Cass County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Cass 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 Lewis Cass. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Cass County Courthouse 303 Minnesota Ave West PO Box 3000 Walker, MN 56484 Phone: 218-547-7200 Cass County Website County Treasurer has birth and death records from 1896 and marriage records from 1897. Clerk District Court has divorce records from 1899, court records from 1898, probate and naturalization records. City or Town Clerks have burial records.

Populated Places
 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 Minnesota, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1849-1905 Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at Ancestry ($)
 * 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

Emigration and Immigration

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

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1865-1909 Minnesota, Cass County reception books, deed and miscellaneous records, 1865-1909 at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes, then select the camera icon to view images.
 * Pre-1908, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns - How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Cass County municipality and township maps.

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 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 collection)
 * 1861-1865, U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (free collection)
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection
 * 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Spanish-American War''
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota, U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at Ancestry (Free index)

World War I''
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1918-1941 at FamilySearch — How to use this collection.

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 ($)
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry ($)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1849-1985 Web: Minnesota, U.S., Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at Ancestry (Free Collection)
 * 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1880-1920, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at Ancestry ($)
 * 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 (55 listed) or city (106 listed), search for surname, limit by date.

Obituaries

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

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1925, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at Ancestry — 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

 * Bemidji Minnesota Family History Center
 * Brainerd Minnesota Family History Center
 * Great River Regional Library - multiple branches - an affiliate library.
 * Jessie F. Hallett Memorial Library - an affiliate library.
 * Park Rapids Minnesota Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries

 * Kitchigami Regional Library Headquarters 310 2nd St North P.O. Box 84 Pine River, MN 56474 Phone: 218-587-2171 Website
 * North Central Minnesota Historical Center The A.C. Clark Library 1500 Birchmont Dr NE #28 Bemidji, MN 56601-2699 Phone: 218-755-3342 Website

Museums

 * Cass County Historical Society Museum 205 Minnesota Ave W P.O. Box 505 Walker, MN 56484 Phone: 218-547-7251 Email: [mailto:casscountymuseum@gmail.com casscountymuseum@gmail.com] Website

Societies

 * Cass County Historical Society 205 Minnesota Avenue W P.O. Box 505 Walker, MN 56484 Phone: 218-547-7251 Email: [mailto:casscountymuseum@gmail.com casscountymuseum@gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * The Cass County MNGenWeb Project, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * Minnesota Historical Society
 * USGenWeb Archives for Cass County.
 * Cyndi's List: Cass County
 * Iron Range Research Center The Iron Range Research Center contains one of the largest collections of genealogical and local history research materials in the Upper Midwest and includes census, naturalization records, passenger arrival records, mining company newsletters, and a survey of Women in Industry taken in 1919, among many others.
 * – 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.