Canyon County, Idaho Genealogy

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Guide to Canyon County, Idaho ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

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Canyon County, Idaho
Map
Map of Idaho highlighting Canyon County
Location in the state of Idaho
Map of the U.S. highlighting Idaho
Location of Idaho in the U.S.
Facts
Founded March 7, 1891
County Seat Caldwell
Courthouse
Canyon County CH.jpg
Address 1115 Albany Street
Caldwell, ID 83605
Phone: (208) 454-7337
Fax: (208) 454-6689
Email: canyoncountyclerk@canyonco.org
Website: www.canyoncounty.org
Named for: Snake River Canyon
Snake-river-canyon.jpg


County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

The county was named for the canyon of the Boise River near Caldwell. The County Seat is Caldwell and was founded March 7, 1891. It is located in the west central area of the state.[1]

Canyon County, Idaho Record Dates[edit | edit source]

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records[2]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1907 1895 1907 1892 1892 1892 1870
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started in 1911. General compliance in the 1920s.

Quick Facts[edit | edit source]

Wikipedia
 Wikipedia has more about this subject: Canyon County, Idaho

Named for the Snake River canyon forming the natural boundary with Owyhee County.

Parent County[edit | edit source]

7 March 1891: Canyon County was created from Ada and Owyhee [3]

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

15 March 1915: Gem County created from parts of Boise and Canyon Counties

28 February 1917: Payette County created from part of Canyon County

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

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

Places/Localities[edit | edit source]

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit hometownlocator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[4]

Cities
Unincorporated communities


Resources[edit | edit source]

The types of records that follow are used for genealogy and family history. Most tell what you may learn and how to locate the records. Links to Internet sites usually go directly to Canyon County, Idaho Genealogy entries with names, images, or information.

Tip
 Don't overlook Canyon County, Idaho Genealogy items in the FamilySearch Library Catalog. For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see Archives and Libraries.


Many of the older court, land, naturalization, probate, pension, and vital records for Canyon 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 Caldwell[5].

Family History Centers[edit | edit source]

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

  • Family History 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 family history center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Nampa Idaho Family History Center

Archives and Libraries[edit | edit source]

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.

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Tombstone Transcriptions Online Tombstone Transcriptions in Print List of Cemeteries in the county
Findagrave.com Family History Library Findagrave.com
IDGenWeb WorldCat Billion Graves
IDGenWeb Archives FamilySearch Places
Tombstone Project
Idaho Gravestones
Billion Graves
See Idaho Cemeteries for more information.

There are many cemeteries in Canyon County. For a list of those that have been identified, and links to transcriptions and/or photographs of tombstones, go to Canyon 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[edit | edit source]

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
19007,497
—
191025,323237.8%
192026,9326.4%
193030,93014.8%
194040,98732.5%
195053,59730.8%
196057,6627.6%
197061,2886.3%
198083,75636.7%
199090,0767.5%
2000131,44145.9%
sources:[6][7]


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 History and Records[edit | edit source]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)[edit | edit source]
Green check.png
The usage of "Mormon" and "LDS" on this page is approved according to current policy.


  • The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Canyon County, Idaho prior to 1950.
  • Black Pine
  • Cherry Creek (Malad)
  • Curlew Stake
  • Daniels
  • Daniels W.
  • Holbrook Juniper
  • Malad Stake
  • Malad
  • Malad 1
  • Malad 2
  • Malad 3
  • Mount View
  • Pleasant View (Malad)
  • Reynolds
  • Ridgedale
  • St. John
  • Samaria
  • Stone
  • Summit
  • Wheatland
  • Woodruff


List of Churches and Church Parishes

County Commissioners' Records[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Some of the early court records of Canyon 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 Family History Library 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 Canyon County courthouse in Caldwell, Idaho, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

Some of the records of the courts of Canyon County that have been microfilmed include:

  • Power of attorney, 1865-1948; index, 1865-1976

Directories[edit | edit source]

The Gem State Rural's 1916-17 Farm Directory of Canyon County, Idaho is available at the Idaho State Archives, the Nampa Public Library, and at the University of Idaho in Moscow. 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.

