Dodge County, Minnesota Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Henry Dodge. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Dodge County Courthouse 22 E 6th Street Mantorville, MN 55955 Phone: 507-635-6239 Dodge County Website

Clerk District Court has birth, death, divorce and court records from 1870, marriage records from 1865, probate records from 1858 and school records from 1917.

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 Ancestry ($)
 * 1849-1905, U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at Ancestry ($)
 * 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

Court Records

 * 1856-1925 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Genealogies

 * Norwegians of Dodge & Olmsted, Minnesota Genealogy of an Immigrant Community, circa 1854-1925 Here you will find genealogical information about many of the residents of the NORWEGIAN SETTLEMENT that occupied Southwest OLMSTED COUNTY and Southeast DODGE COUNTY in southern Minnesota. Principal townships include Salem, Rock Dell, Canisteo, Vernon, Hayfield, and Mantorville, but residents of some neighboring areas are also included.

Guardianship

 * 1876-1929 Letters of guardianship, 1876-1929 at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes; then select the camera icon to view images.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1856-1903 General index of deeds, 1856-1887; deed record, 1856-1903 at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes; then select the camera icon to view images.
 * Pre-1908, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * History of Winona, Olmsted, and Dodge counties together with biographical matter, statistics, etc; (Chicago, Illinois: H.H. Hill, 1884); Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Google Books.
 * Ole & Lena at Norwegians of Dodge and Olmsted, Minnesota, the genealogy and local history of a Norwegian settlement.
 * Minnesota County History Name Index at Ancestry ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Dodge County, Minnesota Map at David Rumsey Map Collections
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Dodge County municipality and township maps

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free collections)
 * 1861-1865, U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free collection)
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry (free collections)
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry (free collection)

Civil War service men from Dodge 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 Dodge County.
 * -1st Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry (Mounted Rangers), Company M.
 * -2nd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company C.
 * -2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Company K.
 * -3rd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company E.
 * -5th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company A.
 * -10th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company B.

Spanish-American War
 * 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1898-1899, U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at Ancestry (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 ($)
 * 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 ($)
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry ($)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1849-1985 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at Ancestry (Free Collection)
 * 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1880-1920, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1918 Web:, U.S., Alien Registration Index, 1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Newspapers

 * Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society — narrow to county (55 listed) or city (106 listed), search for surname, limit by date.

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1891-2003 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Obituary Index, 1891-2003 at Ancestry (Free Index)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1925 Minnesota, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1856-1986 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1859-1930 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1859-1982 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1860-1884 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1861-1910 Minnesota, Dodge County, tax records, 1861-1910 at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes; then select the camera icon to view images.

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

 * Austin Minnesota FamilySearch Center
 * Rochester Minnesota FamilySearch Center
 * Rochester Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Waseca County History Center - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Dodge Center Public Library 13 First Ave NW Dodge Center, MN 55927 Phone: 507-374-2275 Email: [mailto:dc_dir@selco.info dc_dir@selco.info] Website Facebook Kasson Public Library 607 First St NW Kasson, MN 55944 Phone: 507-634-7615 Email: [mailto:kassonlibrary@gmail.com kassonlibrary@gmail.com] Website Facebook West Concord Public Library 180 Main St West Concord, MN 55985 Phone: 507-527-2031 Email: [mailto:spreble@selco.info spreble@selco.info] Website Facebook

Museums
Dodge County Historical Society Museum 615 N Main St PO Box 456 Mantorville, MN 55955 Phone: 507-635-5508 Email: [mailto:dodgecountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com dodgecountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Dodge County Historical Society 615 N Main St Mantorville, MN 55955 Phone: 507-635-5508 Email: [mailto:dodgecountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com dodgecountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Facebook

Websites

 * The Dodge County MNGenWeb Project, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * PeopleFINDER (Family History) at Minnesota Historical Society
 * USGenWeb Archives for Dodge County.
 * Dodge County at Cyndi's List
 * Minnesota Genealogy Trails
 * Minnesota Historical Society
 * Iron Range Research Center The Iron Range Research Center contains one of the largest collections of genealogical and local history research materials in the Upper Midwest and includes census, naturalization records, passenger arrival records, mining company newsletters, and a survey of Women in Industry taken in 1919, among many others.
 * – 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.
 * Norwegians of Dodge & Olmsted, Minnesota Genealogy of an Immigrant Community, circa 1854-1925