Steele County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Franklin Steele, a prominent early resident of the state. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Steele County Courthouse 111 E Main Street Owatonna, MN 55060 Phone: 507-686-7012 Steele County Website Clerk District Court has birth and death records from 1870, marriage records from 1855, divorce, probate and court records from 1858. County Recorder has land 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:

Biographies

 * Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; History of Rice and Steele Counties, Minnesota (Chicago, Illinois : H. C. Cooper, 1910) Volume two (biographical) online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Google Books.

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 ($)

Local Histories

 * Minnesota County History Name Index at Ancestry ($)
 * Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; History of Rice and Steele Counties, Minnesota Vol 1 & Vol 2 (Chicago, Illinois : H. C. Cooper, 1910) Volume one (historical and industrial) online at FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1;FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2; HathiTrust, Google Books, Internet Archive.
 * History of Steele and Waseca counties, Minnesota : an album of history and biography, history of Minnesota. Union Publishing Co, Chicago, 1887. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive; Database available at Ancestry($).

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, Steele 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 Civil War service men from Steele County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Steele County.
 * 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
 * - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company G.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Company C.
 * - 3rd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company F.
 * - 10th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company A.
 * - 2nd Minnesota Company Sharpshooters, Second Company only.

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.
 * Owatonna People's Press (February 1969- Current; Daily)

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1865-2006 at FamilySearch — 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 ($)
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)

Family History Centers

 * Faribault Minnesota Family History Center
 * Mankato Minnesota Family History Center
 * Cannon Falls Library - an affiliate library.
 * Waseca County History Center - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Owatonna Public Library 105 N Elm Ave Owatonna, MN 55060 Phone: 507-775-7370 Email: [mailto:mark.blando@ci.owatonna.mn.us mark.blando@ci.owatonna.mn.us] Website Blooming Prairie Public Library 138 Hwy Avenue S Blooming Prairie, MN 55917 Phone: 507-583-7750 Email: [mailto:bpbl@selco.info bpbl@selco.info] Website

Museums
Steele County History Museum 1700 Austin Rd Owatonna, MN 55060 Phone: 507-451-1420 Email: [mailto:queries@steelehistorymuseum.org queries@steelehistorymuseum.org] Website Village of Yesteryear 1448 Austin Rd Owatonna, MN 55060 Phone: 507-451-1420 Website Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum 540 W Hills Cir Owatonna, MN 55060 Phone: 507-774-7369 Email: [Mailto:museum@ci.owatonna.mn.us museum@ci.owatonna.mn.us] Website

Societies
Steele County Historical Society 1700 Austin Rd Owatonna, MN 55060 Phone: 507-451-1420 Email: [mailto:kellen@steelehistorymuseum.org kellen@steelehistorymuseum.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Iron Range Research Center
 * Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
 * Steele County, a member of MN USGenWeb Archives, an affiliate of USGenWeb Archives
 * Steele County at Rootsweb.com, a member of MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of USGenWeb Project.
 * – 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.