Lincoln County, Wyoming Genealogy
Guide to Lincoln County, Wyoming ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Lincoln County was named for Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States. Lincoln County is the Southwest area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Lincoln County Courthouse
PO Box 670
Kemmerer, WY 83101
Phone: 307.877.9056
Lincoln County Website
County Clerk has marriage records from 1913 and land records.
Clerk District Court has divorce and probate records from 1913 and court records.[3]
Lincoln County, Wyoming Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1909 | 1913 | 1909 | 1913 | 1870 | 1913 | 1850 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Listed below are resources for Bible records specific to Lincoln County. To find more resources, go to the Wyoming Bible Records page.
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Print (Often more complete) |
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The following web sites have additional information on Lincoln county cemeteries.
- Interment.net Wyoming cemetery records by county.
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Before Wyoming was a state in 1890, Wyoming was included in the 1850 Utah Territory. In the 1860 Census, it was enumerated as Nebraska Territory. The first Wyoming Territorial Census was taken in 1869, right after Wyoming Territory was created, and is available on microfilm at the Wyoming State Archives[8] and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City (FHL film 2261365). The 1870 and 1880 Federal Censuses included Wyoming Territory.[9] See links listed below. State censuses were taken for Wyoming but they were mostly statistical censuses with very little individual information. See Wyoming Census for more information.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1920 | 12,487 | — |
| 1930 | 10,894 | −12.8% |
| 1940 | 10,296 | −5.5% |
| 1950 | 9,023 | −12.4% |
| 1960 | 9,018 | −0.1% |
| 1970 | 8,640 | −4.2% |
| 1980 | 12,177 | 40.9% |
| 1990 | 12,625 | 3.7% |
| 2000 | 14,573 | 15.4% |
| 2010 | 18,106 | 24.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Territory and State Census Records[edit | edit source]
- 1850 - United States Census, 1850 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Utah Territory Census - How to Use this Collection.
- 1860 - 1910 - Wyoming Compiled Census at Ancestry.com — ($), index and images
- 1860 - United States Census, 1860 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Wyoming was included in the 1860 Nebraska Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
- 1870 - United States Census, 1870 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Wyoming Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
- 1880 - United States Census, 1880 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Wyoming Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
Federal Census Records[edit | edit source]
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of Wyoming starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Wyoming Census.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Wyoming denominations, view the Wyoming Church Records wiki page.
Ward and Branches of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Ball Family Chapel in Kemmerer
- Schwab Mortuary and Funeral Chapel in Afton and Thayne
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Wyoming Land and Property for additional information about early Wyoming land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed. Online Land Records
- Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
- 1796 - 1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
- 1863 - 1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- Lincoln County at Wyoming History.org
- Star Valley Oral Histories — audio
- Star Valley Pioneer Families; (settled prior to 1886)
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Wyoming - shows boundary changes for Wyoming Counties
- Historical Maps and Atlases of wyoming - maps and atlases of Wyoming
Migration[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to and from Lincoln County, Wyoming Genealogy for European and African American settlers included:
- Green River
- Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon[10]
- Sublette-Greenwood Cutoff 1844 from South Pass, Wyoming to Fort Hall, Idaho
- California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California[11]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
These collections are unique to Wyoming. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Wyoming Military Records.
General
- 1914-1946 Wyoming, U.S., Military Service and Veterans Records, 1914-1946 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
Civil War
No known military units were raised specifically from Wyoming as it did not become a state until 1890. However men from the territories that became Wyoming fought in other units during the Civil War.
- 1861 -1865 Dakota Territory Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1883 List of Civil War Pensioners, Wyoming, 1883 - Index only
- 1890 United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
World War I
- 1917 - 1918 U.S. WW I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — Index and images - How to Use this Collection
World War II
- 1940-1945 - Wyoming, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualties for Wyoming - Index only
For further information see Wyoming Military Records.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Please see the Wyoming Naturalization and Citizenship page for state-wide information.
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1902-1943 Wyoming, Lincoln County, Naturalization Records, 1902-1943(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
For more information, see Wyoming Newspapers.
Wyoming Newspapers Online
- Wyoming Newspapers.
- GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Wyoming newspapers
- Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Wyoming newspapers
- Chronicling America - contains images of some Wyoming newspapers; searching tips
- Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
Wyoming Newspaper Catalogs
- U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
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- Cokeville Register 1914–1919
- Kemmerer Camera 1901–1921
- Kemmerer Republican 1914–1920
- Star Valley Pioneer/Star Valley Independent 1901–1922
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1901-present - Star Valley Historical Society
- 1901-2015 - Wyoming Star Valley Independent Obituaries 1901-2015 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection; Also at Ancestry ($)
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Wyoming, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for Wyoming- Lincoln - Probate records.
