Lake County, Montana Genealogy
Guide to Lake County, Montana ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Tax Records
- 2.27 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information
Description
Lake County was founded in 1923. The county seat is Polson.[2] It is located in the north western area of the state. [3]
County Courthouse
Lake County Courthouse
106 4th Avenue
Polson, MT 59860-2125
Phone: 406.883.6211
Lake County Website
County Clerk Recorder has birth, death and land records from 1923;
Clerk Court has marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1923 and naturalization records 1923-1953[4]
Lake County, Montana Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
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| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1923 | 1923 | 1923 | 1923 | 1923 | 1923 | 1860 |
| Compliance for recording births was 1922 and 1915 for deaths.[6] | ||||||
Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Boundary Changes
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Parent County: created 11 May 1923 from Flathead and Missoula
County seat: Polson [7]
Populated Places
The following are locations in the county from Wikipedia: [8]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
Indian Reservation
The Flathead Indian Reservation comprises most of Lake County. Small portions of the reservation are also in the surrounding counties of Flathead , Missoula, and Sanders Counties.
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
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Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1930 | 9,541 | — |
| 1940 | 13,490 | 41.4% |
| 1950 | 13,835 | 2.6% |
| 1960 | 13,104 | −5.3% |
| 1970 | 14,445 | 10.2% |
| 1980 | 19,056 | 31.9% |
| 1990 | 21,041 | 10.4% |
| 2000 | 26,507 | 26.0% |
| 2010 | 28,746 | 8.4% |
| Source: [1] | ||
Before Montana was a state in 1889, the western portion of Montana was included in the 1860 Washington Territory and the eastern was in the unorganized parts of 1860 Nebraska Territory. The 1870 and 1880 Federal Censuses included Montana Territory. No state censuses have been taken.[9] See links listed below.
Territory and State Censuses
- 1860 - United States Census, 1860 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Montana was included in the 1860 Washington and Nebraska Territory Censuses
- 1870 - United States Census, 1870 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Montana Territory Census
- 1880 - United States Census, 1880 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Montana Territory Census
Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of Montana starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Montana Census.
Church Records
Church records vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Montana denominations, view the Montana Church Records wiki page.
Online Church Records
Lutheran Church
- 1875-1940 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county
Other Church Records
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records
- St. Ignatius
Court Records
- 1923 - Montana, Lake County Records, 1857-2010 at FamilySearch - Index and images; various death records for Lake County in 1923
Directories
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Montana Land and Property for additional information about early Montana land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Records
- Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
- 1796 - 1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
- 1861 - 1936 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1936 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images
- 1872 - 1989 - Montana, Lake County Records, 1857-2010 at FamilySearch - Index and images; various land and property records for Lake County from 1914-1989
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Lake County, Montana Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Montana Local Histories.
- The Fabulous Flathead: Reservation Pioneers. c1962. By J.F. McAlear and Sharon Bergman. Polson, Montana : Treasure Street Pub. At various libraries(WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- See an interactive map of Lake County cemeteries and modern-day townships. (Histopolis)
- Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Montana - shows boundary changes for Montana Counties
- Historical Maps and Atlases of Montana - maps and atlases of Montana
Migration
Military Records
Online Collections
These collections are unique to Montana. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Montana Military Records.
Civil War
- 1890 United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890 at FamilySearch.— index
- 1890 - 1918 Montana Military Enlistments at Montana Memory Project
World War I
- 1917 - 1918 U.S. WW I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — Index and images
- Soldiers of the Great War from the State of Montana at USGenWeb.
- Military Enlistments Montana World War I at Montana Memory Project
World War II
- WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualties for Montana - Index only
For further information see Montana Military Records.
Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Records
- 1791-1992 - U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 at Ancestry — ($), index only
- 1868-1999 - Montana Naturalization Records, 1868-1999 at FamilySearch — Browseable images only
- 1870-1999 - Montana, Federal Naturalization Records, 1870-1999 at Ancestry — ($), index only
Newspapers
For more information, see Montana Newspapers.
Montana Newspapers Online
- GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Montana newspapers
- Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Montana newspapers
- Chronicling America - contains images of some Montana newspapers; searching tips
- Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
- Kalispell newspapers. This database is sometimes free at libraries.
Montana Newspaper Catalogs
- U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
Obituaries
- Obituary Daily Times - large obituary index from newspapers across the United States.
See also United States Obituaries for more about finding United States obituaries.
Other Records
Public Records
- Montana, Lake County records, 1857-2010 Viewable
- Montana, Lake County, school census records, 1910-1980 Viewable
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Montana, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, inventories, claim registers, inheritance records, probate packets, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for Montana, Lake - Probate records.
Online Probate Records
- 1831 – 1952 Montana Wills and Probate Records 1831-1952 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1923 – 1950 Montana, Lake County, probate index, 1923-1950
School Records
- 1910-1980 - Montana, Lake County Records, 1857-2010 at FamilySearch - Index and images; various school records for Lake County from 1910-1980
Tax Records
Montana tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records.
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most birth and death original records can be purchased from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. For information about marriages, divorces, and requirements for obtaining any vital records, see the CDC Where to Write website.
Birth
- 1840 - 2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1840 - 2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at Ancestry ($) — index
- 1857 - 1930 - Montana, Lake County Records, 1857-2010 at FamilySearch - Index and images; various birth records for Lake County from 1857-1930
Marriage
- 1800 - 1994 - Montana, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1865 - 1950 Montana, County Marriages, 1865 - 1950 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1865 - 1950 Montana, County Marriages, 1865 - 1950 at Ancestry ($) — index
- 1889 - 1947 Montana Marriages, 1889 - 1947 at FamilySearch — index
- 1889 - 1947 Montana Select Marriages 1889 - 1947 at Ancestry ($) — index
- 1923-1993 - Montana, Lake County Records, 1857-2010 at FamilySearch - Index and images; various marriage records for Lake County from 1923-1993
- 1923 - 1959 Marriage records, 1923 - 1959 Viewable
- Western States Marriage Index - Index, incomplete, list of counties included
Death
- 1840 - 2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1840 - 2004 Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1840 - 2004 at Ancestry ($) — index
- 1860 - 2007 Montana Death Index, 1860 - 2007 at FamilySearch — index
- 1868 - 2007 Montana, Death Index, 1868 - 2011 at Ancestry ($) — index
- 1923 - 2010 - Montana, Lake County Records, 1857-2010 at FamilySearch - Index and images; various death records for Lake County from 1923-2010
- pre 1954 - 2002 Montana State Death Registry Index Pre 1954 & 1954 - 2002 at Montana State Genealogical Society — index
- 1954 - 2011 Montana Death Records at findmypast ($) — index
Divorce
- 1814 - 1958 Montana, Lake County, divorce records, 1814 - 1958 Viewable
- 1914 - 1958 - Montana, Lake County Records, 1857-2010 at FamilySearch - Index and images; various death records for Lake County from 1914-1958
Research Facilities
Archives
Family History Centers
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.
Libraries
Museums
Societies
Polson Flathead Historical Society
708 Main St
Polson 59860-3225
Websites
- Genealogy Inc Lake County, Montana
- Kindred Trails Lake County, Montana
- Lake County, Montana, Genealogy
- USGenWeb Lake County, Montana project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
- FamilySearch Catalog - 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
Research Guides
References
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/mon/lake/ accessed 11/18/2016
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_County,_Montana accessed 11/18/2016
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), p. 416.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Lake County, Montana. Page 416. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 406.
- ↑ Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Rev. ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 1992), 439.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Lake County, Montana," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_County,_Montana, accessed 7 December 2016.
- ↑ ’'Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), 409. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
