McLean County, North Dakota Genealogy

Guide to McLean County, North Dakota ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The county was organized on November 1, 1883. It was named for John A. McLean, a prominent citizen and the first mayor of Bismarck, North Dakota. Washburn is the county seat. The County is located in center area of the state.

County Courthouse
McLean County Courthouse 712 5th Avenue Washburn, ND 58577 Phone: 701.462.8541 McLean County Website Clerk District Court has marriage records from 1887, burial records from 1920, divorce and court records from 1891 and probate records from 1900; Register of Deeds has land records

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

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:

Indian Reservation


 * Fort Berthold (Caros Ventres, Mandan and Arickara tribes)
 * Devils Lake Agency (Sioux tribe)

Biographies

 * McLean County, North Dakota Biographies on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website - alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * Index to McLean County, North Dakota Biographies (USGenWeb Archives)
 * North Dakota Biography Index at North Dakota State University Archives - Index only; gives references to publications containing information on North Dakotans, living and deceased

Territory and State Census Records

 * 1836 - 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census – index only; North Dakota was included in the 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census
 * 1840 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1840 Iowa Territory Census
 * 1850 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Minnesota Territory Census
 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1860 Dakota Territory Census
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1870 Dakota Territory Census
 * 1880 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1880 Dakota Territory Census
 * 1885 - Dakota Territory 1885 Census Index at NDSU Archives – index only
 * 1885, 1915, 1925 - North Dakota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1885, 1915, 1925 at Ancestry.com – ($), index and images
 * 1915 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images
 * 1925 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of North Dakota starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal census indexes, see North Dakota Census.
 * 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 - Index to Federal Census Records, McLean County, North Dakota (images). Scroll down to "Federal Census Records." USGenWeb Archives

Church Records
Online Church Records Lutheran Church
 * 1875-1940 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county

Directories

 * 1964 - McLean County, 1964 Farm Directory. USGenWeb Archives

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to McLean County BLM Land Records (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796-1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1861-1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1908 at Ancestry - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * McLean County heritage : McLean County, North Dakota. 1978. Washburn, North Dakota : McLean County Historical Society (North Dakota). Online at: ;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of North Dakota - shows boundary changes for North Dakota Counties
 * North Dakota Maps at NDGenWeb -historical maps

Migration

 * 1868-1883 - McLean County Settlers: Early Settlers from 1868-1883 (McLean County, NDGenWeb project)
 * 1883-Present - McLean County Settlers: Early Settlers from 1883 to Present (McLean County, NDGenWeb project)

Online Collections
These collections are unique to North Dakota. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and North Dakota Military Records.

Civil War World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War For further information see North Dakota Military Records.
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.
 * 1890 - at FamilySearch.
 * 1917-1918 - North Dakota Military Men 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1917-1918 - Roster of the men and women who served in the army or naval service (including the Marine Corps) of the United States or its allies from the state of North Dakota in the World War, 1917-1918, Vols. 1-4 at Ancestry ($)
 * World War I Casualties, McLean County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Army Casualties, McLean County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Casualties, McLean County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * Korean War Casualties, McLean County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * Vietnam War Casualties, McLean County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * North Dakota Naturalization Records Index at NDSU Archives] – index only, covers various dates and counties

Newspapers
 North Dakota Newspapers Online North Dakota Newspaper Catalogs
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of North Dakota newspapers GenealogyBank] - ($), contains images of North Dakota newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of North Dakota newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some North Dakota newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
 * State Historical Society of North Dakota - contains inventory and catalog of all known ND newspapers

Obituaries

 * McLean County Obituaries (Genealogy Trails)
 * Index to some McLean County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)
 * McLean County Obituary Index (McLean County, USGenWeb)

Probate Records
''Online Probate Records


 * 1800 – 1985 North Dakota and South Dakota, Wills and Probate Records, 1878-1928 at Ancestry — index and images $

Marriage

 * 1872-1958 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1906 - 1906 weddings in Underwood, McLean County (USGenWeb project)
 * McLean County Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)

Death
'Online Death Indexes and Records''
 * 1892-present - NDDH Public Death Index, 1892-present at North Dakota Dept. of Health – index only
 * McLean County Obituaries and Death Notices (Genealogy Trails)
 * McLean County Obituary Index (McLean County, USGenWeb)

Archives
North Dakota State University Archives West Building 3551 7th Avenue N Fargo, ND 58102 Mailing Address: NDSU Archives Libraries NDSU Dept #2080 PO Box 6050 Fargo, ND 58108-6050 Phone: 701-231-8914 Fax: 701-231-5632 Email: [mailto:ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu] Website

Societies
McLean County Historical Society PO Box 345 Washburn, ND 58577-0345 Telephone: 701-462-3744 or 701-462-3660 Email:[mailto:vmerkel@westriv.com vmerkel@westriv.com] Website

McLean County Genealogical Society PO Box 99 Garrison, ND 58540-0099 Telephone: 701-463-2834

Websites

 * McLean County, USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * McLean County, USGenWeb Archives
 * 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.
 * McLean County, North Dakota Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * McLean County Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * McLean County, North Dakota Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)