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Guide to Lewis 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 Meriwether Lewis. The County Seat is Nezperce and was founded March 3, 1911. It is located in the north area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lewis County Courthouse 510 Oak Street Nezperce, ID 83543-0039 Phone: 208-937-2251 County Website

County Clerk has marriage, divorce, court and land records from 1911.

Populated Places
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 Lewis County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Lewis County in Virtual Earth.

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

Church Records
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) In 1930, Lewis 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 Lewis 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 records of the courts of Lewis County that have been microfilmed include:
 * Some of the early court records of Lewis 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 Lewis County courthouse in Nez perce, and can be accessed by making a visit there.
 * Court records, 1911-1932
 * Power of attorney, 1883-1964; index, 1890-1986

Judgment Books

 * Judgment record, 1895-1946; index, 1895-1986

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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many county records of Lewis County and these can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho. Some records of Lewis County have been microfilmed by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and can be read in the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * A digital Lewis County Idaho map is available online.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

World War I

 * 1917-1918 World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Lewis 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.

World War II

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
 ''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
 * Clearwater Progress, published in Kamiah.
 * Lewis County Herald

 Historical The Idaho State Archives has a collection of Idaho newspapers

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * The Ilo-Vollmer Historical Society has 26 volumes of obituary records for Lewis County. This Society can be reached at: PO Box 61, Craigmont, ID 83523

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 record of Lewis County. The originals are held in the Lewis County courthouse in Nez Perce, 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.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1857-1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Probate records are generally housed at the county courthouse in the county where the transaction took place, so existing Probate records of Lewis County should be available in Nez Perce by visiting there.
 * Some older of Lewis County have been microfilmed by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers.
 * The Idaho State Archives has also microfilmed records from Lewis County which can be accessed at the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

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

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records Any existing tax assessment rolls for Lewis County should be in the courthouse in Nezperce and would need to be accessed by visiting there.

Birth

 * 1861-1911 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1911 to present Birth records, for individuals born in Lewis 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

 * 1800-1987 Idaho, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1864-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Privacy law can't publish
 * 1864-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1878-1898;1903-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1947-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * There are 108 Lewis County marriages in the online Idaho Marriages.
 * Western States Marriage Index

Death

 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1938-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * After 1911 Deaths occurring in Lewis County after 1911 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.
 * 1911-1954 Copies of death certificates from 1911-1954 are on microfilm and can be used at the Idaho State Archives, the Family History Library, BYU-Idaho University Library in Rexburg and several other locations.
 * 1911-1956 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.
 * 1907-1965 Idaho Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records gives details about this collection that covers 1907-1965.

Divorce

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

Archives

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

Family History Centers

 * Grangeville Idaho Family History Center
 * Kamiah Idaho Family History Center
 * Lewiston Idaho Family History Center
 * Moscow Idaho Family History Center
 * Orofino Idaho Family History Center

Libraries

 * Prairie River Library 113 W. Main St. Craigmont, ID 83523 Ph. 208-924-5510 Website
 * Nezperce City Library 602 Oak St. Nezperce, ID 83543 Ph. 208-937-2458 Website

Societies
Contact -- Shelley Kuther, President or Byron D. Bovey HCR 1 Box 41 Craigmont, ID 83523 Ph. 208-924-7336 A researcher with the Historical Society
 * Ilo-Vollmer Historical Society Box 61 Craigmont, ID 83523 Ph. 208-924-5474
 * State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho 208-334-2774 Website
 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution-Idaho Chapter
 * The Idaho Welsh Society -- excellent cultural and historical site

Websites

 * The Lewis County ID GenWeb Project, a member of The IDGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
 * – 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.