Walsh County, North Dakota Genealogy

Guide to Walsh 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 founded in 1883. It was named after Oscar M. Towner. After founding, the county government was fully organized on January 24, 1884. Its county seat is Grafton. The County is located in northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Walsh County Courthouse 600 Cooper Avenue Grafton, ND 58237-1542 Phone: 701.352.0350 Walsh County Website Clerk District Court has marriage records from 1884, divorce, probate and records from 1881; 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:

Biographies

 * Walsh County Biographies on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website - alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * Index to Walsh County 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 Mortality Schedule (Genealogy Trails)
 * 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.
 * 1880 Census Index, Acton Hamlet, Walsh County (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1900 Census Read File (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1900 Index of Walsh County Census - images. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1910 Index of Walsh County Census - images. (USGenWeb Project)
 * 1920 Index of Walsh County Census - images. (USGenWeb Project)

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

Directories

 * 1902 Ardoch Medical Directory (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1902 Cashel Medical Directory (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1902 Conway Medical Directory (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1902 Edinburg Medical Directory (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1909 Walsh County Attorneys (USGenWeb Archives)

Emigration and Immigration

 * Pioneers of the Devils Lake Region, North Dakota (USGenWeb Archives)

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to Walsh 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
 * 1863-1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * Early History of Walsh County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * Walsh heritage : a story of Walsh county and its pioneers. 1976. By Gunder V. Berg. (Grafton, North Dakota?): Walsh County Historical Society. Online at: ; . 4 volumes.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

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.
 * 1883 - Walsh County, Dakota Territory 1883 List of Pensioners on the Roll (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 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, Walsh County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War I, Women in Service, Walsh County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II, Army Enlistment Records, Walsh County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II, Army Casualties, Walsh County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Casualties, Walsh County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1950-1957 - Korean War Casualties, Walsh County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1957-1995 - Vietnam War Casualties, Walsh 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 - ($), contains images of North Dakota newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), 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

 * Index to Walsh County Obituaries - Scroll down to "Obituaries." (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Walsh County Obituaries and Death Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Probate Records
''Online Probate Records


 * 1800 – 1985 North Dakota and South Dakota Wills and Probate Records 1800-1985 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Marriage

 * 1872-1958 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Walsh 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

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

Museums
Heritage Village at Grafton 695 West 12th Street Grafton, ND 58237 Telephone Number: 701-352-3280 or 701-520-1207

Societies
Walsh County Historical Society and Museum 12859 66th Street NE Park River, ND 58270 Telephone: 701-284-6828 Website

Walsh County Historical Society 323 3rd Minto, ND 58261

Walsh County Historic Preservation Commission Red River Regional Council, Chase Building 516 Cooper Ave., Suite 101 Grafton, ND 58237 Telephone: 701-352-3550

Websites

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