Wadena County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for an old trading post and common Ojibwe name. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Wadena County Courthouse 415 Jefferson Street South Wadena, MN 56482 Phone: 218-631-7650 Wadena County Website

Clerk of the District Court has birth, death, probate, and court records from 1870, marriage records and divorce records from 1858.

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 ($)

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, Wadena 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; Free index

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

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 ($)
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Brainerd Minnesota Family History Center
 * Detroit Lakes Minnesota Family History Center
 * Great River Regional Library - multiple locations - an affiliate library.
 * Jessie F. Hallett Memorial Library - an affiliate library.
 * Park Rapids Minnesota Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Wadena City Library 304 First St SW Wadena, MN 56482 Phone: 218-631-2476 Email: [mailto:wadena@krls.org wadena@krls.org] Great River Regional Library Staples Branch 122 6th Street NE Staples MN 56479 Phone: 218-894-1401 Websites

Museums
Wadena County Historical Society Museum 603 N Jefferson Wadena, MN 56482 Phone: 218-631-9079 Email: [mailto:603wchs@arvig.net 603wchs@arvig.net] Website Menahga Area Historical Society and Museum P.O. Box 364 320 Helsinki Blvd NE Menahga, MN 56464 Phone: 218-564-5063 Email: [mailto:menahgamuseum@wcta.net menahgamuseum@wcta.net] Facebook Sebeka Finnish Historical Society Park 62529 County Highway 8 Sebeka, MN 56477 Phone: 218-837-5322 Website Verndale Historical Society Museum 202 N Farwell Street Verndale, MN 56481 Email: [mailto:verndalehistory@gmail.com verndalehistory@gmail.com] Facebook

Societies
Wadena County Historical Society 603 N Jefferson Wadena, MN 56482 Phone: 218-631-9079 Email: [mailto:603wchs@arvig.net 603wchs@arvig.net] Website Menahga Area Historical Society P.O. Box 364 320 Helsinki Blvd NE Menahga, MN 56464 Phone: 218-564-5063 Email: [mailto:menahgamuseum@wcta.net menahgamuseum@wcta.net] Facebook Sebeka Finnish Historical Society 62529 County Highway 8 Sebeka, MN 56477 Phone: 218-837-5322 Website Verndale Historical Society 202 N Farwell St Verndale, MN 56481 Email: [mailto:verndalehistory@gmail.com verndalehistory@gmail.com] Facebook

Websites

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