Owyhee County Idaho Genealogy

Founded: December 31, 1863

Named for: lost Hawaiian trappers

County Seat: Murphy

Search Free Owyhee County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History Records Online including census, cemetery, vital, military and other genealogical and historical records that can be used for your family history research.

Owyhee County, Idaho genealogy and family history page is a place where you can come in and research your genealogy and family history. We also do our best to provide a history of the area, to provide you with an overview of the time in which your ancestors lived.

We regret that are unable to do personal research for you. All genealogical and family history records we come across are being added to this website. Please keep checking back.

History

This area was the territory of Western Shoshone, Northern Paiute, and Bannock peoples and their ancestors for thousands of years prior to the arrival of Americans. Conflicts over land use and resources led to the indigenous peoples being pushed aside.

On December 31, 1863, Owyhee County became the first county organized by the Idaho Territory Legislature. While Boise, Idaho, Nez Perce, and Shoshone counties were organized under the laws of Washington Territory, they were not recognized by the Idaho Territory until February 1864. The original county seat at Ruby City was moved to nearby Silver City in 1867.

Owyhee County's original boundary was the portion of Idaho Territory south of the Snake River and west of the Rocky Mountains. Less than a month after the creation of Owyhee County, Oneida County was formed in January 1864 from the eastern portion of the county. The formation of Cassia County in 1879 took further territory in the east.

Communities

Cities: Grand View, Homedale, Marsing.

Census-designated places: Bruneau, Murphy.

Unincorporated communities: Claytonia, Murphy Hot Springs, Oreana, Reynolds, Riddle.

Ghost towns: De Lamar, Dewey, Grasmere, Ruby City, Silver City, Wickahoney.

Free Owyhee County Idaho Genealogy Records Online

Biographies	Birth Records	Cemetery Records	Census Records
Church Records	Cities & Towns	County Records	Death Records
Family Bibles	History Topics	Marriage Records	Military Records
Miscellaneous Data	Newspaper Data	Obituaries	School Records
Wills/Probate Records

Adjacent Counties

Canyon County – north
Ada County – north
Elmore County – north
Twin Falls County – east
Elko County, Nevada – south/Pacific Time Border
Humboldt County, Nevada – southwest/Pacific Time Border
Malheur County, Oregon – west

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