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Guide to Ada 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 Ada Riggs, first pioneer. The County Seat is Boise and was founded December 22, 1864. It is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Ada County Courthouse 200 W. Front Street Boise, Idaho 83702 Phone: 208-287-7500 Ada County Courthouse

The County Clerk has divorce, probate, and court records from 1864. The Recorder has marriage and land records from 1864.

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:

This list of places in Ada County, Idaho was compiled from the Lists of Places in Idaho in Wikipedia and from the map of Ada County in Virtual Earth.

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.

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)
 * List of Ada County stakes and wards to about 1948.
 * Owyhee Branch (Church unit no longer in existence, members assigned to either Kuna or Boise area wards). Records of the original branch are available at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copies of the membership records may also be at a family history center in Boise.

 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
 * The records are for about 1865 through 1940 and include civil suits, divorce papers, and judgment dockets. They are available online at: and Idaho State Archives.

Includes divorces, probate documents, civil and criminal actions and many other court actions. Among the records on microfilm are: Note: Overlapping years may be a cataloging error as the volumes may be for different local courts. Most volumes individually indexed.
 * District Court:
 * 1865-1931 Judgment Dockets, v. 1-4, 1865-1931
 * 1865-1926 Judgment Books, v. A-W, 1865-1926
 * 1906-1939 Declaration of Intent (to become a naturalized citizen) 1906-1939
 * 1903-1935 Petition and Record for Naturalization, 1903-1935
 * 1909-1926 Certificates of Naturalization, 1909-1926
 * 1891-1906 Admission to Citizenship and Records, 1891-1906
 * County Court:
 * 1891-1926 Miscellaneous Records, v. 1-10, 1891-1926
 * 1890-1928 Index to Miscellaneous Records, v. 1-2, 1890-1928
 * 1865-1940 Power of Attorney, v. 1-4, 1865-1940
 * 1865-1940 Index to Power of Attorney, 1865-1940
 * 1909-1967 Revoked Power of Attorney, 1909-1967
 * Probate Court:
 * 1869-1973 Wills, 1869-1973
 * 1899-1932 Probate Letters, 1899-1932
 * 1873-1927 Probate Record Books, v. B-W, 1873-1927
 * 1892-1932 Guardianship Records, v. B-F, 1892-1932
 * 1867-1908 other miscellaneous estate records, 1867-1908
 * Judgment Books
 * 1866-1931 Judgments vol. 2-4 1866-1931
 * 1865-1926 Judgments vol. A-W 1865-1926
 * 1865-1906 Dockets vol. 1-2 1865-1906

Directories
 Farm Directories The Gem State Rural's 1917-18 Farm Directory of Ada County, Idaho is available at the Idaho State Archives and at the Albertson Library at Boise State University. It lists landowners by town, including those owning land in these two counties, but residing elsewhere. The size of the family, amount of acreage owned, the location of the land, and a list of crops and livestock raised on each farm is also included.

Funeral Homes
Cloverdale Funeral Home 200 N Cloverdale Rd Boise, Idaho 83701 (208) 375-2212 Gibson Funeral Home 507 W Idaho St Boise, Idaho 83701 (208)342-8221 Summers Funeral Home 1205 W Bannock St Boise, Idaho 83701 Relyes Funeral Home 318 N Latah St Boise, Idaho 83701 (208) 644-44441 Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel 5400 W Fairview Ave Boise, Idaho 83701 (208) 376-5400

Guardianship
Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by the probate and the Federal District courts. See Idaho Court Records.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records Many of the early land records of Ada County are available online, including homestead records, deeds and land patents. Online at:, and Idaho State Archives. Original copies of these and later records are housed at the courthouse in Boise. Among the land records of Ada County which have been microfilmed are:
 * 1865-1901 Deeds, 1865-1901
 * 1865-1924 Index to Deeds, 1865-1924
 * 1865-1911 Homestead records, 1865-1911
 * 1869-1912 Patent Records, 1869-1912
 * 1869-1954 Index to Patents, 1869-1954

 Water Rights In addition to the land records, some records of water rights for Ada County, 1865-1943, have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise.

Local Histories
The Ada County Historic Preservation Council has published a brochure entitled 2006 Preservation Plan. Included in this brochure are several pages (pp. 11-36) of the history of Ada County, including a detailed timeline of historic events in Ada County and the State of Idaho. Several photographs of historic sites in the county are also included.

Online County Histories
 * Boise: The Peace Valley. c1975. By Annie Laurie Bird. Caldwell, Id.:Caxton Printers. Online at:.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * An 1895 map of Ada and surrounding counties is available online.
 * A digital Ada County Idaho map is available online.
 * Map of Ada County, Idaho is available online.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Ada County for European and African American settlers included:
 * Snake River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon

Military Records
Civil War The 1890 Census Veterans Schedules for Boise Barracks (Fort Boise) are available on roll 118 of "Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War" (NARA M123). The schedules list veterans and their widows who served as Union soldiers in the Civil War. For more information on the 1890 Veterans Schedules see Union Census Records. World War I
 * Wilda Collier Dillion. Deaths and burials, Boise Barracks Military Reserve, Idaho 1863-1913. (2003). FHL 979.628/B1 V3d
 * 1917-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Ada County and for Boise City are online at FamilySearch: and.

