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Ada County, Idaho Genealogy

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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.

County Facts
County seat: Boise
Organized: December 22, 1864
Parent County(s): Boise
Neighboring Counties
Boise • Canyon • Elmore • Gem • Owyhee
See County Maps
Courthouse
Idaho, Ada County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Idaho Ada County Map.png
Sunrise, Cascade Lake

County Information

Description

Ada County was named for Ada Riggs, the first pioneer. The county is located in the southwestern area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

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

The County Clerk has marriage records from 1890, land records from 1864, divorce, probate and court records.[2]

Ada County, Idaho 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.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1907 1864 1907 1864 1864 1864 1870
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1911. General compliance in the 1920s.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

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:[6]

Cities
Unincorporated communities
  • Blacks Creek
  • Mora
  • Orchard
  • Owyhee
  • Pleasant Valley
  • Regina
  • Sonna
Census-designated places


History Timeline

Boise, Ada County, Idaho.jpg

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Ada, Idaho online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Idaho Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
18702,675
—
18804,67474.7%
18908,63884.8%
190011,55933.8%
191029,088151.6%
192035,21321.1%
193037,9257.7%
194050,40132.9%
195070,64940.2%
196093,46032.3%
1970112,23020.1%
1980173,03654.2%
1990205,77518.9%
2000300,90446.2%
sources:[7][8]

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

Catholic Church

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)

Green check.png
The usage of "Mormon" and "LDS" on this page is approved according to current policy.


List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Many of your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can establish family relationships and places of residence, occupations, and other family history information. See Idaho Court Records for the various courts through the years.

Online Court Indexes and Records

  • 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

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

Among the records on microfilm are:

  • 1866-1931 Judgments vol. 2-4 1866-1931
  • 1865-1926 Judgments vol. A-W 1865-1926
  • 1865-1906 Dockets vol. 1-2 1865-1906

Note: Overlapping years may be a cataloging error as the volumes may be for different local courts. Most volumes individually indexed.

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.

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

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

Land and Property records are generally recorded in the county courthouse. Many early records have been microfilmed. For more information, see Idaho Land and Property.

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:FamilySearch Library, 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

Maps and Gazetteers

BoiseElmoreOwyheeCanyonGemID ADA.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources


Migration

Early migration routes to and from Ada County for European and African American settlers included:

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

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

World War II

Naturalization and Citizenship

Records of the citizenship or naturalization of people born outside of the United States were kept in the county courthouses. Many volumes are included at the Idaho State Archives in Boise.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

  • 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

Newspapers

Current
The following newspapers are currently being published in Ada County:

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

Other Records

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: FamilySearch Library 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.

Periodicals

Probate Records

Online Probate Indexes and Records


School Records

Social Security Records

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:FamilySearch Library and Idaho State Archives

Vital Records

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. Deaths occurring in Ada County after 1915 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.

Birth


Marriage

Death

Divorce

Voting Records

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Ada County. For state-wide facilities, see Idaho Archives and Libraries.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

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. Listed below are libraries in Ada County. For state-wide library facilities, see Idaho Archives and 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

Museums

Societies

Listed below are societies in Ada County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Idaho Societies.

  • Ada County Historic Preservation Council
    Website
  • Idaho State Historical Society
    2205 Old Penitentiary Rd
    Boise, Idaho
    Phone: 208-334-2774
    Website
  • National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
    Pioneer Chapter (Boise)

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Ada County, Idaho" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_County,_Idaho
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 11th ed. (Logan, Utah: Everton Pub., 2006), Adams County, Washington page 186, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2006.
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ada County, Idaho. Page 177-180 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 180-181.
  4. ↑ WorldCat 50140092 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.] (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), [FS Library book 973 D27e 2002].
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Ada County, Idaho," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_County,_Idaho#Communities, accessed 24 Frebruary 2019.
  7. ↑ census.gov - Idaho population by county, 1900-90 accessed 2009-05-03
  8. ↑ quickfacts.census.gov - Canyon County accessed 2009-05-03
  9. ↑ Jim Tompkins, "The Oregon Trail 1841-1848 Map V" in Oregon Trail Landmarks at http://www.oregonpioneers.com/OTMap5.jpg (accessed 18 July 2011).
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