Benson County, North Dakota Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for B.W. Benson, a member of the Dakota Territory legislature. The County is located in north central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Benson County Courthouse 311 B Ave Street Minnewaukan, ND 58351 Phone: 701.473.5345 Benson County Courthouse Website Clerk District Court has birth records from late 1890s, marriage records from late 1800s, divorce, probate and court records from 1895 and burial records from Register of Deeds has land records Clerk District Court Website

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

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:

See also
 * National Register of Historic Places - Benson County

Indian Reservations Spirit Lake Reservation is located primarily in Benson County, with a portion in Eddy County. Historically it was also known as Devils Lake Reservation, and sometimes incorrectly referred to as Fort Totten Reservation.

Biographies

 * Benson County Biographies, on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website - alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * North Dakota Biography Index at North Dakota State University Archives - Index only; gives references to publications containing information on North Dakotans, living and deceased

Cemeteries

 * 1877-1999 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Census Records

 * Benson County Census Records, USGenWeb Archives

Territory and State Census Records
Census Territory Census Territory Census Territory Census Territory Census
 * 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 - How to Use this Collection
 * 1850 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Minnesota - How to Use this Collection
 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1860 Dakota - How to Use this Collection
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1870 Dakota - How to Use this Collection
 * 1880 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1880 Dakota - How to Use this Collection
 * 1885 Dakota Territory 1885 Census Index at NDSU Archives – index only
 * 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 - How to Use this Collection
 * 1925 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images - How to Use this Collection

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.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1800-1953 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Funeral Homes

 * Nelson Funeral Homes in Leeds, Madock, and Minnewaukan

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Benson County BLM Land Records Index, USGenWeb Archives
 * 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
 * 1863-1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * Knox area history. 1977. Newgard, Thomas Phillip. Self Published..

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * 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 World War II Korean War Vietnam War For further information see North Dakota Military Records.
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1890 - at FamilySearch. - How to Use this Collection
 * 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 Casualties, Benson County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Nels Wold, Congressional Medal of Honor Citation, USGenWeb Archives
 * World War II Army Casualties, Benson County (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy Casualties, Benson County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Korean War Casualties, Benson County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Vietnam War Casualties, Benson County (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1868-1924 - at FamilySearch] — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1884-1954 - (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — general index, images
 * 1888-1955 - (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — general index, images
 * 1903-1955 - (*); District at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * North Dakota Naturalization Records Index at NDSU Archives – index only, covers various dates and counties

Newspapers
North Dakota Newspaper Catalogs


 * State Historical Society of North Dakota - contains inventory and catalog of all known ND newspapers
 * 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

 North Dakota Newspapers Online


 * Chronicling America - contains images of some North Dakota newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * GenealogyBank ($)
 * Newspaper Archive ($)
 * Papers from the Past at Community History Archives

Obituaries

 * Benson Obituaries (NDGenWeb project)
 * Obituaries and Death Notices, Benson County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Cornelia Olava Isaacs Torgerson, 1954 (USGenWeb Archives)

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

School Records

 * 1917-1925 - Maddock High School Graduates, 1917-1925 (Genealogy Trails)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection Historical Records|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.

Marriage

 * 1872-1958 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * Benson County Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)

Death

 * 1892-present - NDDH Public Death Index, 1892-present at North Dakota Dept. of Health – index only

Museums
Fort Totten State Historic Site 417 Calvary Circle PO Box 224 Fort Totten, ND 58335 701-766-4441 Website

Lake Region Pioneer Daughters Museum at Fort Totten State Historic Site c/o Bonnie McNaughton 817 7th St NE Devils Lake, ND 58301-2634 701-662-7345 Website

Societies
Minnewaukan Historical Society c/o Richard Peterson PO Box 183 Minnewaukan, ND 58351-0183 701-473-5436

Websites

 * Benson County at Cyndi's List — a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Benson County at Genealogy Trails — volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Benson County at North Dakota USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Benson County at North Dakota USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * Benson County, North Dakota at Linkpendium - genealogy and family history
 * Benson County, North Dakota Genealogy at LDSGenealogy.com - collection of links by state, county, city, and record type
 * 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.