Boise County, Idaho Genealogy

Guide to Boise 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
 * Church

Description
The county was named for the Boise River which was named by French-Canadian explorers and trappers for the great variety of trees growing along its banks. The County Seat is Idaho City and was founded February 4, 1864. It is located in the west central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Boise County Courthouse 419 Main Street PO Box 126 Idaho City, ID 83631 Phone: 208-392-4452 County Clerk has marriage records from 1868, divorce records from 1904, probate and land records from 1885.

Quick Facts
Th city of Boise, Idaho is not located in Boise County. It is in neighboring Ada county.

Parent County
4 February 1864 Boise County, Idaho was created from the Idaho Territory.

Boundary Changes
22 December 1864: Ada County created from a portion of Boise County

20 February 1879: Washington County created from a portion of Boise County

15 March 1915: Gem County created from portions of Boise County and Canyon County

26 February 1917: Valley County created from a portion of Boise County

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

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:

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 Boise County have been microfilmed and are available at the in Salt Lake City and 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 Idaho City.

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

This record series exists under various titles in the FamilySearch Catalog book and film numbers. It was compiled by various missions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in United States, 1946-1970 at the time when actual sexton records did not exist for many of the cemeteries. Much of the work was undertaken by the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including volunteers from other churches.

Please consider searching all the transcriptions of the same cemeteries for additional information. The completeness of these transcriptions may have been significantly affected due to the loss of the gravemarkers over time (due to weathering, being broken, or otherwise lost) or due to the demise of the cemeteries.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)

 * List of Boise County stakes and wards to about 1948.


 * 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.


 * 4 February 1864 Boise County, Idaho was created from the Idaho Territory.

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 Boise 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 Boise County courthouse in Idaho City, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

Some of the Boise County court records that have been microfilmed are:


 * Mortgages, 1864-1901; general index, 1863-1907
 * Power of attorney, 1863-1870

Miscellaneous Records are outlined in the Miscellaneous Series below.

Directories
City directories for 1891, 1893, 1899, 1901 to 1919, 1921 to 1937, 1939-1940, 1941, 1943, 1945, 1948, 1950, 1953, 1955 to 1959, 1960 to 1969 (1969-70), 1971 to 1979, 1980 to 1989, 1990, and 1992 to 1997

History
Various histories can be found at the Official Boise County website.

Online County Histories


 * Boise: An Illustrated History. c1982. By Merle Wells. Woodland Hills, California : Windsor Publications. Online at:.
 * Boise, The City Beautiful. c2013. Salt Lake City, Utah : Digitized by the Genealogical Society of Utah. Online at:  FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * Fighting Fire On The Frontier. c1976. By Arthur A. Hart. Boise, Idaho : Boise Fire Dept. Association. Online at:.
 * Fred T Dubois: Delegate to Congress. N.d. N.p: n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * Letters Written by M. Josephine Young in 1930. N.d. N.p: n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * Pioneers, O Pioneers! : Old Oregon Trail Celebration. c1930. [S.l.] : Boise Basin Days Committee. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * Travelogue; Desdemonia Smith (Early Pioneer to Treasure Valley). N.d. N.p: n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital 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 Boise County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Idaho City, Idaho.

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

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has also microfilmed records pertaining to. The following can be viewed in the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers:


 * Deeds, 1863-1902; general index, 1862-1905
 * General index, 1889-1984; declaration of homestead, 1867-1921
 * Mining claims, 1863-1875
 * Miscellaneous records, 1863-1894
 * Mortgages, 1864-1901; general index, 1863-1907

Maps

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

Military History and Records
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Boise 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. These records are also online at the Boise County GenWeb site.

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 Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho, does not appear to have microfilmed copies of the Miscellaneous Series of Boise County, though the copy which the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has, noted that the records can be found in the Idaho State Archives. One can check with the Boise County courthouse in Idaho City where current and perhaps original copies should be found. Those copies held by the can be viewed either at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Records of the naturalization of people born outside of the United States were often kept in the county courthouses of the respective counties of Idaho. Two volumes of Boise County naturalization records are included in a Naturalization Index at the Idaho State Historical Society in Boise.

