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Stearns County, Minnesota
Stearns was created on February 20, 1855 from Cass, Nicollet, Pierce and Sibley Counties. The County was named after Charles Thomas Stearns, member of the council of the territorial legislature, 1854-55.. The County Seat is St. Cloud.
Counties adjacent to Stearns County are Todd County (north), Morrison County (north), Benton County (east), Sherburne County (east), Wright County, Meeker County (south), Kandiyohi County (south), Pope County (west), Douglas County (northwest).
Stearns County Cities and Towns Include Albany, Avon, Belgrade, Brooten, Clearwater, Cold Spring, Eden Valley, Elrosa, Freeport, Greenwald, Holdingford, Kimball, Lake Henry, Meire Grove, Melrose, New Munich, Paynesville, Richmond, Rockville, Roscoe, Sartell, Sauk Centre, Spring Hill, St. Anthony, St. Augusta, St. Cloud, St. Joseph, St. Martin, St. Rosa, St. Stephen, Waite Park. Townships Include Albany, Ashley, Avon, Brockway, Collegeville, Crow Lake, Crow River, Eden Lake, Fair Haven, Farming, Getty, Grove, Holding, Krain, Lake George, Lake Henry, Le Sauk, Luxemburg, Lynden, Maine Prairie, Melrose, Millwood, Munson, North Fork, Oak, Paynesville, Raymond, Sauk Centre, Spring Hill, St. Joseph, St. Martin, St. Wendel, Wakefield, Zion Townships. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.
- Submit a Website or Report Incorrect Information
- The Stearns County Official Government Website
- Historical Newspapers from Minnesota (1849 - 1922) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
- Minnesota Genealogy Network - Facebook.com
- Search the Minnesota USGenWeb Archives
- Family History Library
- Minnesota Historical Records
- County History
- Stearns County, Minnesota History Books at Amazon.com
Records at the Stearns County Courthouse
See Also Minnesota Land Records, Marriage Records, Court, Tax & Probate Records
All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link, by contacting the Phone number below for each department or contacting the County Courthouse at ?. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. At some time
Stearns County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1870, Marriage Records from 1870, Death Records from 1870 and Land Records from 1855.
The Recorders Office is responsible for all the real estate records for properties located in the County. Permanent records of deeds, mortgages and other various real estate records are recorded/filed in this office. As Local Registrar, the office protects and issues certified copies of Birth and Death records, Marriage Certificates & Military Discharge Records.
Stearns County Court Administrator's Office has Probate Records from 1859 and has Court Records from 1857. Records Research and Searches Department
The Court Administrator's Office maintains court files for Civil, Criminal, Traffic, Probate, Conciliation, Juvenile, Tax and Family Court matters.
Access to or copies of probate files are restricted according to guidelines in Minnesota Statute 524.2-515. The Stearns County District Court has maintained files from 1973 to the present. Records from 1864 to 1982 can be found by contacting the Minnesota Historical Society's Research Center.
Criminal cases are public in Minnesota, with some limited exceptions according to guidelines in Minnesota Rules of Court. People interested in criminal histories are usually looking for statewide information, and so a check with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) usually makes more sense. You can find more information on BCA public inquiries at ww.dps.state.mn.us/bca/CJIS/documents/cjis-intro.html. For older criminal cases, Stearns County District Court maintains case records from 1946 to present. The Minnesota Historical Society maintains case records from 1858 to 1949.
Access to or copies of civil case files, which include divorce records, may be restricted according to guidelines in Minnesota Rules of Court. The Stearns County District court maintains civil case records from 1946 to present. The Minnesota Historical Society maintains civil case records from 1858 to 1949.
For more information, you can email the Minnesota Historical Society Research Center, or you can visit their website. If the Minnesota Historical Society does not have the record you want within the time frame listed, check back with our Court Service Center. The Stearns County District Court does have some older records on file which are also available.
Stearns County Treasurers Office - The treasurer is responsible for keeping a complete accounting of all monies collected and expended by all the county departments. This includes the investing of available funds and accurately distributing the interest received. The department is also responsible for the collection of taxes and distribution to the various taxing entities within the County.
Below is a list of online resources for Stearns County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Stearns County Court Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Stearns Co. Court Records
- Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
- Minnesota Naturalization Records Index, 1854-1957: An index to the microfilmed Minnesota Naturalization Records
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
- Minnesota Land Records: This database contains information on Minnesota (U.S.A.) land records. The database comes from the Bureau of Land Management's Minnesota Pre-1908 Homestaed and Cash Entry Patent and Cadastral Survey Plat Index. Information recorded in the collection includes patentee name, land office, legal description, etc.
