Pipestone County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Pipestone County, Minnesota ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for deposits of red pipestone used by Native Americans to make pipes. The County is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Pipestone County Courthouse 416 S Hiawatha Pipestone, MN 56164-1562 Phone: 507-690-7004 Pipestone County Website Clerk District Court has birth, marriage, divorce, probate and court records from 1877. County Recorder has land records.

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:

Census Records
State Census
 * 1835-1890 U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at ($)
 * 1849-1905 U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at ($)
 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1875 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Church Records

 * FamilySearch Places

Lutheran
 * Hunstad, Beverly; The Eden Church: Pipestone and Rock Counties, MN; Online at FamilySearch Digital Library.

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Pre-1908 Minnesota, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)

Local Histories

 * Rose, Arthur P.; An Illustrated History of the Counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota (Luverne, Minnesota: Northern History Publishing Company, 1911) Online at Google Books, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Indexed at Ancestry ($).
 * Pipestone County, Minn. Statehood Centennial Committee; History of Pipestone County; Online at FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Minnesota Maps at David Rumsey Map Collection
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Pipestone County municipality and township maps

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Free index, images ($)
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)

Civil War
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at ; Free index
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry; Free index

Spanish-American War
 * 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898  at ; Free index
 * 1898-1899 U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at ; Free index

World War I
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
 * '1917-1919 An honor roll containing a pictorial record of the gallant and courageous men from Pipestone County, Minn., U.S.A., who served in the Great War, 1917-1918-1919.Pipestone, Minnesota : Leader Pub. Co., 1919?

World War II
 * 1940-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1940-1947 U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry; Free index

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1849-1985 Minnesota, U.S., Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at (Free collection)
 * 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1920 U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at ($)
 * 1918 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Alien Registration Index, 1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Newspapers

 * Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society; narrow to county or city, search for surname, limit by date.

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1891-2003 Minnesota, U.S., Obituary Index, 1891-2003 at (Free collection)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1925 U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at ; index and images ($)
 * 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Three Minnesota counties are not in this collection: Hennepin, Marshall, and St. Louis.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — 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.

Birth

 * 1840-1980 U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980 at ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota People Records Search - Births at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota, Birth Index, 1900-1934 at MyHeritage; index ($)
 * 1935-2000 U.S., Birth Index, 1935-2000 at ($)

Marriage

 * 1850-2019 Minnesota, U.S., Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2019 at (Free collection)
 * 1860-1949 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885-present Minnesota Official Marriage System at MOMS.mn.gov; search by county, name or date, and request copy.
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Marriage Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)
 * 1976-2003 Minnesota, Marriages, 1976-2003 at MyHeritage; index ($)

Death

 * 1850-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1887-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota People Records Search - Deaths at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota, Death Index, 1904-2001 at MyHeritage; index ($)
 * 1908-2017 U.S., Death Index, 1908-2017 at ($)

Divorce

 * 1970-1995 U.S., Divorce Index, 1970-1995 at ($)
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)

Family History Centers

 * Brookings South Dakota Family History Center
 * Marshall Minnesota Family History Center
 * Pipestone Minnesota Family History Center
 * Brookings Public Library - an affiliate library.
 * Willmar Public Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries

 * Meinders Community Library 1401 7th Street SW Pipestone, MN 56164 Phone: 507-825-6714 Website
 * Edgerton Public Library 811 1st Avenue W Edgerton, MN 56128 Phone: 507-442-7071 Website

Museums

 * Pipestone County Museum 113 S Hiawatha Ave Pipestone, MN 56164 Phone: 507-825-2563 Email: [mailto:pipctymu@iw.net pipctymu@iw.net] Website
 * Pipestone National Monument Minnesota 36 Reservation Ave Pipestone, MN 56164 Phone: 507-825-5464, ext 14 Website

Societies

 * Pipestone County Genealogical Society 113 S Hiawatha Ave Pipestone, MN 56164 Phone: 507-825-2563 Email: [mailto:pipctymu@iw.net pipctymu@iw.net] Website
 * Jasper Historical Society Poorbaugh Building Museum 102 Wall St E Jasper, MN 56144 Phone: 507-348-9205

Websites

 * Pipestone County MNGenWeb, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
 * Iron Range Research Center
 * Pipestone County, a member of MNGenWeb, an affiliate of USGenWeb Project.
 * Cyndi's List: Pipestone County
 * Minnesota Genealogy Trails
 * – 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.