Griggs County, North Dakota Genealogy

Guide to Griggs County, North Dakota ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Organized on June 16, 1882. The county was named for Alexander Griggs of Grand Forks who was a Red River steamboat man and local entrepreneur. County Seat: Cooperstown. The County is located in east central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Griggs County Courthouse 808 Rollin Ave SW Cooperstown, ND 58425 Phone: 701.797.2772 Griggs County Website Clerk District Court has birth cords from 1880

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:

See Also
 * National Register of Historic Places listings in Griggs County, North Dakota
 * U.S. Navy ship named after this county

Biographies

 * Griggs County Biographies on North Dakota Genealogy Trails website - Alphabetical list of early settlers and prominent individuals from county histories
 * North Dakota Biography Index at North Dakota State University Archives - Index only; gives references to publications containing information on North Dakotans, living and deceased

Census Records

 * Griggs County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Territory and State Census Records

 * 1836 - 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census – index only; North Dakota was included in the 1836 Wisconsin Territory Census
 * 1840 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1840 Iowa Territory Census
 * 1850 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Minnesota Territory Census
 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1860 Dakota Territory Census
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1870 Dakota Territory Census
 * 1880 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1880 Dakota Territory Census
 * 1885 Dakota Territory 1885 Census Index at NDSU Archives – index only
 * 1885, 1915, 1925 North Dakota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1885, 1915, 1925 at Ancestry.com – ($), index and images
 * 1915 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images
 * 1925 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of North Dakota starting in 1890, although no records survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal census indexes, see North Dakota Census.

Church Records
Online Church Records Griggs County Church Histories Lutheran Church
 * Griggs County Church Histories and Records
 * 1875-1940 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county
 * Records of Trinity Lutheran Church, Griggs County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Directories

 * Cooperstown Medical Directory 1902 (USGenWeb Archives)

Funeral Homes

 * Cooperstown - Funeral Home Index, Surnames A-G (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Cooperstown - Funeral Home Index, Surnames H-M (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Cooperstown - Funeral Home Index, Surnames N-Z (USGenWeb Archives)

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Griggs County BLM Records, Surnames A-G (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Griggs County BLM Records, Surnames H-N (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Griggs County BLM Records, Surnames O-Z (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796-1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1861-1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1908 at Ancestry - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * History Topics (Genealogy Trails)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of North Dakota - shows boundary changes for North Dakota Counties
 * North Dakota Maps at NDGenWeb -historical maps

Online Collections
These collections are unique to North Dakota. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and North Dakota Military Records.

Civil War World War I World War II Vietnam War For further information see North Dakota Military Records.
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.
 * 1883 - Pensioners on the Rolls as of Jan 1, 1883 (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1890 - at FamilySearch.
 * 1917-1918 - North Dakota Military Men 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1917-1918 - Roster of the men and women who served in the army or naval service (including the Marine Corps) of the United States or its allies from the state of North Dakota in the World War, 1917-1918, Vols. 1-4 at Ancestry ($)
 * World War I Casualties, Griggs County (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Army Casualties, Griggs County (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy Casualties, Griggs County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Vietnam War Casualties, Griggs County (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * North Dakota Naturalization Records Index at NDSU Archives – index only, covers various dates and counties

Newspapers
 North Dakota Newspapers Online North Dakota Newspaper Catalogs
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of North Dakota newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of North Dakota newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some North Dakota newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
 * State Historical Society of North Dakota - contains inventory and catalog of all known ND newspapers

Obituaries

 * Griggs County Obituaries and Death Notices from newspapers. (Genealogy Trails)

Probate Records
'''Online Probate Records


 * 1878 – 1928 North Dakota and South Dakota Wills and Probate Records 1878-1928 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Marriage

 * 1872-1958 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Griggs County Marriage Announcements from newspapers. (Genealogy Trails)

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1892-present - NDDH Public Death Index, 1892-present at North Dakota Dept. of Health – index only
 * Griggs County Obituaries and Death Notices from newspapers. (Genealogy Trails)

Archives
North Dakota State University Archives West Building 3551 7th Avenue N Fargo, ND 58102 Mailing Address: NDSU Archives Libraries NDSU Dept #2080 PO Box 6050 Fargo, ND 58108-6050 Phone: 701-231-8914 Fax: 701-231-5632 Email: [mailto:ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu] Website

Museums
Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site 555 113-1/2 Ave Ne Hwy 45 PO Box 6 Cooperstown ND 58425-0006 Website

Societies
Griggs County Historical Society PO Box 242 Cooperstown, ND 58425-0242 Telephone: 701-797-2159 Website

Websites

 * Griggs County, North Dakota, USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Griggs County, North Dakota, USGenWeb Archives
 * 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.
 * Griggs County, North Dakota Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Griggs County Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Griggs County Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)