Fillmore County, Minnesota Genealogy
Guide to Fillmore County, Minnesota ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for Millard Fillmore, thirteenth President of the United States. The county is located in the southeast area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Fillmore County Courthouse
101 Fillmore St
Preston, MN 55965
Phone: 507-765-3356 (Court Administration)
Phone: 507-765-4701
Fillmore County Website
County Administrator has birth and death records from 1870, marriage records from 1865, divorce and court records from 1885 and probate records from 1858.
County Recorder has land records.[4]
Fillmore County, Minnesota Record Dates[edit | edit source]
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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1870 | 1865 | 1870 | 1885 | 1853 | 1858 | 1836 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[8]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Willford, William; and White, Milo; History of Fillmore County, Minnesota; (Chicago: H.C. Cooper, Jr & Co; 1912); Volume two (biographical] online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books.
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For links to Federal, State, and Territorial censuses, see Minnesota Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 13,542 | — |
| 1870 | 24,887 | 83.8% |
| 1880 | 28,162 | 13.2% |
| 1890 | 25,996 | −7.7% |
| 1900 | 28,288 | 8.8% |
| 1910 | 25,680 | −9.2% |
| 1920 | 25,330 | −1.4% |
| 1930 | 24,748 | −2.3% |
| 1940 | 25,830 | 4.4% |
| 1950 | 24,465 | −5.3% |
| 1960 | 23,768 | −2.8% |
| 1970 | 21,916 | −7.8% |
| 1980 | 21,930 | 0.1% |
| 1990 | 20,777 | −5.3% |
| 2000 | 21,122 | 1.7% |
| 2010 | 20,866 | −1.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1835-1890 , U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at Ancestry ($)
- 1849-1905 , U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at Ancestry ($)
- 1865 Minnesota State Census, 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1875 Minnesota State Census, 1875 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1885 Minnesota State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1905 Minnesota State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information, see Minnesota Church Records.
Lutheran
- 1800-1988 Evangelical Lutheran Church of America at Minnesota Historical Society ($)
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($) has the following information:
- American Lutheran Church, Rushford
- American Lutheran Church, Spring Valley
- Bloomfield Lutheran Church, Ostrander
- First Lutheran Church, Whalan
- Greenfield Lutheran Church, Harmony
- Henrytown Lutheran Church, Canton
- Highland Prairie Lutheran Church, Peterson
- Mabel Lutheran Church
- Ostrander Lutheran Church
- American Lutheran Church, Rushford
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1853-1901 Miscellaneous Records, 1853-1901(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- 1912-1956 Minnesota Passenger and Crew Lists, 1912-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Hindt Funeral Homes in Preston, Spring Valley and Wykoff.
- Hoff Funeral and Cremation Services in Rushford.
- Lindstrom Funeral Homes in Harmony.
- Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel.
- Riley Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in Chatfield and Lanesboro.
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
The county register of deeds keeps land records once the land was transferred to private ownership. Abstracts and indexes for these records are generally available at the county courthouse.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1852-1908 Deed records, 1852-1908 at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes; then select the camera icon to view images.
- Pre-1908 , U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Fillmore County. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Minnesota Local Histories.
- Neill, Edward D. and Bryant, Charles S.; History of Fillmore County: including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota; (Minneapolis: Minnesota Historical Company 1882); Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, HathiTrust.
- Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Willford, William; and White, Milo; History of Fillmore County, Minnesota; (Chicago: H.C. Cooper, Jr & Co; 1912); Volume one online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books; Ancestry Database ($)
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Minnesota Maps at David Rumsey Map Collections
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Minnesota Department of Transportation, Fillmore County municipality and township maps
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Multiple Wars
- 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)
Civil War
- 1861-1865 U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (Free collection)
- 1861-1865 , U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free collection)
- 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry (Free collection)
- 1861-1917 United States Civil War and Later Pension Index, 1861-1917 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry (free Index)
Civil War service men from Fillmore County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are many companies or regiments that were formed from men of Fillmore County.
- - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry (Mounted Rangers), Companies F and I.
- - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Heavy Artillery, Company D.
- - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Company A.
- - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company A.
- - 3rd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company C.
- - 5th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company B.
- - 6th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company K.
- - 7th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company E.
- - 8th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company D.
- - 11th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.
- - 15th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company K.
- - Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry, Company D.
Spanish-American War
- 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898 at Ancestry (Free collection)
- 1898-1899 , U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at Ancestry (Free index)
World War I
- 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)
- 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($)
- 1918-1941 Minnesota, World War I Records, 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- In the Wold War: Fillmore County, Minnesota, (Lanesboro, Minn.: Ola M. Lavang); Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Minnesota Reflections, Internet Archive.
World War II
- 1940-1947 Minnesota, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1940-1947 U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 at Ancestry ($)
- 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry ($)
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1849-1985 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at Ancestry (Free Collection)
- 1872-1962 Minnesota Naturalization Records and Indexes, 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1880-1920 , U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at Ancestry ($)
- 1918 Web: , U.S., Alien Registration Index, 1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society — narrow to county (55 listed) or city (106 listed), search for surname, limit by date.
- 1800s-Current Minnesota, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1813-Onward Minnesota Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1865-2006 Minnesota Obituaries 1865-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1891-2003 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Obituary Index, 1891-2003 at Ancestry (Free Index)
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records may include wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. They may include the decedent’s date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, etc. See Minnesota Probate Records for additional information.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1801-1925 Minnesota, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at Ancestry ($)
- 1849-1985 Minnesota Will Records, 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1858-1944 Will Records, 1858-1944(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1858-1965 Minnesota, Fillmore County, Will Records, 1858-1965(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Since Minnesota tax records include only persons who owned taxable property, many residents were not included. Still they complement land records and can be used in place of missing censuses or the years between censuses. There may also be gaps. For more information, see the wiki page Minnesota Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also Minnesota Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1840-1980 Minnesota, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980 at Ancestry ($)
- 1900-1934 Minnesota People Records Search - Births at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 1900-1934 Minnesota, Birth Index, 1900-1934 at MyHeritage; index ($)
- 1935-2000 Minnesota, U.S., Birth Index, 1935-2000 at Ancestry ($)
- Minnesota, Births at MyHeritage — index ($)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1850-2019 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2019 at Ancestry (Free collection)
- 1850-Onward Minnesota, Marriages at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1860-1949 Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1885-present Minnesota Official Marriage System at MOMS.mn.gov; search by county, name or date, and request copy.
- 1970-2003 Minnesota Marriage Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)
- 1976-2003 Minnesota, Marriages, 1976-2003 at MyHeritage; index ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1850-2001 Minnesota, County Deaths, 1850-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1887-2001 Minnesota Deaths, 1887-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1904-2001 Minnesota People Records Search - Deaths at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 1904-2001 Minnesota, Death Index, 1904-2001 at MyHeritage; index ($)
- 1908-2017 Minnesota, U.S., Death Index, 1908-2017 at Ancestry ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1970-1995 Minnesota, U.S., Divorce Index, 1970-1995 at Ancestry ($)
- 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Fillmore County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Minnesota Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]
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
- Austin Minnesota FamilySearch Center]
- LaCrosse Wisconsin FamilySearch Center
- Rochester Minnesota FamilySearch Center
- La Crosse Public Library-Archives Department - an affiliate library.
- Rochester Public Library - an affiliate library.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Fillmore County. For state-wide library facilities, see Minnesota Archives and Libraries.
