Minnesota, Clay County, School Census Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes school census records from 1909 to 1962. There are many errors with some years incorrectly identified especially in the 1960's. The listing of school-aged children is a common practice throughout the United States. The records are usually compiled on a yearly basis and help local governments determine funding needs for individual schools. The information is usually reliable although the ages are sometimes off by a year and legal guardians may be confused with parents.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the child attending school
 * The age or approximate birth date of the child
 * The names of the child's parents
 * The place where the family lived

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date
 * Use the age or birth date along with the parents’ names and residence to find the family in census records
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records
 * It is often helpful to extract the information on all children with the same parents

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Minnesota.
 * Minnesota Guided Research
 * Minnesota Record Finder
 * Minnesota Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Minnesota Research, 1880-Present

Family History Library Holdings

 * D.W. Meeker. Clay County illustrated, Minnesota : some facts showing the wonderful development of the banner county of the Red River Valley in Minnesota. Moorhead, Minnesota : D.W. Meeker, c1916
 * Clay County, school census records, 1909-1962
 * Clay County, biography files, 1950's-1980's

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Minnesota, Clay County Land and Property Records, 1872-1947
 * Minnesota, Clay and Steele County Obituaries, 1865-2006

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.