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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records FamilySearch Records for naturalization records for Ada County:
 * 1891-1906 Admission to Citizenship and Records, 1891-1906
 * 1903-1935 Petition and Record for Naturalization, 1903-1935
 * 1906-1939 Declaration of Intent (to become a naturalized citizen), 1906-1939
 * 1909-1926 Certificates of Naturalization, 1909-1926

 ''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 The following newspapers are currently being published in Ada County:
 * Idaho Statesman -- published in Boise
 * Kuna Melba News -- published in Kuna
 * The Valley Times -- published online; serving Meridian, Eagle, and Star

Historical Copies of many newspapers published in Ada County, 1867 to present, are part of the collections of the Idaho State Archives in Boise. Included are newspapers from the following cities in Ada County:
 * Boise -- many titles -- 1867 to present
 * Eagle -- 4 titles -- 1926, 1958-1960, 1982, 1988-1989
 * Garden City -- 4 titles -- 1954-1968, 1980-1981
 * Kuna -- 3 titles -- 1914-1968, 1978-present
 * Meridian -- 7 titles -- 1909-1974, 1976-1996
 * Star -- 2 titles -- 1908, 1919-1920

Obituaries

 * 1943-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

County Commissioners' Records
Several volumes of County Commissioners' Minute Books, 1865-1899, have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise. The originals of these and later records of the County Commission are in the county courthouse in Boise.

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.

Among the records which have been microfilmed are:


 * Index vol. 1-2 1890-1928
 * Miscellaneous records vol. 1-10 1891-1926

These records are available online at: and Idaho State Archives.

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. Ada County Mothers' Pensions are included in that index.

Old Age Pensions were 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. Ada County Old Age Pensions are included in that index.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records , and Idaho State Archives
 * 1857-1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records 1857-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1869-1973 Wills, 1869-1973
 * 1899-1932 Probate Letters, 1899-1932
 * 1873-1927 Probate Record Books, v. B-W, 1873-1927
 * 1892-1932 Guardianship Records, v. B-F, 1892-1932
 * 1867-1908 other miscellaneous estate records, 1867-1908

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 The tax assessment rolls, 1865-1890, and the delinquent tax lists, 1878-1890, for Ada County are avalible online at: and Idaho State Archives

Birth
The Family History Library has made available online Idaho Births and Christenings, 1856-1965, and Ada County has 11,044 births recorded there.
 * 1907-1911 The birth registers for Ada County, have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the in Salt Lake City, Utah. Birth records, 1911 to present, for individuals born in Ada 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
Many of the early marriage records for Ada County have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the in Salt Lake City, Utah. Included are:
 * 1800-1987 Idaho, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1865-1928 Marriage Records Books, v. 1-20, 1865-1928
 * 1864-1928 Index to Marriage Records, 1864-1928
 * 1907-1943 Ministers' Marriage Register, 1907-1943
 * 1895-1905 Marriage Licenses, 1895-1905
 * 1865-1894 Marriage Certificates, 1865-1894

 ''Online Records
 * 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
After 1911, deaths occuring in Ada 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. The Family History Library has also made available online Idaho Deaths and Burials, 1907-1965, and there are 1069 Ada County deaths listed. Idaho Statesman Obituaries, 1967 to present.(2011)
 * 1907-1911 The death registers for Ada County have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah.
 * 1911-1954 Copies of death certificates from 1911-1954 are on microfilm and can be viewed 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.
 * 1938-1961 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1883-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index/Images

Divorce
Divorce records give the names of the parties and may give the date and place of their marriage. See Idaho Vital Records for excellent information.
 * 1947-1963 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index

Family History Centers

 * Boise Idaho Family History Center
 * Caldwell Idaho Family History Center
 * Eagle Idaho Family History Center
 * Idaho State Correctional Facility Family History Center
 * Kuna Idaho Family History Center
 * Meridian Idaho East Family History Center
 * Meridian Idaho West Family History Center
 * Nampa Idaho Family History Center

Libraries
Idaho State Archives Digital Collections - Ada County Website Idaho State Archives Website Boise Public Library Website Albertson's Library Boise State University 1910 University Drive Boise, ID 83725-1430 Phone: 208-426-1204 The Albertson Library at Boise State

Societies

 * Ada County Historic Preservation Council Website
 * Idaho State Historical Society 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd Boise, Idaho 208-334-2774
 * The Idaho Welsh Society Website
 * National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Boise Chapter

Websites

 * The Ada County ID GenWeb Project, a member of The IDGenWeb Project
 * The USGenWeb Archives 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.