Minnesota, World War I Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of digital images of records related to World War I from the collections of the Minnesota Historical Society for the years 1918 to 1941. The collection includes service records and records of bonuses available for military service. It also includes the Gold Star Honor Roll, which lists Minnesota men and women who died as a result of war service, and records of resident aliens in Minnesota (primarily German immigrants) who were required to register during the war.

Record Content
The records usually include:


 * Name
 * Birth date and place
 * Age
 * Residence
 * Military service dates
 * Death date and place if they died while in the service
 * May include names of nearest family member

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Name
 * Identifying information such as birth date and place

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Category" ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type, Volume, and Year Range" which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * Use the name, place of residence and birth date to obtain their military file from the National Archives
 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the soldier's age and and residence to find his family in census, church, and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the records of nearby localities (or military units, counties, parishes, etc.).

Related Websites
Minnesota Historical Society

Related Wiki Articles
Minnesota Military Records

Citations for this Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. 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. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection citation:

Image citation: