Clearwater County, Idaho Genealogy

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

Idaho Online Genealogy Records

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Description
The county was named for Clearwater River. The County Seat is Orofino and was founded February 27, 1911. It is located in the north west area of the state.

Courthouse
Clearwater County Courthouse 150 Michigan Avenue, Orofino, ID 83544 Phone: 208-476-5596‎ County Clerk has probate, divorce and court records from 1911. County Recorder has marriage, land and military records from 1911.

Parent County
1911--Clearwater County was created 27 February 1911 from Nez Perce County. County seat: Orofino

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 Clearwater County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Clearwater 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 Clearwater 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 Orofino.

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

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
In 1930, Clearwater County was part of Northwestern States Mission


 * 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.

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Check each town/city in the county for churches in that area. There are churches in Orofino, Peirce, Weippe and Elk River. Contact each church for what records they might have available.
 * FamilySearch Places

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 Clearwater 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 Clearwater County courthouse in Orofino, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

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


 * Court records, 1911-1935
 * Index, 1883-1987; power of attorney, 1883-1951

Judgment Books

 * Judgments, 1888-1938

Miscellaneous records are listed under the Miscellaneous Series

History
Published historical works include:


 * Pioneer Timbermen A History of the Rush to Acquire the White Pine Forests of the Clearwater Country in Idaho, by Ralph S Space
 * The Clearwater story: a history of the Clearwater National Forest, by Ralph S Space
 * The Clearwater Historical Society Newsletter, published quarterly, available at the University of Idaho Library
 * Early Selway River History, 1906-1931, by LeRoy W Lewis, available at the University of Idaho Library

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 Clearwater County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Orofino, Idaho.

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

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has microfilmed the following records pertaining to land and property in Clearwater County, which can be viewed in the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers:


 * Declaration of homesteads, 1911-1951; index, 1911-1987
 * Estates, 1911-1933; inventories and accounts, 1910-1931; index to orders affecting real estate, 1911-1986
 * Index to deeds, 1871-1906; deeds, 1884-1911

Maps

 * Map of Clearwater County, Idaho is available online.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

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

The original copies and later records can be accessed by visiting the Clearwater County Courthouse in Orofino, Idaho

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed copies of an index of Clearwater County's miscellaneous records (1905-1963) and these can be viewed at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has a microfilmed copy of an Index to the (1871-1963) which can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers.

Naturalization
The original naturalization records of Clearwater County that have been transferred to the Idaho State Historical Society' Library in Boise have been indexed in their Index to Naturalizations.

Online Records
 * 1892-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

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

Current

 * Clearwater Tribune

Historical
The following newspapers have been published in Clearwater County, Idaho. Copies for the dates indicated are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise.

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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. The original papers for several counties have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise and have been indexed. Clearwater County Mothers' Pensions are included in that index.

Microfilmed copies of these records are also available at the Clearwater county courthouse in Orofino, Idaho as well as at the in Salt Lake City, Utah or any of the Library's Family History Centers.

Old Age Pensionswere also provided by the State of Idaho from 1931 to 1936. The original records for these pensions in the Idaho State Archives have also been indexed. Clearwater County Old Age Pensions are included in that index.

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1857 – 1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry $

Any existing original probate records for Clearwater County should be available in the county courthouse in Orofino. These can be accessed by visiting there.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many of the earlier Clearwater County probate records and these can be viewed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has also microfilmed some of the early probate records of Clearwater County, and the following can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers:



Taxation
Any existing tax assessment rolls for Clearwater County should be in the courthouse in Orofino 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 Clearwater 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 Recordssection under the subject Idaho for more details.

Idaho births and christenings(1856-1965) are available online.

Marriage
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

Divorce
Online Records


 * 1947-1963 - at FamilySearch — index

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

After 1911, deaths occurring in Clearwater 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 Historical Society Library, 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. Another version is the US Genweb Idaho Death Index 1911-1956.

Here is yet another online version of Idaho Death and Burials (1907-1965).

Online Idaho Death Certificates 1911-1937 are also available.

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.


 * Elk River District Library 203 Main St Elk River, ID 83827 Phone: (208) 826-3539 Website Facebook Page
 * Clearwater District Library 204 Wood St Weippe, ID 83553 Phone: (208) 435-4058 Website Facebook Page
 * Pierce District Library 208 S Main St Pierce, ID 83546 Phone: (208) 464-2823 Website
 * Clearwater Historical Society
 * State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho 208-334-2774 Website


 * Idaho Historical Society Facebook Page Website


 * Idaho State Archives Digital Collections - Enter County in Search Bar


 * Idaho State Archives


 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution-Idaho Chapter


 * The Idaho Welsh Society -- excellent cultural and historical site

Family History Centers

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

Websites

 * The IDGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
 * Clearwater County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Cavendish-Teakean Pioneers (Local Stories and Family History of Cavendish-Teakean and the Clearwater Valley), Early Clearwater Valley newspapers (pre-1923)
 * Cavendish-Teakean Pioneers (Local Stories and Family History of Cavendish-Teakean and the Clearwater Valley), Early Clearwater Valley newspapers (pre-1923)