Bear Lake Valley. c2005. By J. Patrick Wilde. Montpelier, Idaho : Bear Lake Pub. Online at:.
 * History of Bear Lake Pioneers. c1974, 2nd ed. By Edith Parker Haddock. Bear Lake County, Idaho : Daughters Of Utah Pioneers. Online at:.
 * History of Bear Lake Region (Idaho and Utah). c2016. Salt Lake City, Utah : Digitized by the Genealogical Society of Utah. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol.4, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol.11, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol.16.
 * History of Idaho State Chapter Daughters of the American Colonists:Organized November 24, 1938. N.d. N.p.:n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol.1, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol.2.
 * Land of the Sky-Blue Water: A History of the LDS Settlement of the Bear Lake Valley. c1963. By Russell R. Rich. [Provo, Utah] : Brigham Young University Press. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * The Early History of Bear Lake County. N.d. By D.C. Rich. N.p.:n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * Treasured Tidbits of Time: An Informal History of Mormon Conquest and Settlement of the Bear Lake Valley. c1977-1997. By J. Patrick Wilde. Montpelier, Idaho : J.P. Wilde. Online at:.
 * Tullidge's Histories, (volume 2) Containing the History of All the Northern, Eastern and Western Counties of Utah. c1889. By Edward W. Tullidge. Salt Lake City, Utah : Juvenile Instructor. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * An 1895 map of Bear Lake and surrounding counties is available online.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Bear Lake County for European and African American settlers included:
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California

Military Records
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Bear Lake County have been microfilmed. Copies of these records are available at the Family History Library (their ) and are also 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. The Bear Lake GenWeb site has a number of military records available online.

 Online Records

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

 ''Online Records
 * 1892-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Current
 * News- Examiner

 Historical The Idaho State Archives has in its collections copies of many Idaho newspapers which may be of interest to residents of Bear Lake County.

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

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.

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 records of Bear Lake and County. The originals are held in the and Bear Lake County courthouse in Paris, Idaho and can be accessed by visiting there. Copies in the Idaho State Historical Society 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.

Pension Records
Mothers' Pensions were provided by the State of Idaho for widows and/or orphans, under certain conditions. Petitions for those pensions were filed with the probate court in each county. Bear Lake County Mothers' Pensions are included in that index.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records The probate records of Bear Lake County are housed in the county courthouse in Paris, Idaho and can be viewed by visiting the courthouse. (Some of the original records have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho.) Early estate case files have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho and the microfilmed copies can be viewed by visiting the Archives in Boise. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed the following probate records that are housed in the Bear Lake County courthouse in Paris, Idaho. These can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers: , 1895-1921; probate docket, 1875-1889, 1879-1919
 * 1857-1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com — 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

Birth
 ''Online Records
 * 1856-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1861-1911 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Marriage

 * 1800-1987 Idaho, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1864-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1875-1966 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1878-1898;1903-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1947-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * Western States Marriage Index

Death

 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1907-1911 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1911-1956' State-wide Death Index, 1911-1956
 * 1938-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * Eastern Idaho Death Index.

Divorce

 * 1947-1963 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Archives
 Idaho State Archives

Family History Centers

 * Arimo Idaho Family History Center
 * Bancroft Idaho Family History Center
 * Bear Lake Idaho Family History Center
 * Cokeville Wyoming Family History Center
 * Grace Idaho Family History Center
 * Malad Idaho Family History Center
 * McCammon Idaho Family History Center
 * Preston Idaho South Family History Center
 * Soda Springs Idaho Family History Center

Libraries
Bear Lake County Public Library 138 North 6th Street Montpelier, Idaho 83254 Phone: 208-847-1664 Website State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho Phone: 208-334-2774 Website

Societies
 Idaho Historical Society Facebook Page Idaho State Archives Digital Collections - Enter County in Search

Websites

 * Idaho State Archives Digital Collections
 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
 * The Idaho Welsh Society
 * The National Oregon/California Trail Center
 * Bear Lake County, Idaho Old Photos


 * – 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.