Lawrence County, South Dakota Genealogy

United States South Dakota  Lawrence County

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

County Courthouse
Lawrence County Courthouse 644 Main Street Deadwood, SD 57732 Phone: 605.578.2040 Register of Deeds has birth records from 1905 and death records from 1906; County Treasurer has marriage records from 1887; Clerk Court has divorce, probate, court, and land records from 1895; City Auditor has burial records

Parent County
1875--Lawrence County was created 11 January 1875 from unorganized territory. County seat: Deadwood

Record Loss
1879 The courthouse was destroyed in the great fire of 1879, along with all the records.

Neighboring Counties

 * Butte
 * Crook County, Wyoming
 * Meade
 * Pennington
 * Weston County, Wyoming

Cemeteries
Mount Moriah Cemetery, Deadwood BillionGraves

Census
1905, 1915, 1925 State Censuses --Unique information could include: Ethnic Background, Maiden Name, Church Affiliation &amp; Military Service

1905 state census with images can be viewed free at FamilySearch Record Search

1915 state census with images can be viewed free at FamilySearch Record Search

1925 state census with images can be viewed free at FamilySearch Record Search

1935 state census with images can be viewed free at FamilySearch Record Search

1945 state census with images can be viewed free at FamilySearch Record Search

Military

 * 1861-1941 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Deadwood Public Library has indexed the Black Hills Daily Times, beginning June 8, 1876, here: http://dwdlib.sdln.net/newspaper_index.htm. The articles describe life throughout the county, not just in Deadwood.

Read the instructions on how to search. Once you find an entry that appears promising, contact the library to get a copy of the newspaper article. Expect to pay them for their time and effort. Realize that some entries are very brief. Someone may be staying at a local hotel or there may be a letter waiting for him at the post office. Other articles give considerable details.

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

Societies and Libraries
Lawrence County Historical Society 150 Sherman St. Deadwood, SD 57732 Phone:(605) 342-2339 Email:[mailto:kraemer.norma@gmail.com] Website

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.