Bowman County, North Dakota Genealogy

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

Description
It was named for Edward M. Bowman, member of the House of Representatives. Government organized July 5, 1907. County Seat is Bowman. The County is located in southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bowman County Courthouse 104 1st St NW Bowman, ND 58623 Phone: 701.523.3450 Bowman County Website

Clerk of the District Court has marriage records from 1907, divorce, probate and court records from 1908, land records from 1896, and burial 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

 * Bowman County Biographies (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

Cemeteries

 * 1877-1999 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Territory and State Census Records
Census Territory Census
 * 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 - How to Use this Collection
 * 1850 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Minnesota - How to Use this Collection
 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1860 Dakota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1870 Dakota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1880 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1880 Dakota Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 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 - How to Use this Collection
 * 1925 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images - How to Use this Collection

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.


 * Bowman County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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

Directories

 * 1909 - Bowman County Attorneys (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1916 - Haley, Bowman County, ND - 1916 Business Directory (USGenWeb Archives)

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1800-1953 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to Bowman County BLM Landowner 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

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * 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. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1890 at FamilySearch. - How to Use this Collection
 * 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, Bowman County (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Army Casualties, Bowman County (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy Casualties, Bowman County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Korean War Casualties, Bowman County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Vietnam War Casualties, Bowman County (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1868-1924 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1908-1929 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * North Dakota Naturalization Records Index at NDSU Archives – index only, covers various dates and counties

Newspapers
North Dakota Newspaper Catalogs
 * State Historical Society of North Dakota - contains inventory and catalog of all known ND newspapers
 * 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

North Dakota Newspapers Online
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some North Dakota newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * GenealogyBank ($)
 * Newspaper Archive ($)
 * Papers from the Past at Community History Archives

Obituaries

 * Obituaries and Death Notices, Bowman County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Bowman County Death Notices and Obituaries (NDGenWeb)

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

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.


 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Marriage

 * 1872-1958 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1872-2017 North Dakota, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1872-2017 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * Early 1900s - Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)
 * Early 1900s - Bowman County Marriages (NDGenWeb)
 * 1907-1925 - North Dakota, Bowman County, marriage records, 1907-1925 - Images

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1892-present - NDDH Public Death Index, 1892-present at North Dakota Dept. of Health – index only

Libraries
Bowman Regional Public Library 18 Divide St East PO Box 179 Bowman, ND 58623 701-523-3797 Email: [mailto:bowlib@gmail.com bowlib@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Museums
Pioneer Trails Regional Museum 12 1st Ave NE PO Box 78 Bowman, ND 58623 701-523-3600 Email: [mailto:ptrm@ptrm.org ptrm@ptrm.org] Website Facebook

Societies
Bowman County Historical and Genealogical Society Pioneer Trails Regional Museum PO Box 78 12 First Ave NE Bowman, ND 58623-0078 Telephone: 701-523-3600 Website

Websites

 * Bowman County at Cyndi's List — a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Bowman County at Genealogy Trails — volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Bowman County at North Dakota USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Bowman County at North Dakota USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * Bowman County, North Dakota at Linkpendium - genealogy and family history
 * Bowman County, North Dakota Genealogy at LDSGenealogy.com - collection of links by state, county, city, and record type
 * 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.