Barnes County, North Dakota Genealogy

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

Description
Barnes County in honor of Judge Alanson H. Barnes (1818-1890) who was an associate justice of the Territorial Court. It is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Barnes County Courthouse 230 4th S NE Valley City, ND 58072 Phone: 701-845-8512 Barnes County Website Clerk District Court has birth, death, burial and court records; County Judge has marriage and probate records

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:

Biographies

 * Barnes County Biographies on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website - alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * Index of Surnames, Barnes County History, Barnes County Historical Society Inc., Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing Company (1976).
 * North Dakota State University Biography Archieves -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

 * Census Data USGenWeb project - Barnes County.
 * Census Records USGenWeb Archives - Barnes County.
 * 1880 Mortality Schedule, Barnes County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)

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 Dutch Reformed Church Lutheran Church
 * 1917-1964 - U.S., Selected States Dutch Reformed Church Membership Records, 1701-1995 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dover Reformed Church in Wimbledon, Membership Records and Accounts, dates mixed, not in chronological order
 * 1875-1940 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county
 * Records of Lutheran Church, Skandia in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
 * Records of Spring Creek Lutheran Church, Hasting, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Valley City, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Directories

 * 1822 - 1995 U.S. City Directories 1822-1995 at Ancestry ($) - collection for the City of Valley City

Emigration and Immigration

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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to BLM Records, Barnes County, ND, 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

 * Barnes County history : Barnes County, North Dakota. 1976. Barnes County Historical Society; Valley City, North Dakota. ;.

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
 * Family Maps of Barnes County, North Dakota Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

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
 * Barnes County Pensioners on the Rolls as of January 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 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, Barnes County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Army Enlistees - Barnes County, USGenWeb Archives
 * World War II Army Casualties, Barnes County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Casualties, Barnes County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1950-1957 - Korean War Casualties, Barnes County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1957-1995 - Vietnam War Casualties, Barnes County, North Dakota (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1868-1924 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1879-1947 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index, images
 * 1879-1948 (*);District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index, images
 * 1941-1945 (*); District Court 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

 * Barnes County Obituaries and Death Notices (Genealogy Trails)

Probate Records
''Online Probate Records


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

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
 * 1880-1890 - Some marriage records from Barnes Co., North Dakota, 1880-1890 at FamilySearch
 * Barnes County Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)

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

Libraries
Valley City Public Library 410 Central Ave N Valley City, ND 58072 701-845-3821 Website Facebook

Museums

 * See the Barnes County Historical Society Museum noted below.

Societies
Barnes County Historical Society 315 Central Ave. N. Valley City, ND 58072-0661 Telephone: 701-845-0966 Fax: 701-845-5223 E-mail: [mailto:bchistoricalsociety@hotmail.com bchistoricalsociety@hotmail.com] Website Facebook Page

Websites

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