Washington County, Idaho Genealogy

United States Idaho  Washington County



Quick Facts
Named for George Washington, first President of the United States of America.

Parent County
20 February 1879: Washington County was created from Boise County.

Boundary Changes
3 March 1911: Adams County created from part of Washington County

Places/Localities
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 Washington County, Idaho was compiled from the in Wikipedia and from the map of Washington County in Virtual Earth.

Resources
Many of the older court, land, naturalization, probate, pension, and vital records for Washington County have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library 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 Weiser.

Archives 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.


 * Cambridge District Library 120 N Superior St Cambridge, ID 83610 Phone: (208) 257-3434
 * Midvale District Library 70 E Bridge St Midvale, ID 83645 Phone: (208) 355-2213
 * Weiser Public Library 628 E 1st St Weiser, ID 83672 Phone: (208) 549-1243

Cemeteries
There are many cemeteries in Washington County. For a list of those that have been identified, and links to transcriptions and/or photographs of tombstones, go to Washington 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
For a summary of census records for the state of Idaho, see Idaho Census Records.

The 1890 federal census for Idaho was destroyed. However, the Idaho State Archives 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. Washington County is included in this reconstructed census.

Church History and Records (Rural)
Please refer to the cities for local churches.

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 Washington County, Idaho have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho. The records filmed may include civil suits, divorce papers, judgment dockets, etc.. Copies of these microfilmed court records are also available at the Family History Library 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 courthouse in Weiser and can be accessed by paying a visit to the Washington County courthouse.

Some of the records of Washington County which have been microfilmed are:


 * Power of attorney, 1880-1921 Idaho. County Court (Washington County)
 * Register of civil actions, 1881-1929 Idaho. County Court (Washington County).

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

History
A Washington County History by Judge Frank Harris is available online.

A Saga of Salubria and a History of Washington County (same as above) Revisited is also available in a digitized version at the Family History Library Catalog.

In 1940-41 a listing of all residents who had lived in Washington County for at least 50 years was made by the Weiser American newspaper. Their name, city in which they lived and how long they had lived in Washington County was given. Washington County Pioneers.

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 Washington County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Weiser, Idaho.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many deeds, homestead records, etc., of Washington County beginning 20 Feb 1879 when it was separated from Boise County, and these can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed originals of the following records found in the Washington County Courthouse in Weiser, Idaho which can be accessed at the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers:


 * Declaration of homestead, 1875-1912
 * Deeds, 1879-1902; index, 1874-1901
 * Possessory land claim, 1873-1908

Maps

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

Military History and Records
World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Washington County have been microfilmed. Copies of these records are available at the Family History Library (their microfilm number 1452223) 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.

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 following Washington County records have been microfilmed and are available for viewing at the Washington County courthouse in Wesier, Idaho, at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho or at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah or at any of the Library's Family History Centers:


 * Washington-10 4 Miscellaneous Index, Direct, Book 1, pp A-E (con't on Washington-11/1) 1883-1968 Court
 * Washington-11 1 Miscellaneous Index, Direct, Book 1, pp E-Z (con't from Washington-10/4) 1883-1968 Court
 * Washington-11 2 Miscellaneous Index, Indirect, Book 1 1883-1968 Court
 * Washington-11 3 Record, Miscellaneous, v. 1, pp 1-155 (con't on Washington-12/1) 1892-1905 Court
 * Washington-12 1 Record, Miscellaneous, v. 1, pp 154-400 (con't from Washington-11/3) 1905-1915 Court
 * Washington-12 2 Miscellaneous Record, Book 2 1915-1921 Court
 * Washington-12 3 Miscellaneous Record, Book 3 1921-1931 Court

Current

 * Upper County Reporter
 * Weiser Signal - American

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

Probate Records
The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed Wills of Washington County(1878-1946) which can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City, or in any of its Family History Centers.

The Idaho State Archiveshas also microfilmed some early probate records of Washington County, and these can be viewed at their facilities in Boise.

For other and later probate records, one can visit the county courthouse in Weiser.

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

Birth
The Birth Registers for Washington 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 Washington 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.

There are 443 births recorded in Washington County online at Idaho Births and Christenings.

Marriage
Nearly 13,200 marriages, 1879-1969, are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

There are 244 Washington County marriages listed in Idaho Marriages.

Death
The Death Registers for Washington 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 Washington 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 Idaho Vital Records.

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 474 Washington County deaths listed online at Idaho Deaths and Burials.

Websites

 * The Washington County ID GenWeb Project, a member of The IDGenWeb Project
 * Linkpendium
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project (backup site)
 * FamilySearch.org Family History Library Catalog for Washington County.