Ward County, North Dakota Genealogy

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

Description
Named for Mark Ward, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Counties. The county government was first organized on November 23, 1885 with Minot as the county seat. The County is located in north center area of the state.

County Courthouse
Ward County Courthouse 315 3rd St SE Minot, ND 58701-6498 Phone: 701.857.6460 Ward County Website District Court Clerk has birth, death, burial and divorce records from 1900; County Judge has marriage and probate records; 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

A portion of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation is located in Ward County. The remainder of the reservation is in Mountrail, McKenzie, Mercer, and Dunn Counties.

Biographies

 * Index to Ward County Biographies and Family Histories (USGenWeb Project)
 * Ward County Biographies on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website - alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * 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 Index of Ward County Census - images. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1910 Index of Ward County Census - images. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1920 Index of Ward County Census - images. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1930 Index of Ward County Census - images. (USGenWeb Archives)

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

Directories

 * 1822-1995 - U.S. City Directories 1822-1995 at Ancestry ($) - collection for the City of Minot
 * 1909 - Ward County Attorneys (USGenWeb Archives)

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to Ward 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

 * People, places & events, Minot-Ward County: bridging the century. 1986. By Janet Rosecrans. Minot, North Dakota : Centennial Book Committee (Minot, North Dakota). Online at:.
 * Yesterdays of the Sawyer area. 1989. By Patty Francis Heldenbrand. PMinot, North Dakota : Mouse River Loop Genealogical Society. Online at: ; . see index.
 * Ward County History (Genealogy Trails)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of North Dakota - shows boundary changes for North Dakota Counties
 * North Dakota Maps at NDGenWeb - historical maps
 * Ward County Township Maps (USGenWeb Archives)

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, Ward County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Army Casualties, Ward County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, Ward County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1950-1957 - Korean War Casualties, Ward County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1957-1995 - Vietnam War Casualties, Ward 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

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

Probate Records
''Online Probate Records


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

Vital Records

 * Ward County Vital Records - Scroll down to "Vital Records." (USGenWeb Archives)

Marriage

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

Family History Centers

 * Minot North Dakota Family History Center

Societies
Ward County Historical Society PO Box 994 Minot, ND 58702 Telephone: 701-838-9679 Website

Lake County Historical Society PO Box 83 Kenmare, ND 58746 Telephone: 701-385-4248

Ryder Historical Society 20510 184th St. S.W. Ryder, ND 58779 Telephone: 701-758-2527

Scandinavian Heritage Association 1020 S. Broadway Minot, ND 58701 Telephone: 701-852-9161 Website

Websites

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