Nez Perce County, Idaho Genealogy

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

Quick start:


 * Census
 * Birth
 * Marriage
 * Death

Description
The County was named for the Nez Perce Indians. The County has Lewiston as its seat and the County was created February 4, 1864. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Nez Perce County Courthouse Lewiston, ID 83501-0896 Phone: (208) 799-3020 - 3090 Fax: (208) 799-3070 County Clerk has birth and death records from 1900-1911, marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1860.

Parent County
1864--Nez Perce County was created 4 February 1864 as an original county. County seat: Lewiston

Boundary Changes
22 December 1864 -- Kootenai County created from part of Nez Perce County

14 May 1888 -- Latah County created from part of Nez Perce County

3 March 1911 -- Lewis County created from part of Nez Perce County

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 Home Town Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

The above 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 Nez Perce County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Nez Perce 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 Nez Perce 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 Lewiston.

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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
In 1930, Nez Perce County was part of Northwestern States Mission. There were no stake organized in the area at the time.


 * The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Nez Perce 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.
 * 1864--Nez Perce County was created 4 February 1864 as an original county. County seat: Lewiston.


 * Lewiston

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 Nez Perce 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 Nez Perce County courthouse in Lewiston, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

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


 * District court records, 1870-1927
 * Mary E. Goddard case, 1895
 * Powers of attorney, 1864-1944; index, 1864-1944
 * McGruder murder case

Judgment Books


 * Judgment records, 1864-1930

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

History
A brief history of county is available online at the Nez Perce County Historical Society's website.

The digitized book An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho is available online at archive.org.

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 Nez Perce County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Lewiston, Idaho.

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

The in Salt Lake City, Utah has also microfilmed some of the land records found in the Nez Perce county courthouse. Copies of these records can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of the Library's Family History Centers.

Maps

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

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

Naturalization
The original naturalization records of Nez Perce County that have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise have been indexed in their Index to Nationalizations.

The original papers have been microfilmed and are available for viewing at the Nez Perce county courthouse in Lewiston, at the Idaho State Archives in Boise or at the in Salt Lake City, Utah or any of the Library's Family History Centers.

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

Current

 * Lewiston Morning Tribune

Historical
Copies of issues of many Idaho newspapers are in the collections of the Idaho State Archives.

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. Nez Perce County Mothers' Pensions are included in that index which is available online.

These records have been microfilmed by the in Salt Lake City, Utah and can be viewed in Salt Lake City or in any of the Library's Family History Centers. They are also available at the Nez Perce county courthouse in Lewiston, Idaho.

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Generally speaking probate records are recorded at the county level and may be accessed through the county in which the transaction took place. Nez Perce County courthouse is located in Lewiston.

The in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed some of the Probate records found in the Nez Perce County courthouse, and these can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of the Library's Family History Centers. The records available are:


 * Court Records 1864-1927
 * Various Inventory accounts 1887-1929
 * Judgment records 1901-1905
 * Orders and Decrees 1891-1917
 * Will 1887-1931 (with index)

The Idaho State Archives has also microfilmed many Nez Perce County probate records and these can be accessed at the Boise, Idaho facility.

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

(1907-1913) are on microfilm at the Idaho State Archives. These same records have been microfilmed by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and are available for viewing at the Library in Salt Lake City or at its Family History Centers.

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

Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in Oneida 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. There are 143 births in Nez Perce county listed online in Idaho Births and Christenings.

The in Salt Lake City has microfilmed Nez Perce birth records 1880-1911. These can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of the Library's Family History Centers.

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

Nearly 9300 marriages, 1863-1941, are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

About 4051 marriages in Nez Perce County are listed online in Idaho Marriages.

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

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

The Death Registers for Nez Perce 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. After 1911, deaths occurring in Nez Perce 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.

There are 2004 Death records for Nez Perce County found online in Idaho Deaths and Burials.

Courtesy of the Twin Rivers Genealogy Society: Obituary 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.


 * Lewiston City Public Library 428 Thain Rd Lewiston, ID 83501 Phone: 208-743-6519 Website
 * Prairie-River District Library 103 N Main St Lapwai, ID 83540 Phone: 208-843-7254 Website
 * Nez Perce County Historical Society, Inc. and Museum 0306 Third Street Lewiston, ID 83501 Phone: 208-743-2535 Website

Family History Centers

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

Websites

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