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Guide to Bonner 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 after Edwin L. Bonner who established a ferry on the Kootenai River in 1864 near present day Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The County Seat is Sandpoint and was founded February 21, 1907. It is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
 Bonner County Courthouse  215 South First Ave Sandpoint, ID 83864-1392 Phone: 208-265-1432 Bonner County Website

County Clerk has birth and death records 1907-1911 marriage, divorce and court records from 1907 probate from 1890 and land records from 1889.

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
Many of the older court, land, naturalization, probate, pension, and vital records for Bonner 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 Sandpoint.

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
 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) In 1930, Bonner 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 Bonner 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.
 * Sandpoint
 * 21 February 1907: Bonner County was created from Kootenai County, Idaho.

 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 early court records of Bonner 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'sFamily History Centers. Additional court records and more recent records are housed at the Bonner County courthouse in Sandpoint, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there. Some of the Bonner County court records that have been microfilmed are:  Judgment Books
 * Civil actions, 1904-1928; register, 1911-1912; index, 1904-1911
 * Power of attorney, 1883-1938; index, 1891-1986
 * Judgments, 1891-1931; index, 1882-1949

(Includes divorces, probate documents, civil and criminal actions and many other court actions.)

Miscellaneous records are outlined in the Miscellaneous Series below.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many county records of Bonner County and these can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed some pertaining to land and property, which can be viewed in the Library in Salt Lake City or in any of its Family History Centers. Films available are:
 * Civil actions, 1904-1928; register, 1911-1912; index, 1904-1911
 * Deeds, 1885-1906; index, 1885-1910
 * Miscellaneous court records, 1905-1933

Local Histories

 * Beautiful Bonner, The History Of Bonner County, Idaho. c1991. By Bonner County History Book Committee; Marylyn Cork, project director. Dallas, Texas : Curtis Media. Online at:.
 * Beautiful Bonner: History and Memories. c1991. Marceline, Missouri. : Walsworth Publishing Co. Online at:.
 * Hoodoo Valley History. c2004. By Virginia Judge Overland. [S.l.] : Morton History Committee. Online at:.
 * Morton Valley Memories. c1996. By the Morton History Committee; Virginia J. Overland, editor. [S.l.] : Morton History Committee. Online at:.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * A digital Bonner County Idaho map is available online.
 * Map of Bonner 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 draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Bonner 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 available online on the Bonner County GenWeb site. See the links to other Military records from Bonner County on this site.

 Online Records

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

 ''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
 * Bonner County Bee
 * Priest River Times

 Historical The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed some of the early Sandpoint newspapers as well as other Bonner County newspapers which can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho. The newspapers are listed under the name or town where the newspaper was published.

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.

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 Bonner County. The originals are held in the Bonner County courthouse in Sandpoint, 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.

(Includes divorces, probate documents, civil and criminal actions and many other court actions.) Miscellaneous records are outlined in the Miscellaneous Series below.
 * Judgments, 1891-1931; index, 1882-1949

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records Any existing original probate records for Bonner County should be in the county courthouse located in Sandpoint, Idaho. You can access these records by visiting the courthouse. The Idaho State Archives has microfilm copies of many of the early Bonner County probate records which can be read at the Archives in Boise, Idaho. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah also has some microfilms of earlier Bonner County probate records. The following are available for viewing at the Library in Salt Lake City, or at any of itsFamily History Centers:
 * 1857-1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

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

Birth
Online Records The Birth Registers for Bonner 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 Bonner 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.
 * 1861-1911 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Marriage
Online Records
 * 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
 * Western States Marriage Index

Death
Online Records The death registers for Bonner County, 1907-1911 have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah. After 1911, deaths occurring in Bonner 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. 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. 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.
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images
 * 1938-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Divorce
Online Records
 * 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

 * Bonners Ferry Idaho Family History Center
 * Hayden Lake Idaho Family History Center
 * Priest River Idaho Family History Center
 * Sandpoint Idaho Family History Center

Libraries

 * West Bonner District Library 219 Main St Priest River, ID 83856 Phone: (208) 448-2207 Website Facebook Page
 * East Bonner County District Library 1407 Cedar St Sandpoint, ID 83864 Phone: (208) 263-6930 Website Facebook Page
 * Priest Lake District Library 28769 Hwy 57 Priest Lake, ID 83856 Phone: (208) 443-2454 Website Facebook Page

Museums
Bonner County Historical Society and Museum 611 S. Ella Ave Sandpoint, ID 83864 Phone: 208-263-2344 Website

Societies

 * Bonner County Genealogy Society 602 Schweitzer Cut-off Road Sandpoint, Idaho Website
 * State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho Phone: 208-334-2774 Website
 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution-Idaho Chapter
 * The Idaho Welsh Society

Websites

 * The Bonner County ID GenWeb Project, a member of IDGenWeb


 * – 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.