Winona County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for a Dakota legend regarding a woman, referred to as Winona, who was betrothed to marry a warrior whom she did not love. Rather than marry him, she is said to have leapt to her death from a rock now called "Maiden's Rock" on Lake Pepin. This legend is colloquially referred to as the Winona legend. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clerk District Court has birth and death records from 1870 probate records from 1871 and school records 1909-1939.

Parent County

 * 1854--Winona County was created 4 April 1854 from Fillmore and Wabasha Counties. County seat: Winona
 * For a brief history of how Winona County was named click here. Then select Winona County.

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

History Books
"The History of Wabasha County" Online history book of early Wabasha and Winona Counties published in 1884.

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:

Neighboring Counties

 * Buffalo County, Wisconsin
 * Fillmore
 * Houston
 * La Crosse County, Wisconsin
 * Olmsted
 * Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
 * Wabasha

Censuses

 * United States Census 1850 Searchable FamilySearch Wiki leads to name index and images available for free.


 * United States Census 1860 Searchable FamilySearch Wiki leads to name index available for free.


 * United States Census 1870 Searchable FamilySearch Wiki leads to name index available for free.


 * United States Census 1880   Searchable FamilySearch Wiki leads to name index available for free.


 * United States Census 1900    Searchable FamilySearch Wiki leads to name index available for free.


 * United States Census 1910 Searchable FamilySearch Wiki leads to name index available for free.


 * United States Census 1920 Searchable FamilySearch Wiki leads to name index available for free.


 * United States Census 1930 Searchable FamilySearch Wiki leads to name index available for free.

Census
State Census
 * 1865 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Lutheran

 * Records of the Central Lutheran Church, Winona, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Court

 * Winona County Third District Court
 * Minnesota Court Records

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912 - 1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps

 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.


 * 1874 Map of Winona County. Includes landowners, churches, cemeteries.  From the David Rumsey Map Collection.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Winona County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are many companies or regiments that were formed from men of Winona County.


 * - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company A.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Companies G, I and L.
 * - 3rd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company K.
 * - 7th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Companies B and D.
 * - 9th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company K
 * - Brackett's Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry, Company A.
 * - Hatch's Independent Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry, Company B.

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1872-1962 - at FamilySearch — index

Newspapers

 * Minnesota Newspapers Directory  Locations and contact information for Winona County newspapers.
 * Winona Newspaper Project  Online newspapers from the historical Winona Argus, the Winona Daily Republican and the Winona Republican Herald newspapers.

Obituaries

 * 1865 - 2006 - at FamilySearch— index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1801 - 1999 Minnesota Wills and Probate Records 1801-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Marriage

 * 1860 - 1949 at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

 * 1850-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1887-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries
Winona County Genealogical Society PO Box 363 Winona 55987

Winona County Historical Society 160 Johnson Street Winona 55987 Telephone: 507-454-2723 Website


 * Laird Lucas Memorial Library &amp; Archives   Houses the Winona County Historical Society Archives and contains historical books, newspapers, manuscripts, documents and photographs.
 * Winona County Historical Society website

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Websites

 * Winona County, MN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Family History 101 - My Minnesota Genealogy This site has information on Winona Co. and where to find county records.
 * Family History 101 - My Minnesota Genealogy This site has information on Winona Co. and where to find county records.