Idaho

GUTHRIE RESEARCH BY LOCATION

Idaho Admitted to the Union as the 43rd state on July 3, 1890. The Idaho Territory was organized on March 3, 1863, from parts of the Washington, Dakota, and Nebraska territories. Early settlement was driven by mining booms, railroad development, and homesteading in the late 19th century. Vital records, land deeds, and probate documents are primarily held at the county level, with some statewide indexes available from 1911 onward (births/deaths) and earlier county-level collections.

County Formations and Historical Notes

Idaho’s county boundaries evolved rapidly during the territorial period and early statehood, which is critical for tracing Guthrie ancestors who may have appeared under different jurisdictions over time. Key early formations include:

  • 1863–1864: Owyhee (first county, Dec. 1863), Oneida, Shoshone, Nez Perce, Idaho, Boise, and Ada counties.
  • 1869 onward: Lemhi (1869); many more added post-statehood.
  • By 1890 (statehood): 18 counties existed.
  • 1895–1919: Major reorganizations, including mergers (e.g., Alturas and Logan into Blaine) and the creation of 21 new counties between 1911–1919, bringing the total to 44 today.

For full details, maps, and parent counties, see the List of counties in Idaho on Wikipedia. Researchers should always verify the county at the exact time of an event, as many records remain at the local courthouse or have been microfilmed/digitized selectively.

Key Online Resources

Additional starting points: Idaho County Birth and Death Records (1883–1929), Idaho Marriage Records (1863–1969), and Western States Marriage Index (via BYU-Idaho).

Guthrie Family Group Connections in Idaho

No primary Guthrie Family Group (GFG) branches are currently documented as originating in Idaho Territory or the early state period in our database. However, several Guthrie families migrated westward and homesteaded here in the late 19th/early 20th centuries, often from Midwest or other western states. These lines may connect to established GFGs via DNA or further research. Submissions of lineage details, photos, or documents are always welcome to help classify them.

Notable Early Guthrie Settlers in Boundary County (Kootenai Valley / Copeland area) Boundary County (formed 1915 from Bonner) saw significant homesteading in the 1890s–1900s. The following brothers from the same family are highlighted in the History of Northern Idaho (1903) as prosperous farmers and stockmen near Copeland:

  • James H. Guthrie (b. February 6, 1863, Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa) — Son of R. J. and Eliza J. (Poland) Guthrie (natives of Ohio). He settled in the county in the late 1890s, owning a substantial farm and stock operation one mile north of Copeland. Engaged in general farming, dairying, and stock raising. Described as a man of energy and good ability who achieved worthy success.
  • Chancey Edwin Guthrie (b. July 31, 1879, Tama County, Iowa) — Also son of R. J. and Eliza J. Guthrie. Homesteader one mile north of Copeland. Worked as a salesman before claiming land; noted as a young, enterprising farmer and stockman contributing to local development.
  • Marion Guthrie — Brother in the same family; also represented in the 1903 county biographies for his contributions to the Copeland area.

These Guthries exemplify the pioneer wave that transformed northern Idaho’s valleys into agricultural communities. Later descendants remained in the Bonners Ferry / Copeland region (e.g., Chauncey Guthrie family in the 20th century). Search FamilySearch or Ancestry for their census, marriage, and land records to trace potential GFG links.

Idaho Vital Records and Probate Highlights

  • Marriages: County-level from 1864 (FamilySearch Idaho County Marriages collection). Statewide index begins 1911. Early records are at the county clerk where the license was issued.
  • Births/Deaths: County records from 1883; statewide death certificates from 1911. Many digitized on FamilySearch and Ancestry.
  • Probate and Land: Held at county courthouses or microfilmed at the State Archives. Federal land patents (homesteads) are searchable via the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) GLO website—useful for confirming Guthrie claims in the 1890s–1910s.
  • Censuses: Federal enumerations begin with the 1870 Idaho Territory census (territory-wide); state and territorial censuses are limited but available in some collections.

Research Tips for Guthries in Idaho:

  • Start with county-specific searches (e.g., Boundary, Bonner, Ada, Fremont) due to decentralized early records.
  • Use the Idaho Digital Newspaper Project (Chronicling America) for obituaries, land notices, or pioneer stories.
  • Cross-reference with DNA projects: Y-DNA or autosomal matches may link these western Guthries back to colonial GFG lines (e.g., via Midwest origins).
  • Edge cases: Pre-1863 records would fall under Washington Territory or Oregon; post-1919 county creations may split earlier documents.

Calls to Action

If you have Guthrie ancestors in Idaho (or access to local courthouse books, family Bibles, or unindexed records), please share details, photos, or transcripts—we can add them to the blog or GFG database. Visits to the Idaho State Archives in Boise or local historical societies often uncover unique manuscripts and oral histories not yet digitized.

This page will be updated as new research surfaces. Check back or contact us with contributions!