History[edit | edit source]

The book Canyon County : A Treasure of Land and Its People is available at various libraries nationwide.

The Canyon County IDGenWeb has posted a brief history online.

Land and Property[edit | edit source]

Land and Property records are usually found in the county in which the transactions took place.  In Canyon county you can visit the county courthouse located in Caldwell, Idaho to access these records.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed some of the earlier Canyon County records, and these can be viewed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah has microfilmed the following land and property records found in the Canyon County courthouse which can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of itsFamily History Centers:

  • Declaration of homesteads, 1868-1919; index, 1868-1977
  • Deeds, 1865-1902; index, ca. 1865-1902

Maps[edit | edit source]

Malheur CountyPayette CountyGem CountyAda CountyOwyhee CountyID CANYON.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

In 1895 George Ogle published the "Standard Atlas of Canyon County, Idaho, Including a Plat Book of the Villages, Cities and Townships of the County; Map of the State, United States and World, Patrons Directory.”

Links to online maps include:

Migration[edit | edit source]

Early migration routes to and from Canyon County, Idaho Genealogy for European and African American settlers included:

Military History and Records[edit | edit source]

World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Canyon County have been microfilmed. Copies of these records are available at the Family History Library (their microfilm number 1452112) 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.

Soldiers Discharge Records, 1919-1945, for Canyon County have been microfilmed and are available at both the Idaho State Archives in Boise and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City or at any of the Library's Family History Centers.

Online Records[edit | edit source]

Miscellaneous Series[edit | edit source]

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 Canyon County. The originals are held in the Canyon County courthouse in Caldwell, Idaho and can be accessed by visiting there. Copies in the Idaho State Archives are available for viewing in Boise. Those held by the Family History Library can be viewed either at the Library in Salt Lake City or at any of its Family History Centers.

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Records of the naturalization of people born outside of the United States were often kept in the county courthouses of the respective counties of Idaho. One volume of Canyon County naturalization records are included in a Naturalization Index at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, available online.

Online Records

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Current[edit | edit source]


Historical[edit | edit source]

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed the following Canyon County newspapers:

Blab: 1910:10:17, 1912:8:5, 11:11
Boise Valley Herald: 1928:6:14-1968:9:26
Boise Valley Herald: 1968:09:12
Caldwell Daily News: 1907:10:5-1923:4:30
Caldwell Daily News: 1920:10:29
Caldwell Daily News: 1922:06:26
Caldwell News: 1904:12:3, 1905:12:6, 1906:11:21
Caldwell News: 1918:10:03
Caldwell News: 1926:1:7-1928: 4:5
Caldwell News-Tribune: 1928:4:12-1975:12:31
Caldwell Progress Bulletin: 1959:10:14-1959:12:2
Caldwell Record: 1897:3:3, 1901:2:27
Caldwell Record: 1897:2:17, 1898:5:11, 8:17, 1900:2:7, 2:14
Caldwell Times, 1983: 1983:1: 13-1985: 4:17
Caldwell Tribune: 1883: 12:22-1926:12:31
Caldwell Tribune: 1895:6:8, 1898:5:21, 1906:11:24
Canyon County Weekly: 1969:5:1-1971:2:25
Canyon County Weekly Herald: 1971:5:4-1975:2:27
Canyon Herald: 1975:5:6-1982:8:25
County-Wide Sunday Limelight: 1951:11:18-1952:7:13
Daily Nampa Leader-Herald: 1930:10:23-1937:8:28
Daily Nampa Leader-Herald: 1926:2:16-1936:6:11
Gateway Journal: 1995:3:9-1995:11:9
Gem State Rural: 1895:9:15-1916:9:
Idaho Conservative: 1968:05:00
Idaho Free Press: 1919:4:9-1980:6:30
Idaho Granger: 1931:5:-1946:1:
Idaho Leader, 1899: 1899:10:28-1904:12:20
Idaho Leader, 1918: 1918:8:17-24, 1920:10:2-9
Idaho Leader, 1919: 1919:1:4-1919:12:20
Idaho Leader, 1920: 1920:1:3-1920:12:18
Idaho Press-Tribune: 1980:7:1-9999
Idaho Woman: 1897:04:15
Idaho's Lamplighter: 1950:1-1954:
Middleton Gazette: 1986:5:16-1995:12:7
Middleton Herald: 1907:6:28-1928:6:7
Nampa Evening Leader: 1907:4:1-1907:8:31
Nampa Leader: 1898:05:06
Nampa Leader: 1898:5:6-1904:11:8
Nampa Leader-Herald: 1904:12:27-1930:10:21
Nampa Progress: 1889:9:14-1895:1:18
Nampa Times: 1902:8:30, 1904:5:20
News-Tribune: 1967:1:2-1980:6:30
Parma Herald: 1903:10:17-1917:10:11
Parma Review: 1909:12:3-1993:6:29
Review: 1993:6:30-1995:3:8
Shovel: Vol. 1/1 No Date
Western Canyon Chronicle: 2002:12:12-2004:6:24
Wilder Herald: 1918:6:7-1969:4:25

