Cherry County, Nebraska Genealogy

Cherry County, Nebraska genealogy and family history research page. Guide to genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has marriage and land records. County Court has probate and court records. Clerk District Court has divorce records.

Early Settlers of County
Homestead settlers followed the fur traders, soldiers, circuit riders, missionaries, and cattlemen in their westward trek. Until January 1, 1863, a settler in the territory of Nebraska could make his home on 160 acres of government land. (See reference site for full article.)

Homesteader surnames (please add as found):


 * Weigel

Parent County
1883 Cherry County was created 23 February 1883 from unorganized territory. County seat: Valentine.

Description
Cherry county seat is Valentine. Cherry County was named for Lieutenant Samuel A. Cherry, a popular army officer who was stationed at Fort Niobrara and was killed in South Dakota in 1881. It was founded in 1883.

Boundary Changes

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nebraska - shows boundary changes for Nebraska Counties
 * Nebraska Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

City

 * Valentine

Villages

 * Cody
 * Crookston
 * Kilgore
 * Merriman
 * Nenzel
 * Wood Lake

Unincorporated communities

 * Brownlee
 * DeWitty
 * Elsmere
 * Sparks

Neighboring Counties

 * Bennett County, South Dakota
 * Blaine, Nebraska
 * Brown, Nebraska
 * Grant, Nebraska
 * Hooker, Nebraska
 * Keya Paha, Nebraska
 * Shannon County, South Dakota
 * Sheridan, Nebraska
 * Thomas, Nebraska
 * Todd County, South Dakota
 * Tripp County, South Dakota

Cemeteries
Mt. Hope Cemetery, the largest cemetery within the city limits of Valentine, Nebraska. Some images can be found at: ancestry.com and nebraskagravestone.org

State Census Records

 * 1854 - 1870 - Nebraska, Compiled Census Index, 1854-1870 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
 * 1860 - 1885 - Nebraska State Census Collection 1860-1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1885 - Nebraska State Census 1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for Nebraska starting in 1860. For links to Federal census indexes, see Nebraska Census.

Court

 * 1870 - 1990 — Nebraska Prisoner Records 1870-1990 — index only

Land
For more information see Nebraska Land and Property
 * 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 - 1936 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1936 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * Publication from the Economic Development Department with several nice color photos of the area is available at: COMMUNITY FACTS OF VALENTINE, NEBRASKA


 * Here is the link to the local library for a catalog and contact information to the local library that contains history of the area: Valentine Public Library. Marianne Beel has done a nice job on several Sandhill area local histories such as "Sand in my Shoes: Four decades of sandhill stories and history" found at the Valentine Public library:.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Nebraska Gazetteer - database for all known places found in 1890 and 1911 Nebraska gazetteers
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nebraska - shows boundary changes for Nebraska Counties

Revolutionary War

 * 1775 - 1783 - at FamilySearch - images only
 * For more nationwide Revolutionary War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1891 - Nebraska Resident Military Roster on June 1, 1891 at Ancestry.com - ($), Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the War of 1812, the Mexico War, and the War of the Rebellion, residing in Nebraska June 1, 1891
 * 1893 - Roster of Nebraska Veterans - list of veterans in 1893
 * For more nationwide Civil War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

WWI

 * 1917 - 1918 - World War I Drafts 1917-1918 - index only
 * For more nationwide World War I databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

Newspapers
The Valentine Midland News is the primary newspaper in the area. Information on this newspaper can be found at: Nebraska Press Association

Also, back issues of prior newspapers that have been microfilmed are available; index found at: NebraskaHistory.Org  Nebraska Newspapers Online Nebraska Newspaper Catalogs
 * Nebraska Newspapers - contains images of newspapers throughout Nebraska
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Nebraska newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * Nebraska State Historical Society - catalog of known Nebraska newspapers; lists repositories that have the newspapers
 * 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

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1806 – 1989 Nebraska Wills and Probate Records 1806-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Marriage Records
Online Marriage Records Indexes and Images
 * 1855 - 1995 — at FamilySearch — index only
 * 1856 - 1898 — Nebraska Marriages 1856-1898 at Ancestry.com ($), index only

Societies and Libraries
County, Township and City Societies


 * Cherry County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 380 Valentine, NE 69201


 * Cherry County Historical Society 650 Essex St. Valentine, NE 69201-1618 402-376-2015

Libraries


 * Valentine Public Library 324 N Main Valentine, NE 69201 Phone: 402-376-3160 Fax: 402-376-3160

Websites

 * NEGenWeb
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.