- Stearns County, Minnesota Court Books at Amazon.com
Stearns County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records
See Also Research In Vital Records or Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records in Minnesota
Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.
All birth certificates filed in Stearns County from 1870 to present are located at the License Center, Room 125 in the Stearns County Administration Center. Statewide birth certificates are kept on file from 1935 to present. Access to or copies of birth certificates are restricted according to the guidelines in Minnesota Statute 144.225, subd. 7.
All recorded death certificates are located at the License Center, Room 125 in the Stearns County Administration Center. The License Center has death certificates filed in Stearns County from 1870 to present, and has records of statewide death certificates since 1997. Access to or copies of death certificates are restricted according to the guidelines in Minnesota Statute 144.225, subd. 7.
All marriage records are located at the License Center, Room 125 in the Stearns County Administration Center. Applications and certificates of marriage applied for in Stearns County are kept on record from 1865 to present.
Minnesota Department of Health, Attention: Office of the State Registrar, P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164. It is no longer necessary to go to the registrar's office of the county where the birth or death took place. You may go to a registrar's office in any county in Minnesota for births that took place during of after 1900 and for deaths that took place during or after 1997. They have the following records:
- Avalible since 1900 to 3 months ago.
- Cost: $16.00 for Certified and $13.00 for Non-Certified Certificates. For births that took place before 1900, go to the local registrar office in the county where the birth took place.
- Processing Time: Filled requests take 4-6 weeks when ordered by mail (Application for Certified and Non-certified) or 2-5 Days when you order online.
- Avalible since Jan 1908.
- Cost: $13.00 for Certified and Non-Certified Certificates. For deaths that took place before 1900, go to the local registrar office in the county where the death took place.
- Processing Time: Filled requests take 4-6 weeks when ordered by mail (Application for Certified and Non-certified) or 2-5 Days when you order online.
- Certified copies may be available from the Local Registrar in the county where the license was issued or you can order them online.
- Certified copies may be available from the Local Registrar in the county where the divorce was granted.
- You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from Vital Records from Archives.com: Order Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records Online!
- The Dept of Health no longer accepts walk-in or phone orders because of a change in Minnesota law. However, you may complete your requests by mail or online.
Below is a list of online resources for Stearns County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Stearns County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Stearns Co. Vital Records
- Vital Records from Archives.com: Order Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records Online!
- Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research.
- Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com!
- Find thousands of historical Minnesota newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
- Minnesota Birth Index, 1935-2002: This database is an index created by the Minnesota Department of Health to approximately 5.2 million births occurring in the State of Minnesota, USA, between 1935 and 2002. Information contained in this index includes child's full name, father's full name, mother's maiden name, birth date, birth county, and state file number.
- Minnesota Marriage Collection, 1958-2001: This database is an index to individuals who were married in the state of Minnesota (U.S.A.) from 1958-2001. Information that may be found in this database for each entry includes bride and groom's full names, their ages, birth dates, and marriage date and place.
- Minnesota Divorce Index, 1970-1995: This database contains a statewide index of divorces filed in Minnesota between 1970 and 1995. Information that may be found in this database includes: husband's name and age, wife's name and age, divorce date, and divorce county.
- Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002: This database is an index of deaths recorded by the State of Minnesota, USA, from 1908 to 2002. The index includes: name of the deceased, city and county of death, date of death, birth date, birthplace, mother's maiden name, and state file number.
- Stearns County, Minnesota Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
Stearns County Census Records
See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Minnesota
Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable
Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Stearns County, Minnesota are 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1910, 1920 and 1940. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Stearns County, Minnesota are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.
Below is a list of online resources for Stearns County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Stearns County Census Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Stearns Co. Census Records
- Census Records at Archives.com
- Minnesota Census, 1835-90: This database contains indexes to the Minnesota (U.S.A.) portions of the 1850-1880 U.S. Federal Censuses as well as indexes to the 1835-1839 Tax Lists, 1849 Territorial Census, and the 1890 Veteran's Schedule. Information contained in these indexes can include name, state, county, township, year of record, and name of record set.
- Minnesota Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905: This database contains the Minnesota territorial and state censuses from 1849-1905. Information available for an individual will vary according to the census year and the information requested on the census form. Some of the information contained in this database though includes: name, enumeration place, age, gender, race, and birthplace.