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Online Probate Indexes and Records

The original probate records are maintained at the Canyon County courthouse in Caldwell, Idaho. Some of the earlier records of probate cases have been microfilmed and copies are available at the Idaho State Archives and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. These include:

  • Wills, 1893-1939
  • General index to probate records, 1885-1959
  • Probate records, vols. 1-5, 1895-1926

Taxation[edit | edit source]

Existing tax assessment rolls for Canyon County should be in the county courthouse in Caldwell or in the Idaho State Archives in Boise.

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

Births[edit | edit source]

Online Records


The Birth Registers for Canyon 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 Canyon 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.

Some Idaho births and christenings(1856-1965) are online.

Marriages[edit | edit source]

Online Records

Idaho marriages 1878-1898, 1903-1942 are online. The Marriage License and Certificates, books 1-13, 1892-1938 have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. A Marriage Register, vol. 1-2, 1907-1930 and a book of Marriage Certificates, 1895-1900 are also available on microfilm the both the State Archives and the Family History Library.

Also use the Western States Marriage Index(website) to find your Canyon County marriages. There are 7,212 marriages dating from Jun 1880 to Jun 1942 in their collection.

Divorce[edit | edit source]

Online Records

Deaths[edit | edit source]

Online Records


Death registers from 1907 to 1912 have been microfilmed by the Family History Library and are available through their loan system and at the Idaho State Archives Online are Idaho deaths and burials 1907-1965.

Societies, Libraries and Museums[edit | edit source]

  • State Historical Society
    2205 Old Penitentiary Rd
    Boise, Idaho
    208-334-2774
    Website
  • Idaho Historical Society Facebook Page Website

Family History Centers[edit | edit source]

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

  • Family History 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 family history center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Websites[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Canyon County, Idaho Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ida/canyon/
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Canyon County, Idaho. Page 177-180 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), 180-181.
  3. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
  4. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Canyon County, Idaho," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canyon_County,_Idaho# Communities, accessed 29 May 2019.
  5. ↑ Idaho State Historical Society Reference Series, Number 10, Counties and County Seats, Reissued July, 1991.
  6. ↑ census.gov - Idaho population by county, 1900-90 accessed 2009-05-03
  7. ↑ quickfacts.census.gov - Canyon County accessed 2009-05-03
  8. ↑ Jim Tompkins, "The Oregon Trail 1841-1848 Map V" in Oregon Trail Landmarks at OTMap5.jpg (accessed 18 July 2011).
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