Houston County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Houston 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 Sam Houston, who was president of Texas before its annexation by the United States and afterward was a senator from that state. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clerk District Court has birth and death records from 1870, marriage records from 1854, court records from 1856 and divorce records. Probate Judge has probate records. Register of Deeds has land records.

Parent County

 * 1854--Houston County was created 4 April 1854 from Fillmore County. County seat: Caledonia
 * For a brief history of how Houston County was named, click here, then select Houston County.

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:

Neighboring Counties

 * Allamakee County, Iowa
 * Fillmore
 * La Crosse County, Wisconsin
 * Vernon County, Wisconsin
 * Winneshiek County, Iowa
 * Winona

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

Lutheran
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Caledonia


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

Trinity Lutheran Church, Spring Grove


 * Records of the Trinity Lutheran Church, Spring Grove, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912 - 1956 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps

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

Civil War
Civil War service men from Houston 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 Houston County.


 * - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry (Mounted Rangers), Companies A and G.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Minnesota Cavalry, Companies A and D.
 * - 6th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company K.
 * - 10th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company F.
 * - 11th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company K.

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1872-1962 - at FamilySearch — index

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
Houston County Historical Society PO Box 173 Houston 55943

Houston County Historical Society 104 History Ln Caledonia MN 55921-1746 Telephone: 507-725-3884

La Crescent Area Historical Society 171 Skunk Hollow Road La Crescent, MN 55947

Minnesota Historical Society Research Center 1500 Mississippi Street St. Paul, MN 55101 Telephone: 612-296-6980

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Websites

 * Houston County, MN Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Norwegian Ridge
 * Norwegian Ridge