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

Current

 * Idaho World

Historical
The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed the following newspapers from Boise County (Idaho City):


 * Boise News: 1863:9:29-1864:10:22
 * Idaho Mountaineer: 1941:5:15-1958:6:26
 * Idaho Patriot:1864:10:9
 * Idaho Times:1866:11:2
 * Idaho World: 1864:10:29-1918:11:1
 * Idaho World: 1958:1:2-9999
 * Ladies Mite: 1864:7:10 Historical newspapers:
 * Arbiter -- 1968:4:25-1975:9:8 Bench mirror -- 1957:8:1-1957:9:12 Boise barracks news -- 1921:11:4 -1922:7:28 Boise bench journal -- 1951:1:3 -1952:11:7 Boise capital news -- 1927:1:20-1942:8:25 Boise champion -- 1981:7 y Boise Boise citizen Ada 1906:12:7-1910:11:25 Boise City herald-tribune and Oregon-Idaho intell -- 1971:2-1971:3:4 Boise City Republican -- 1887:7:9 Boise City tri-weekly news -- 1870:12-1871:7 Boise City weekly news -- 1870:9:17-1870:11:19 Boise clipper -- 1900:9:26 Boise clipper --- 1901:8:30, 9:6, 12:13, 12:20
 * Boise clipper -- 1900:9:27, 1901:7:13 Boise clipper -- 1909:9:7 Boise daily sun -- 1890:12:12, 12:18 Boise daily sun / Boise Sunday sun -- 1890:12:7: -1890:12:18 Boise gazette -- 1958:4:3-1960:4:14 Boise High Lights (high school paper) -- 1929:10:11 Boise Boise journal Ada 1952:11:14-1962:6:14 y Boise model cities monitor -- 1970:12-1974:12 Boise semi-weekly Democrat -- 1867:11:25-1869:6:5 Boise sentinel -- 1893:6:8-1898:6:3 Boise sentinel -- 1894:5:17 Boise Sunday sun -- 1890:12:7 Boise tri-weekly news -- 1870: 12: 6-1871:9: Boise weekly -- 1992:7:21-9999 Boise weekly reminder -- 1939:11:3
 * Capital chronicle -- 1869:8:4-1870:12:14 Capital weekly -- 1898:12:10-1901:1:12 Commonwealth of Idaho -- 1892:2:1-1892:6:4 Community news -- 1949:8:4-1950:1:5 Consolidated mining news -- 1936:6:-1936:8 Daily capital -- 1899:1:2-1905:3:23 Daily evening citizen -- 1891:7:7-1891:7:12 Democratic call -- 1924:10:27 Evening bulletin -- 1901:5:16-1904:4:30 Evening bulletin -- 1901:7:15, 1902:5:14-16, 1904:6:4 Evening bulletin -- 1901:9:19, 1902:6:6 Evening capital news -- 1902:8:1-1927:1:19 Evening capital news addendum -- 1923:6:22-1938:12:31
 * Evening mail 1896:10:1 -1896:10:31 Evening mail -- 1892:9:30, 1895:3:20, 3:27, 11:8 Evening star -- 1895:1:21, 1:24 Gem State Elk -- 1975-1981:1 Gem Worker and the Idaho labor herald -- 1914:11:17-1917:1:18 Gowen beacon -- 1941:10:3-1944:6:24 Gowen beacon -- 1941:10:3, 10:17
 * Hello buddy -- 1922:7:28 -1923:2:17 Hornet -- 1891:1:17 Idaho American -- 1901:11:9 Idaho business review -- 1982:2:8-9999 Idaho capital news -- 1901:2:9-1905:12:28 Idaho Catholic register -- 1994:12:7-9999 Idaho challange -- 1933:7-1978:12 Idaho citizen -- 1977:7-1986:5 Idaho daily statesman, afternoon ed. -- 1967:10:2-1969:5:29 Idaho daily statesman, morning ed. -- 1888:1:10-1969:5:31 Idaho daily statesman, supplement, Gov. Shoup -- 1890:12 Idaho Democrat -- 1870:12:24-1896:12:9 Idaho Democrat -- 1885:7:29, 8:2 Idaho Democrat -- 1871:1:7, 1886:4:14-1898:11:6 Idaho Democrat -- 1895 1895:7:14 Idaho Democrat -- 1896 1896:1:8, 1896:4:26 Idaho evening statesman -- 1942:9:21-1969:5:29 Idaho farm journal -- 1951:9:27-1963:10:10 Idaho farm review -- 1963:10:17-1965:6:3 Idaho farmer -- 1915:3:1-1970:12:3 Idaho farmer stockman -- 1971:1:7-1978:12:7
 * Idaho guardsman -- 1942:4:1 Idaho herald -- 1871:9:8-1872:4:9 Idaho herald -- 1871:11:8-1872:4:5 Idaho herald -- 1872:3:15 Idaho historic edition, Owyhee Avalanche-Nugget -- 1984:4:1 Idaho homestead -- 1921:3:29 Idaho legionnaire -- 1932:2:2-1988:12 Idaho news magazine -- 1963:8 Idaho observer -- 1962:6:21-1967:9:2 Idaho odd fellow -- 1904:7 Idaho pioneer -- 1928:11:16 Idaho pioneer -- 1924:7:4-1946:5:31 Idaho pioneer statewide -- 1946:6:7-1955:2:24 Idaho press -- 1936:4 -9999 Idaho press woman 1962:2 Idaho register -- 1958:4:4-1994:12:2 Idaho renaissance -- 1970:11:25-1971:1:27 Idaho Republican -- undated Idaho review -- 1915:3:26 Idaho review -- 1915:3:26-1915:8:13 Idaho scimitar -- 1907:11:2-1908:10:3 Idaho scimitar -- 1908:6:6 Idaho scrap book -- 1935:10:18-1936:6:26 Idaho senator -- 1944:9 Idaho standard -- 1872:5:1, 5:15, 7:17 Idaho State journal -- 1900:11:2 Idaho State post -- 1914:10:30 Idaho statesman -- 1969:6:1-9999 Idaho sun -- 1974:3:6 Idaho times -- 1989: 3: 1-1989:10:4 Idaho tri-weekly statesman -- 1864: 9: 26-1887: 12: 31 y Boise Idaho trumpet Ada 1965: 6-1968: 5: 29 Idaho unionist -- 1908:7:24 Idaho unionist -- 1907:5:22 Idaho voter -- 1955:3: 3-1956: 11:8
 * Idaho weekly statesman -- 1865: 8:6-1914: Idaho weekly statesman -- 1904:10:21, 1907:1:8, 1908:6:7 Idaho young democrat -- 1938:10-1938:11
 * Idaho/agri -- 1965:6: 10-1966: 6: 16 Idahoan -- 1877:5:9-1878:9:8 Illustrated Idaho -- 1913:7-1913:8 Inter-camp sporting news -- 1933:8:5, 8:25 Inter-camp sporting news --- 1933:8:16 Intermountain observer --- 1967:9:9-1973:10:20 Journal of commerce -- 1973:10:27-1982:2:5 New freedom -- 1914:1:2-1924:6:27 NewsView -- 1974:7:3-1974:10:4
 * North and East Boise journal and Idaho citizen -- 1986:12:-1988:5 North End press -- 1992:10:8-1992:10:22 Recorder -- 1958:2:10-1958:12:22 Red chevron 1920:7 Republican 1901:7:7 Review of the US Veteran's Hospital 1922:10 Roundup -- 1953:6:1-1968:4:18 Sabrejet times (Gowen Field) -- 1954:6:22 Say It With Pictures -- 1939:1 Searchlight -- 1938:10 Semi-weekly call -- 1897:7:14 Semi-weekly Idahoan -- 1880:3:28, 4:21 Semi-weekly news -- 1870:3:23-1870:7:27
 * Semi-weekly news -- 1870:7:2 Treasure Valley this week -- 1987:10:14-1989:10:11 Union label -- 1938:9:29-1939:7:6 Union label -- 1938:10:27 Union label -- 1938:9:29 Union label -- 1939:3:2 Valley free press -- 1982:5:12 Vanguard -- 1938:6 Veteran's Home journal -- 1910:8:16 Voice of the Basques -- 1974:12-1977:8 West Boise gazette -- 1958:2:6-1958:3:27 Women's world -- 1974:11-1976:7:15