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Wyoming tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. See the CDC Where to Write website for information on acquiring copies of these records.
See also How to order Wyoming Vital Records or download an application for Wyoming Birth Certificate, Marriage or Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail. For records more than 50 years old visit Wyoming State Archives
- 1908 - 1966 Wyoming, Reclaim the Records, State Archives Vital Records, 1908-1966 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Birth[edit | edit source]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1839 - 1957 Wyoming, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- Western States Marriage Index - Index, incomplete, over 2,231 marriages dating from 12 Jan 1899 list of counties included
- 1867 - 1941 Wyoming Marriages 1867-1941 at findmypast ($), index.
- 1877 - 1920 Wyoming, Marriages, 1877-1920 at FamilySearch— Index - How to Use this Collection
- 1877 - 1920 Wyoming, Marriages, 1877-1920 at MyHeritage ($) — index.
- 1941-1966 Reclaim the Records: Wyoming Marriage Index at Archive.org - images of index
- 1941-1969 Wyoming, U.S., Marriage Records, 1941-1969 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- Wyoming Death Index at Wyoming State Archives — index (currently contains only A-E, it is a work in progress)
- 1901 - 2015 Wyoming, Star Valley Independent Obituaries, 1901-2015 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1909-1969 Wyoming, Death Records, 1909-1969 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- Pre 1939-1952 Reclaim the Records: Wyoming Death Index at Archive.org - images of index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- Pre 1941-1952 Reclaim the Records: Wyoming Divorce Index at Archive.org - images of index
- 1941-1969 Wyoming, U.S., Divorce Records, 1941-1969 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Lincoln County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Wyoming Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Lincoln County. For state-wide library facilities, see Wyoming Archives and Libraries.
Alpine Branch Library
243 River Cir
Alpine, WY 83128
Phone: 307-654-7323
Fax: 307-654-3158
Website
Lincoln County Library System
519 Emerald St
Kemmerer, WY 83101
Phone: 307-877-6961
Fax: 307-877-4147
Email: lclsboard@linclib.org
Website
Star Valley Branch Library
261 S Washington St
Afton, WY 83110
Phone: 307-885-3158
Fax: 307-885-9651
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Lincoln County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Wyoming Societies.
Cokeville Historical Society
c/o Charlotte Freeman
Cokeville, Wyoming 83114
Email: dramamama42@yahoo.com (Charlotte Freeman)
Email: bktoomer@allwest.net (Karla Toomer)
Website
Lincoln County
Website
Lincoln County Historical Society
Box 224
1-199 W 1st Ave
Kemmerer, Wyoming 83101
Website
Star Valley Historical Society
PO Box 1212
61 E 5th Ave
Afton, Wyoming 83110
Email: svhs@silverstar.com
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Lincoln County at Cyndi's List — a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
- Lincoln County at Genealogy Trails — transcribed genealogical and historical data
- Lincoln County at LDSGenealogy - collection of links by state, county, city, and record type
- Lincoln County at WyoHistory.org; a project of the Wyoming State Historical Society - contains history, pictures, resources and economical information
- Lincoln County at Wyoming USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
- Lincoln County at Wyoming USGenWeb Archives — free online data for genealogical research
- FamilySearch Catalog - 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.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/wyo/lincoln/ accessed 11/11/2016
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), p. 766. Lincoln County, Wyoming
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Lincoln County, Wyoming. Page 766. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 768; Wyoming Department of Health, “Vital Statistics Services,” https://health.wyo.gov/admin/vitalstatistics/ accessed 28 June 2017.
- ↑ Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Rev. ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 1992), 837; Alice M. Hetzel, U.S. Vital Statistics System: Major Activities and Developments, 1950-95 (Hyattsville, Md.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, [1997]), 58.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Lincoln County, Wyoming," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_County,_Wyoming#Communities accessed 21 November 2016.
- ↑ On microfilm number: 2261365.
- ↑ ’'Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 761. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ‘’Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources,’’ 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 2004), 761. Free online version; FHL Book 973 D27rb 2004; WorldCat entry.
- ↑ Jim Tompkins, "The Oregon Trail 1841-1848 Map IV" in Oregon Trail Landmarks at
(accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ "Oregon California Trails Association" at http://octatrails.micromaps.com/ (accessed 18 July 2011).
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