Lincoln County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Abraham Lincoln. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lincoln County Courthouse 319 N Rebecca Ivanhoe, MN 56142 Phone: 507-680-7005 Lincoln County Courthouse Clerk District Court has birth, and marriage records from 1879, death and court records from 1880 and divorce records from 1891. Probate Judge has probate records from 1877. Register of Deeds has land records from 1873.

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:

Census Records
State Census
 * 1835-1890 U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at ($)
 * 1849-1905 U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at ($)
 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1875 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Church Records

 * FamilySearch Places

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Pre-1908 Minnesota, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)

Local Histories
Print Books
 * Tasker, A.E.; Early history of Lincoln County from the early writings of old pioneers, historians and later writers: ... (The Lake Benton News Print, 1936) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library; Indexed at Ancestry ($).
 * Sandro, Gustav O., The immigrants' trek: a detailed history of the Lake Hendricks Colony of Brookings County Dakota Territory, from 1873-1881 (Sioux Falls, S.D.: Sessions printing co, c1929) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust.
 * Radzilowski, John. Out on the Wind: Poles and Danes in Lincoln County, Minnesota, 1880-1905. Marshall, MN: Crossings Press, 1992. Print.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Minnesota Maps at David Rumsey Map Collection
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Lincoln County municipality and township maps

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 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 War


 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at ; 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

Spanish-American War
 * 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898  at ; Free index
 * 1898-1899 U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at ; 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 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection

World War II
 * 1940-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and 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 Minnesota, U.S., Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at (Free collection)
 * 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1920 U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at ($)
 * 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.

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1891-2003 Minnesota, U.S., Obituary Index, 1891-2003 at (Free collection)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1999 U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at ; index and images ($)
 * 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Three Minnesota counties are not in this collection: Hennepin, Marshall, and St. Louis.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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.

Birth

 * 1840-1980 U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980 at ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota People Records Search - Births at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota, Birth Index, 1900-1934 at MyHeritage; index ($)
 * 1935-2000 U.S., Birth Index, 1935-2000 at ($)

Marriage

 * 1850-2019 Minnesota, U.S., Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2019 at (Free collection)
 * 1860-1949 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and 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 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1887-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and 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 U.S., Death Index, 1908-2017 at ($)

Divorce

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

Family History Centers

 * Brookings South Dakota Family History Center
 * Marshall Minnesota Family History Center
 * Brookings Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Willmar Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries

 * Ivanhoe Public Library 401 N Harold P.O. Box 25 Ivanhoe, MN 56142-0025 Phone: 507-694-1555 Email: [mailto:ivanhoemnlibrary@gmail.com ivanhoemnlibrary@gmail.com] Website
 * Lake Benton Public Library 110 W Benton St P.O. Box 377 Lake Benton, MN 56149 Phone: 507-368-4641, ext 3 Website

Museums

 * Lincoln County Pioneer Museum 610 Elm St P.O. Box 211 Hendricks, MN 56136 Phone: 507-275-5247 Email: [mailto:dan@hendricksmn.net dan@hendricksmn.net] Facebook Website

Societies

 * Lincoln County Historical Society 406 Brooks St Hendricks, MN 56136 Phone: 507-275-5247 Email: [mailto:pioneermuseum@itctel.com pioneermuseum@itctel.com] Website
 * Lake Benton Area Historical Society P.O. Box 267 108 S Center St Lake Benton, MN 56149 Phone: 507-368-4480 Email: [mailto:lbenton@itctel.com lbenton@itctel.com] Website
 * Southwest Minnesota Historical Center Social Science 141 Southwest Minnesota State University 1501 State St Marshall, MN 56258 Phone: 507-537-7373 Website

Websites

 * Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
 * Iron Range Research Center The Iron Range Research Center contains one of the largest collections of genealogical and localhistory 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
 * Lincoln County, a member of MN USGenWeb Archives, an affiliate of USGenWeb Archives.
 * Lincoln County, a member of MNGenWeb Project
 * – 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.