Stearns County, Minnesota Genealogy

United States Minnesota  Stearns County

County Courthouse
Court Adminostratpr has divorce, probate and court records. County Recorder has land records. License Center has birth, marriage and death records.

Parent County

 * 1855--Stearns County was created 20 February 1855 from Cass, Nicollet, Pierce (Eliminated 20 Feb 1862), and Sibley Counties.
 * County seat: St. Cloud
 * For a brief history of Stearns County's name, click here, then select Stearns County.

Populated Places
Cities: Avon | Sartell | Spring Hill | St. Cloud | St. Joseph

Neighboring Counties

 * Benton
 * Douglas
 * Kandiyohi
 * Meeker
 * Morrison
 * Pope
 * Sherburne
 * Todd
 * Wright

Local Histories

 * William Bell Mitchell, History of Stearns County, Minnesota. Chicago : H.C. Cooper, Jr., 1915
 * Newton Horace Winchell, History of the Upper Mississippi Valley. Minneapolis: Minnesota Historical Co., 1881

Civil War
Civil War service men from Stearns 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 Stearns County.


 * - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry (Mounted Rangers), Company D.
 * - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Companies D and E.
 * - 3rd Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.
 * - 4th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Companies D and G.
 * - 7th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.
 * - Hatch's Independent Battalion, Minnesota Cavalry, Company E.

Newspapers
All newspapers are available on microfilm at Stearns History Museum


 * St. Cloud Times, 1861-2011 (weekly and daily)
 * Der Nordstern, 17 Feb 1876 - 27 Aug 1931 (1886 is missing)

Societies and Libraries

 * Stearns History Museum Archives
 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * St Cloud Minnesota Family History Center

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Web Sites

 * Stearns History Museum Archives
 * Stearns County, MN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)