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

County Courthouse
Clearwater County Courthouse 150 Michigan Avenue Orofino, ID 83544 Phone: 208-476-5596 County Website

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

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:

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.

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 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
 List of Churches and Church Parishes  Churches and Church Records  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

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 Family History Libraryin Salt Lake City and at its FamilySearch Centers.
 * 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.

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and 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.  Judgment Books Miscellaneous records are listed under the Miscellaneous Series Some of the records of the courts of Clearwater County that have been microfilmed include:
 * 1888-1938 Judgments, 1888-1938
 * Court records, 1911-1935
 * Index, 1883-1987; power of attorney, 1883-1951

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records 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:
 * 1911-1951 and 1911-1951 Declaration of homesteads, 1911-1951; index, 1911-1951
 * 1911-1933 Estates, 1911-1933
 * 1910-1931 Inventories and Accounts, 1910-1931
 * 1911-1986 index to orders affecting real estate, 1911-1986
 * 1871-1906 and 1884-1911 Index to deeds, 1871-1906; deeds, 1884-1911

Local Histories
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

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Map of Clearwater County, Idaho is available online.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
World War I
 * 1917-1918 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.

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records 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 — How to Use this Collection; Index/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 — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

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.

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.

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 Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records 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:
 * 1857-1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry $

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 Clearwater County should be in the courthouse in Orofino and would need to be accessed by visiting there.

Birth
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.
 * 1861-1911 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1856-1965 Idaho births and christenings(1856-1965) are available online.

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;
 * IndexWestern States Marriage Index

Death
1911-1937 Online Idaho Death Certificates 1911-1937 are also available.
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1938-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1911 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.
 * 1911-1954 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.
 * 1911-1956 A state-wide index to Idaho Deaths, 1911-1956 is available online. Efforts to expand this index to 1960 are underway.
 * 1911-1956 Another version is the US Genweb Idaho Death Index 1911-1956.
 * 1907-1965 Here is yet another online version of Idaho Death and Burials (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

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

Libraries

 * 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
 * Pierce District Library 208 S Main St Pierce, ID 83546 Phone: (208) 464-2823 Website

Societies

 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution-Idaho Chapter
 * The Idaho Welsh Society Excellent cultural and historical site
 * Clearwater Historical Society Website
 * State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho 208-334-2774 Website

Websites

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