Crow Wing County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the Crow Wing River. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Crow Wing County Courthouse 326 Laurel St Brainerd, MN 56401 Phone: 218-824-1067 Crow Wing County Website

County Treasurer has birth records from 1873, marriage records from 1871 and death records from 1874. Court Administrator has divorce, probate and court records. County Recorder has land records from 1867 and military discharge records from 1919.

Populated Places
 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 Ancestry ($)
 * 1849-1905, U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at Ancestry ($)
 * 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, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Crow Wing County at David Rumsey Map Collections
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Crow Wing County municipality and township maps

Military Records
CivilWar


 * 1861-1865 U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1861-1865, U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free collection)
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection
 * 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * Civil War Veteran Burials in Crow Wing County at MNGenWeb.

Spanish-American War
 * 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)
 * 1898-1899, 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 ($)
 * 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 ($)
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry ($)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1849-1985 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at Ancestry (Free Collection)
 * 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1880-1920, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1918 Web:, U.S., Alien Registration Index, 1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Newspapers

 * Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society — narrow to county (55 listed) or city (106 listed), search for surname, limit by date.

Obituaries

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1925, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at Ancestry — 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

 * Alexandria Minnesota Family History Center
 * Askov Minnesota Family History Center
 * Brainerd Minnesota Family History Center
 * Great River Regional Library - multiple branches - an affiliate library.
 * Jessie F. Hallett Memorial Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Brainerd Public Library 416 S 5th Street Brainerd, MN 56401 Phone: 218-829-5574 Email: [mailto:brainerd@krls.org brainerd@krls.org] Website Jessie F. Hallett Memorial Library 101 1St Street SE Crosby, MN 56441 Phone: 218-546-8005 Website

Museums
The Crow Wing County Historical Society Museums 320 Laurel St P.O. Box 722 Brainerd, MN Phone: 218-829-3268 Email: [mailto:history@crowwing.us history@crowwing.us] Website Cuyuna Iron Range Heritage Network and Soo Line Depot Museum P.O. Box 272 Crosby, MN 56441 Phone: 218-545-1166 Website

Societies
Crow Wing County Historical Society Museum and Library P.O. Box 722 320 Laurel St Brainerd, MN 56401-0722 Phone: 218-829-3268 Website Crow Wing County Genealogical Society 101 W Buffalo Hills Ln Brainerd, MN 56401 Phone: 218-828-4701 Website Crosslake Area Historical Society P.O. Box 134 Crosslake, MN 56442-0134 Phone: 218 692-4836 Website Cuyuna Iron Range Heritage Network and Soo Line Depot Museum P.O. Box 272 101 1st Street NE Crosby, MN 56441 Phone: 218-545-1166 or 6178 Website

Websites

 * Crow Wing County GenWeb], a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * PeopleFINDER (Family History) at Minnesota Historical Society
 * Minnesota Genealogy Trails
 * 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.
 * USGW Archives
 * Cyndis's List: Crow Wing County
 * – 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.