Waseca County, Minnesota Genealogy

United States

Minnesota

Waseca County

Guide to Waseca 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: Waseca Organized: February 27, 1857 Parent County(s): Steele Neighboring Counties Blue Earth • Faribault • Freeborn • Le Sueur • Rice • Steele See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

The county was named for Dakota word meaning "rich," a reference to the fertile soil in the area. The county is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Waseca County Courthouse
307 North State Street
Waseca, MN 56093
Phone: 507-835-0630
Waseca County Website

Clerk of the District Court has birth, death, probate, and court records from 1870, marriage records and divorce records from 1858.

Waseca 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	1858	1870	1870	1856	1870	1836
*Statewide registration started for births in 1900 and deaths in 1908. General compliance by 1915.

Record Loss

1865 The county courthouse, located in the then county seat of Wilton, burned in 1865. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. List of counties in the United States with Record Loss

Boundary Changes

1857--Waseca County was created 27 February 1857 from Steele County. County seat: Waseca 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
Elysian (part) Janesville New Richland	Sebeka Staples	Waldorf Waseca (County seat)
Unincorporated communities
Alma City Lake Elysian Matawan	Otisco Palmer St. Mary	Smiths Mill Vista Wilton
Townships
Alton Blooming Grove Byron Freedom	Iosco Janesville New Richland Otisco	St. Mary Vivian Wilton Woodville

Resources

Biographies

• Grable, Suzanne Malmquist. William and Mary Matz of Waseca County, Minnesota; all of their descendants and some of their ancestors. 1980. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
  
• Sheeran, Betty Brown. Ancestry, descendants and biographies of Johan Larsson : b. 1 Dec. 1863, Kvistbro, Orebro, Sweden, a former resident Bjurtjarn, Varmland, Sweden and Iosco Township, Waseca County, Minnesota and Waseca, Minnesota : of Lena Marie Edvartsdotter Olsen Sheeran of Stonegate Press, Fall City, WA, 2000. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
  
• Glamm, Carl. The Glamm and Zastrow families of Pine Island, Minnesota, Columbus, Wisconsin, and Ixonia, Concord, and Golden Lake, Jefferson County, Wisconsin : plus the Glamm families of St. Clair, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, Janesville, Waseca County, MI. Pine Island, MI, 1982. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
  

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Waseca County, Minnesota online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	BillionGraves Find a Grave Interment.net Minnestota Gravestones USGenWeb Archives
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library 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.	%±
1860	2,601	—
1870	7,854	202.0%
1880	12,385	57.7%
1890	13,313	7.5%
1900	14,760	10.9%
1910	13,466	−8.8%
1920	14,133	5.0%
1930	14,412	2.0%
1940	15,186	5.4%
1950	14,957	−1.5%
1960	16,041	7.2%
1970	16,663	3.9%
1980	18,448	10.7%
1990	18,079	−2.0%
2000	19,526	8.0%
2010	19,136	−2.0%
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
  

Lutheran
1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($)

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

• 1964-1992 Funeral Records, ca. 1964-1992(*) Kinder Home for Funerals at FamilySearch Catalog —images
• Dennis Steffel Omtvedt Funeral and Cremation Service in Janesville and Waseca.
• Friedrich's Funeral Home in New Richland.

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 Waseca 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.

• Child, James E. (James Erwin). Child's history of Waseca County, Minnesota : from its first settlement in 1854 to the close of the year 1904, a record of fifty years : the story of the pioneers. 1905. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, Internet Archive; Database at Ancestry ($).
  
• Vicotry, Waseca County, Minnesota in the World War The Journal Radical, Waseca, MN, May 1919. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust
  
• Fostveit, Donna M. Waseca County, Minnesota, landowners of record - 1879 : a special project in commemoration of the 125th anniversary of Waseca county, Minnesota The Waseca Historical Society, 1982. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
  
• History of Steele and Waseca counties, Minnesota : an album of history and biography, history of Minnesota. Union Publishing Co, Chicago, 1887. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive; Database available at Ancestry($).

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, Waseca 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 ($)
• 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)

Civil Wars

• 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 Waseca 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 Waseca County.

- 4th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.

- 5th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company F.

- 10th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company F.

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, images ($)
• 1918-1941 Minnesota, World War I Records, 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
• 1917-1918 Waseca County in the World War.Minneapolis, Minnesota : Augsburg Pub. House, 1920?

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, images ($)
• 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
• 1856-1951 Probate Case Files (Estates), ca. 1856-1916 ; Indexes ca. 1856-1951(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1858-1963 Will Records, 1858-1963(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1870-1960 Minnesota, Waseca County, Probate Indexes, 1870-1960's(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
• 1886-1979 Minnesota, Waseca County, Will Records, 1886-1979(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
• 1903-1925 Probate Records, 1903-1925(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & 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.
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

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 Waseca County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Minnesota Archives and Libraries.

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

• Faribault Minnesota FamilySearch Center
• Mankato Minnesota FamilySearch Center
• Cannon Falls Library - an affiliate library.
• Waseca County History Center - an affiliate library.

Libraries

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

Waseca-Le Sueur Regional Library System
408 N State St
Waseca, MN 56093
Phone: 507-835-2910
Email: libtlr@tds.lib.mn.us
Website
Facebook

Museums

Waseca County History Center
315 Second Ave NE
PO Box 314
Waseca, MN 56093
Phone: 507-835-7700
Email: info@historical.waseca.mn.us
Website
Facebook

Societies

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

Waseca County Historical Society
315 Second Ave NE
PO Box 314
Waseca, MN 56093
Phone: 507-835-7700
Email: info@historical.waseca.mn.us
Website
Facebook

Websites

• Waseca County, a member of MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of USGenWeb Project.
• Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
• Waseca County, a member of MN USGenWeb Archives, an affiliate ofGenWeb Archives
• 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.