- Census Online - Minnesota Census Records
- The USGenWeb Archives Minnesota CENSUS IMAGES PROJECT
- Stearns County, Minnesota Census Books at Amazon.com
- Census & Voter Lists
Stearns County Maps & Atlases
See Also Statewide Maps that exist for Minnesota
Below is a list of online resources for Stearns County Maps. Email us with websites containing Stearns County Maps by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Stearns Co. Maps
- County Subdivision Outline Map and County Location Index
- The USGenWeb Archives Digital Map Library
- Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Minnesota Maps
- Stearns County, Minnesota Map Books at Amazon.com
- Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.
Stearns County Military Records
See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Minnesota
Below is a list of online resources for Stearns County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Stearns County Military Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Stearns Co. Military Records
- Minnesota Civil War Soldiers: List of over 26,000 soldiers mustered from Minnesota during the American Civil War
- Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection: This database indexes names of persons from Minnesota who enlisted in the Spanish American War.
- Minnesota Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
- National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006; Phone: (202) 628-1776
- Minnesota Society of Sons of the American Revolution
- National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
- Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Minnesota (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
- Stearns County, Minnesota Military Books at Amazon.com
- Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.
Stearns County Genealogical Addresses
See Also Other Minnesota Genealogical Addresses
Below is a list of online resources for Stearns County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Stearns County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Stearns Co. Genealogical Addresses
- Stearns County Historical Society, Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, Saint Cloud MN 56301-3752; Phone: 320 253-8424
- Paynesville Historical Society, PO Box 35, Paynesville MN 56362; Phone: 320 243-7547
Hours: June-August 10-4 Tuesday-Saturday, 1-4 Sunday. - Sinclair Lewis Foundation Inc., PO Box 25, Sauk Centre MN 56378-0025;
Phone: 320 352-5201
- Sinclair Lewis Boyhood Home Museum, 812 Sinclair Lewis Avenue, Sauk Centre MN 56378; Phone: 320 352-6119 /
Mail: Sinclair Lewis Foundation Inc., PO Box 25, Sauk Centre MN 56378-0025
- Kimball Area Historical Society, PO Box 100, Kimball MN 55353-0100; Phone: 320 398-5250 or 1-800-252-2521, Email: cnewman@meltel.net / Meetings held in City Hall
- Melrose Area Historical Society, 518 E 2nd St S, Melrose MN 56352-1414; Phone: 320 256-4996 or 320 256-3933, Email: rpaschke@meltel.com.
- Sauk Centre Area Historical Society, 430 Main St S, Sauk Centre MN 56378-1509; Phone: 320 351-8777, Email: scahs@mainstreetcom.com.
- Central Minnesota Historical Center, Centennial Hall, Room 148, St. Cloud University, St. Cloud, MN 56301
Serves Aitkin, Benton, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena, and Wright counties. - Minnesota State Archives, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 • 651-259-3260
- Minnesota Historical Society, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 • 651-259-3000
- Minnesota Genealogical Society, 1185 Concord St. N. Suite 218, South St. Paul, MN 55075-1187; (651) 455-9057
- National Archives - Great Lakes Region (Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898; 773-948-9001; E-mail: chicago.archives@nara.gov ()
- Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
- Minnesota Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
Stearns County Cemeteries & Graveyards
See Also Research In Cemetery Records or Cemetery Records in Minnesota
There are many churches and cemeteries in Stearns County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Stearns County Tombstone Transcription Project.
Below is a list of online resources for Stearns County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Stearns County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Stearns Co. Cemetery & Church Records
- Cemetery Records at Archives.com
- Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com!
- Find thousands of Minnesota obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Minnesota newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Indiana.
- Obituary Records at Archives.com
- America's Obituaries (1977 to current) at Genealogybank.com
- Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries - includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!
- Minnesota Cemetery Inscription Index, Select Counties: This database is an index to cemetery inscriptions of cemeteries in several Minnesota (U.S.A.) counties and cities. It contains the names of nearly 600,000 persons. Researchers will find birth date, death date, name of cemetery and, in some cases, the closest living relative.
- Stearns County, Minnesota Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
- Gravestone, Tombstone, and Memorial Photo Collection from findagrave.com
- Stearns County, Minnesota Church Books at Amazon.com
County Church & Bible Records
See Also Research In Church Records or Church & Bible Records in Minnesota
Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits
Below is a list of online resources for Stearns County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Stearns County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for Stearns Co. Military Records
- Sites on USGenweb: [ Stearns County ] [ Minnesota ] [ Main Page ]
- Stearns County USGenweb Archives
- [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards
]
- Minnesota Family Group Sheets
- Nichols and Related Families
- Stearns County, Minnesota Family Books at Amazon.com
