Meeker County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Meeker 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 Bradley B. Meeker, an associate justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court from 1849 to 1853. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Meeker County Courthouse 325 N Shibley Ave Litchfield, MN 55355 Phone: 320-693-5230 Meeker County Website Clerk District Court has birth, marriage, death, divorce and court records from 1870, probate records from 1858, school records, naturalization records from 1884. Court Recorder has land record.

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

Lutheran
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($)

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

 * Album of History and Biography of Meeker County, Minnesota (Chicago: Alden Ogle & Company, 1888) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive, Google Books.
 * Lamson, Frank B.; Condensed History of Meeker County (Minn.) 1855-1939 (Litchfield, Minnesota: Brown Printing Company) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library; Indexed at Ancestry ($).
 * Smith, A.C.; Smith, Henry L.; A Random Historical Sketch of Meeker County, Minnesota: from its first settlement, to July 4th, 1876 (Litchfield, Minn.: Belfoy & Joubert, Pulishers, 1877) At FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes then select the camera icon to view images. Also available online at HathiTrust; Indexed at Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Minnesota Maps at David Rumsey Map Collection
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Meeker 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

Civil War service men from Meeker County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Freeborn County.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Company D.

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
 * 1801-1925 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

 * Buffalo Minnesota Family History Center
 * Hutchinson Minnesota Family History Center
 * Great River Regional Library - multiple branches - an affiliate library.
 * Willmar Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Cosmos Public Library 230 Milky Way S P.O. Box 595 Cosmos, MN 56228 Phone: 320-440-1012 Website Dassel Public Library 460 3rd Street N P.O. Box 385 Dassel, MN 55325 Phone: 320-275-3756 Website Grove City Public Library 210 Atlantic Ave W P.O. Box 248 Grove City, MN 56243 Phone: 320-857-2550 Website Litchfield Public Library 216 N Marshall Ave Litchfield MN 55355 Phone: 320-693-2483 Website

Museums
Meeker County Museum and G.A.R. Hall 308 Marshall Ave N Litchfield, MN 55355 Phone: 320-693-8911 Email: [mailto:director@meekercomuseum.org director@meekercomuseum.org] Website Dassel History Center & Ergot Museum 901 1st Street N PO Box D Dassel, MN 55325 Phone: 320-275-3077 Email: [mailto:dahs@dassel.com dahs@dassel.com] Website Forest City Stockade 64974 309th Street Litchfield, MN 55355 Phone: 320-693-6782 or 320-699-1167 Email: [mailto:dave@forestcitystockade.org dave@forestcitystockade.org] Website

Societies
Meeker County Historical Society 308 N Marshall Ave Litchfield, MN 55355-2112 Phone: 320-693-9811 Email: [mailto:staff@meekercomuseum.org staff@meekercomuseum.org] Website Dassel Area Historical Society 901 1st Street N Dassel, MN Phone: 320-275-3077 Email: [mailto:dahs@dassel.com dahs@dassel.com] Website
 * Grove City Area Historical Society P.O. Box 252 205 3rd Street S Grove City, MN 56243 Phone: 320-857-9422

Websites

 * Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
 * Iron Range Research Center
 * Meeker County, USGenWeb Archives
 * Meeker County MNGenWeb, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Cyndi's List: Meeker County
 * Minnesota Genealogy Trails
 * – 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.