Minnesota, Clay County Land and Property Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The records cover the years 1872 to 1947 with some indexes going beyond the year 1947.

The collection consists of images of records from the courthouse in Moorhead, Minnesota. The records include the following:


 * Grantor indexes
 * Grantee indexes
 * Deeds
 * Abstract books

After the county's creation, a county land office was formed. Land transactions among private owners were then recorded by the registerar of deeds in the county office.

For a list of records by date and event currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

These records were created to safeguard the legal interests of the buyer and seller.

These records are very reliable.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The records contain the following information:




 * Names of interested parties
 * Date of transaction
 * Legal description of the property
 * Monies exchanged
 * Details of the transaction
 * Names of witnesses

How to Use the Record
To search the collection, select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the Record Type, Year Range, and Volume which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination

To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * Names of interested parties
 * Approximate date of the transaction
 * Location of the property

Compare the information in the record to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Make a photocopy of the deed, or extract the genealogical information needed.

These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family.

For example:


 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and census records.
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * Search for the land transactions of a couple and their children. The parents may have sold or given property to a son or daughter. Such transactions confirm relationships that might not be found in other records.
 * Search for records of people in the county who shared a surname. These may have been the couple’s parents, uncles, or other relatives. Your ancestor may have been an heir who sold inherited land that had belonged to parents or grandparents.
 * To find later generations, search the land records a few years before and after a person’s death. Your ancestor may have sold or given land to his or her heirs before death, or the heirs may have sold the land after the individual died. For daughters, the names of their husbands are often provided. For sons, the given names of their wives may be included. Heirs may have sold their interest in the land to another heir even though the record may not indicate this. Continue this process for identifying each succeeding generation.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Keep in mind:


 * Some counties were subdivided or the boundaries may have changed. Consider searching neighboring counties as well since that courthouse may have been more convenient for the person.
 * One deed does not usually give sufficient information about a couple and their children. A careful study of all deeds for the person or the family will yield a richer return of information.
 * For each parcel of land owned, you should obtain two documents: 1) the deed that documents when ownership transferred to the individual or the family and 2) the deed that documents when ownership was transferred to someone else.

Related Websites
Land Records Search

Related Wiki Articles

 * Clay County, Minnesota
 * Minnesota Land and Property

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Minnesota, Clay County Land and Property Records, 1872-1947, digital images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/: accessed 27 March 2012), Minnesota, Clay County Land and Property Records,1872-1947 &gt; Deed books, 1893-1895, v. 20 &gt; Image 4 of 645, for James R Rowe, deed filed November 13, 1893; citing Property Records,; Clay County Courthouse, Moorhead, Minnesota, United States, FHL digital images, 104 digital folders. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.