Wabasha County, Minnesota Genealogy

United States

Minnesota

Wabasha County

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

Minnesota Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Wabasha Organized: March 1, 1856 Parent County(s): non-county area Neighboring Counties Buffalo (WI) • Goodhue • Olmsted • Pepin (WI) • Winona See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

The county was named for three successive chiefs of Mississippi bands of Dakota Indians. The county is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse

Wabasha County Courthouse
625 Jefferson Avenue
Wabasha, MN 55981
Phone: 651-412-8627
Wabasha County Website

County Recorder has birth and death records from 1870, marriage records from 1865 and land records from 1855.
Court Administration has divorce, probate and court records from 1858.
Veterans Service Office has military records.

Wabasha County, Minnesota 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
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1870	1865	1870	1858	1855	1858	1836
*Statewide registration started for births in 1900 and deaths in 1908. General compliance by 1915.

Record Loss

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

Boundary Changes

Parent Counties: Created from non-county area October 27 1849. Organized date: March 1, 1856 County seat: Wabasha Minnesota Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Minnesota Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Minnesota 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:

Cities
Bellechester Elgin Hammond Kellogg	Lake City Mazeppa Millville Minneiska	Plainview Wabasha Zumbro Falls
Unincorporated communities
Bear Valley Camp Lacupolis Conception Dumfries Jarrett	Maple Springs Oak Center Reads Landing South Troy Theilman	Weaver West Albany West Newton
Townships
Chester Elgin Gillford Glasgow Greenfield Highland	Hyde Park Lake Mazeppa Minneiska Mount Pleasant Oakwood	Pepin Plainview Watopa West Albany Zumbro

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Wabasha County, Minnesota online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	BillionGraves Find a Grave MN Tombstone Transcription Project MNGenWeb USGenWeb Archives
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	FamilySearch Places Find a Grave
See Minnesota Cemeteries for more information.

 

Census Records

For links to Federal, State, and Territorial censuses, see Minnesota Census.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	243	—
1860	7,228	2874.5%
1870	15,850	119.3%
1880	18,206	14.9%
1890	16,972	−6.8%
1900	18,924	11.5%
1910	18,554	−2.0%
1920	17,919	−3.4%
1930	19,613	9.5%
1940	17,653	−10.0%
1950	16,878	−4.4%
1960	17,007	0.8%
1970	17,224	1.3%
1980	19,335	12.3%
1990	19,744	2.1%
2000	21,610	9.5%
2010	21,676	0.3%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

State Census

• 1835-1890 Minnesota, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at Ancestry ($)
• 1849-1905 Minnesota, U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at Ancestry ($)
• 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

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.

• FamilySearch Places
  

Directories

• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Emigration and Immigration

• 1912-1956 Minnesota Passenger and Crew Lists, 1912-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.

Funeral Homes

• Abbott Funeral Home and Crematory in Wabasha.
• Mahn Family Funeral and Cremation Services in Lake City.
• Schad and Zabel Funeral Homes in Plainview.
• Schleicher Funeral Homes and Cremations Services in Lake City and Plainview.

Land and Property Records

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

• Pre-1908 Minnesota, 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

Local histories are available for Wabasha 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.

• Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. History of Wabasha County, Minnesota H.C. Cooper & Co. Winona, MN, 1920. Online at:FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
• History of Wabasha County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc : also a history of Winona County H.H. Hill Publishing Co., 1884 Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, Internet Archive.

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Minnesota Maps at David Rumsey Map Collection
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
• Minnesota Department of Transportation, Wabasha County municipality and township maps

Military Records

Multiple Wars

• 1861-1917 United States Civil War and Later Pension Index, 1861-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Free index, images ($)
• 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry; Free index

Civil War

• 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry; Free index
• 1861-1865 Minnesota, U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry; Free index
• 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry; Free index
• 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry; Free index

Civil War service men from Wabasha County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Wabasha County.

- 1st Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.

- 1st Regiment, Minnesota Heavy Artillery, Company G.

- 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company C.

- 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Companies A and M.

- 3rd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Companies G and I.

- 5th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Companies G and H.

- 8th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company G.

- 9th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company K

- 10th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company C.

Spanish-American War

• 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898  at Ancestry; Free index
• 1898-1899 Minnesota, 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; Free index
• 1918-1941 Minnesota, World War I Records, 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection

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; Free index
• 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry; Free index

Naturalization and Citizenship

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 Minnesota, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at Ancestry ($)
• 1918 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Alien Registration Index, 1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Newspapers

• Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society; narrow to county or city, 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

• 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 collection)

Probate Records

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
• 1856-1974 Minnesota, Wabasha County, Will Records, 1856-1974(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Social Security Records

• 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.

Tax Records

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

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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 1970-1995 Minnesota, U.S., Divorce Index, 1970-1995 at Ancestry ($)
• 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Wabasha County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Minnesota Archives and Libraries.

• Inventory of the county archives of Minnesota, no. 79, Wabasha County (Wabasha). St. Paul, MN 1939. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

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

• Austin Minnesota FamilySearch Center
• Faribault Minnesota FamilySearch Center
• Lakeville Minnesota FamilySearch Center
• Rochester Minnesota FamilySearch Center
• Cannon Falls Library - an affiliate library.
• Goodhue County Historical Society Research Library - an affiliate library.
• Rochester Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Wabasha County. For state-wide library facilities, see Minnesota Archives and Libraries.

Lake City Public Library
201 S High St
Lake City, MN 55041
Phone: 651-345-4013
Email: lcpl@selco.info
Website
Facebook

Plainview Public Library
345 1st Ave NW
Plainview, MN 55964
Phone: 507-534-3425
Email: pla_dir@selco.info
Website
Facebook

Wabasha Public Library
168 Alleghany Ave
Wabasha, MN
Phone: 651-565-3927
Email: wab_dir@selco.info
Website
Facebook

Museums

Lake City Historical Society Museum
205 W Center St
PO Box 246
Lake City, MN 55041
Phone: 612-889-0942
Email: info@lakecityhistoricalsociety.org
Website
Facebook

Plainview Area History Center
40 4th Street SW
Plainview, MN 55964
Email: plainviewmnhistory@gmail.com
Website
Facebook

Wabasha County Historical Society Museum
70537 206th Ave
PO Box 255
Reads Landing, MN 55968
Email: info@wabashacountyhistory.org
Website
Facebook

Societies

Listed below are societies in Wabasha County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Minnesota Societies.

Lake City Historical Society
205 W Center St
PO Box 246
Lake City, MN 55041
Phone: 612-889-0942
Email: info@lakecityhistoricalsociety.org
Website
Facebook

Plainview Area History Center
40 4th Street SW
Plainview, MN 55964
Phone: 507-534-4173
Email: plainviewmnhistory@gmail.com
Website
Facebook

Wabasha County Historical Society
PO Box 255
Lake City, MN 55041
Phone: 877-525-3248
Email: info@wabashacountyhistory.org
Website
Facebook

Websites

• Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
• Wabasha County, a member of MNGenWeb Archives
• Wabasha County, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
• Iron Range Research Center
• Cyndi's List: Wabasha County
• Minnesota Genealogy Trails
• 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.