Williams County, North Dakota Genealogy

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

Description
The name comes from Erastus Appelman Williams, an early politician from Bismarck who served in both the territorial and state legislatures. The county government was first organized on December 8, 1891; Williston has always been the county seat.

County Courthouse
Williams County Courthouse Box 2047 Williston, ND 58802 Phone: 701.572.1729 Williams County Website District Court Clerk has birth, marriage, death, burial, probate, court and naturalization records; County Treasurer Recorder has land records; Veterans Service Office has military records.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
The following are locations in the county

Biographies

 * Williams County Biographies on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website - alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * Index to Williams 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 Census, Williams County, North Dakota (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.
 * 1900 Federal Census, Williams County, North Dakota images. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1910 Federal Census, Williams County, North Dakota images. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1920 Federal Census, Williams County, North Dakota images. (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1930 Federal Census, Williams County, North Dakota images. (USGenWeb Archives)

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

Directories

 * 1822 - 1995 U.S. City Directories 1822-1995 at Ancestry ($) - collection for the City of Williston

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to Williams County BLM Land Records (Genealogy Trails)
 * 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
 * 1861 - 1936 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1936 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * Alamo - Appam - Corinth, North Dakota, golden jubilee, 1916 - 1966. 1966. S.l.: s.n. . comments.
 * Fort Union and the upper Missouri fur trade. 2001. By Barton H. Barbour. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press..
 * Grenora, North Dakota, golden jubilee, 1916-1966. 1966?. By Jubilee Book Committee of the Grenora Commercial Club. S.l.: s.n..
 * Trail of the pioneers, 1900-1967: Barr Butte, Good Luck, Orthell and Scorio townships, Gladys, Hanks, Howard and Zahl, North Dakota. P1967. By Project Committee. [S.l.] : Project Committee. ;.
 * The Wonder of Williams; a history of Williams County [North Dakota]. 1975. By Marlene Eide. North Dakota: Williams County Historical Society (North Dakota). . Index in volume 2.

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 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 News Items, Williams County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * Draft Pool Quota List, Williams County (USGenWeb Project)

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

 * Williams County Obituaries (Genealogy Bank)
 * Obituary for Knutson, Anna Iversdatter, d. December 23, 1939 (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 $

Birth

 * Birth Announcements, Williams County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)

Marriage

 * Marriage Announcements, Williams County, North Dakota (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

 * Williston North Dakota Family History Center

Museums
Fort Buford State Historic Site 15349 39th Lane NW Williston, ND 58801 Telephone Number: 701-572-9034 or 701-328-2666 Website

Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site 15550 Hwy. 1804 Williston, ND 58801 Telephone Number: 701-572-9083 Website

Frontier Museum 423 1st Ave. West Williston, ND 58801 Telephone Number: 701-572-2258

Societies
Williams County Historical Society 519 11th Avenue W Williston, ND 58801-4727 Telepone 701-577-4504

Pioneer Trails Historical Society, Hanks 2310 University Ave. Williston, ND 58801 Telephone: 701-572-4759

Ray Opera House Museum Society 420 4th Avenue East Ray, ND 58849 Telephone: 701-568-3437

Tioga Historical Society, Inc / Norseman Museum P. O. Box 697 Tioga, ND 58852-0697 Telephone: 701-664-2702

Websites

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