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. Boise County Mothers' Pensions are included in that index Idaho State Archives.

Probate Records
Online Probate Records


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

Any existing original probate records for Boise County should be in the county courthouse located in Idaho City, Idaho and can be accessed by visiting this courthouse.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many of the original early probate records and these can be read at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah also has some microfilm of earlier Boise County probate records. 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 Boise County should be in the courthouse in Idaho City and would need to be accessed by visiting there.

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

The Birth Registers for Boise 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, Utah. Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in Boise 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.

Marriage
The Idaho Historical Societyholds the following books:


 * Boise County, Idaho Marriage Records (pre-1912)
 * Boise County Marriage Abstracts 1912-1940
 * Boise County, Idaho Marriage Records 1941-1962
 * Boise County, Idaho Registers of Marriages, Probate Court

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

Also, over 900 marriages, 1863-1941, are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

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

Death
Online Records


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

Societies, Libraries and Museums
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.


 * Garden Valley District Library 342 Village Circle Garden Valley, ID 83622 Phone: (208) 462-3317 Website
 * Horseshoe Bend District Library 392 Highway 55 Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629 Phone: (208) 793-2460
 * Boise Basin District Library 123 Montgomery St Idaho City, ID 83631 Phone: (208) 392-4558 Website
 * Boise Basin Historical Museum‎ 503 Montgomery Street, Idaho City, ID 83631 (208) 392-4550‎
 * Idaho Historical Railroads‎ 140 E Cascade, Cascade, ID 83611 (208) 382-7245‎

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Garden Valley Idaho Family History Center
 * Idaho City Idaho Family History Center
 * Idaho Correctional Center Family History Center

Websites

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