Chatfield Public Library
314 S Main St S
Chatfield, MN 55923
Phone: 507-867-3480
Email: chat_dir@selco.info
Website
Facebook
Fillmore County Historical Society Museum and Library
202 County Rd 8
Fountain, MN 55935
Phone: 507-268-4449
Email: info@fillmorecountyhistory.org
Website
Facebook
Harmony Public Library
225 3rd Ave SW
Harmony, MN 55939
Phone: 507-886-8133
Email: smorse@selco.info
Website
Facebook
Lanesboro Public Library
202 Parkway Ave S
PO Box 330
Lanesboro, MN 55949
Phone: 507-467-2649
Email: tjohnson@selco.info
Website
Facebook
Mabel Public Library
110 E Newburg
PO Box 118
Mabel, MN 55954
Phone: 507-493-5336
Email: mab_dir@selco.info
Website
Facebook
Preston Public Library
101 St Paul St NW
Preston, MN 55965
Phone: 507-765-4511
Email: preston_ill@selco.info
Website
Facebook
Rushford Public Library
101 Mill St N
PO Box 250
Rushford, MN 55971
Phone: 507-864-7600
Email: rush_dir@selco.info
Website
Facebook
Spring Valley Public Library
121 W Jefferson St
Spring Valley, MN 55975
Phone: 507-346-2100
Email: sv_dir@selco.info
Website
Facebook
Museums[edit | edit source]
1877 Peterson Station Museum
118 Fillmore St
PO Box 138
Preston, MN 55965
Phone: 507-875-2415
Email: johdar@acegroup.cc
Website
Facebook
Canton Depot
Intersection of Main Street and Prairie Avenue
PO Box 15
Canton, MN 55922
Website
Chatfield Historical Museum and Archives
Thurber Community Center, Lower Level
21 Second St SE
Chatfield, MN 55923
Website
Ed's Museum
Wykoff Area Historical Society
100 Gold St S
PO Box 182
Wykoff, MN 55990-8710
Phone: 507-951-5734
Email: cjbmeyer@gmail.com
Facebook
Fillmore County Historical Society Museum and Library
202 County Rd 8
Fountain, MN 55935
Phone: 507-268-4449
Email: info@fillmorecountyhistory.org
Website
Facebook
Mitson House Museum
Canton Historical Society
307 N Main St
Canton, MN 55922
Email: cantonhist@comcast.net
Website
Rushford Area Historical Society Museum
401 S Elm St
PO Box 98
Rushford, MN 55971-0098
Phone: 507-864-7560
Email: rahsdepot@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Spring Valley Methodist Church Museum
Spring Valley Community Historical Society
221 W Courtland St
Spring Valley, MN 55975
Phone: 507-346-7659
Website
Facebook
Veterans Memorial Museum
Chatfield Public Library, Lower Level
314 S Main St
Chatfield, MN 55923
Phone: 507-867-9094, 507-867-3756
Website
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Fillmore County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Minnesota Societies.
Fillmore County Historical Society
202 County Rd 8
Fountain, MN 55935
Phone: 507-268-4449
Email: info@fillmorecountyhistory.org
Website
Facebook
Harmony Area Historical Society
15 2nd St NW
PO Box 291
Harmony, MN 55939
Phone: 507-886-2469
Email: wiselcreek@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Preston Historical Society
PO Box 138
Preston, MN 55965
Email: prestonhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Rushford Area Historical Society
401 S Elm St
PO Box 98
Rushford, MN 55971-0098
Phone: 507-864-7560
Email: rahsdepot@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Spring Valley Community Historical Society
220 W Courtland St
Spring Valley, MN 55975
Phone: 507-346-7659
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Minnesota Historical Society
- Fillmore County at USGenWeb Archives
- Fillmore County MNGenWeb, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- Cyndi's List: Fillmore County
- Iron Range Research Center The Iron Range Research Center contains one of the largest collections of genealogical and local history research materials in the Upper Midwest and includes census, naturalization records, passenger arrival records, mining company newsletters, and a survey of Women in Industry taken in 1919, among many others.
- 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Minnesota Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
- ↑ Minnesota Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Fillmore County, Minnesota" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fillmore_County,_Minnesota accessed 12 Nov 2018
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Minnesota.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Minnesota.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Minnesota Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Minnesota.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Fillmore County, Minnesota," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fillmore_County,_Minnesota, accessed 27 January 2020.