Billings County, North Dakota Genealogy

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

Description
Named for railroad executive Frederick H. Billings. It is located in the southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Billings County Courthouse 495 4th Street; PO Box 138 Medora, ND 58645-0138 Phone. 701.623.4492 Billings County Website

Clerk of the District Court has marriage records from 1893, burial records from 1922, divorce records, and probate records from 1895, court records from 1890, and land records from 1886.

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:

Biographies

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

Cemeteries

 * 1877-1999 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Territory and State Census Records
Census Territory Census Territory Census
 * 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 - How to Use this Collection
 * 1850 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1850 Minnesota - How to Use this Collection
 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; North Dakota was included in the 1860 Dakota - How to Use this Collection
 * 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.
 * Billings County Census Records (USGenWeb Archives)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Online Church Records Lutheran Church
 * 1875-1940 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1800-1953 - at FamilySearch — index

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records For more information see North Dakota Land and Property
 * Index to Billings County BLM Property Records (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
 * 1863-1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories

 * Echoing trails : Billings County history. 1979. Billings County Historical Society. Billings County Historical Society; Medora, North Dakota. ;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * 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
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.
 * 1890 - at FamilySearch.

World War I
 * 1917-1918 North Dakota Military Men 1917-1918 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1917-1918 Roster of the men and women who served in the army or naval service (including the Marine Corps) of the United States or its allies from the state of North Dakota in the World War, 1917-1918, Vols. 1-4 at Ancestry ($)
 * WWI Draft Registrations, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)
 * WWI Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

World War II
 * World War II Army Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)
 * World War II Navy Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

Korean War
 * Korean War Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

Vietnam War For further information see North Dakota Military Records.
 * Vietnam War Casualties, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1868-1924 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 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

 * Obituaries and Death Notices, Billings County (Genealogy Trails)

Probate Records
'''Online Probate Records


 * 1800 – 1985 North Dakota and South Dakota Wills and Probate Records 1800-1985 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

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.

Marriage

 * 1872-1958 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Billings County Marriage Announcements (Genealogy Trails)

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1892-present - NDDH Public Death Index, 1892-present at North Dakota Dept. of Health – index only

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
Billings County Historical Society Museum PO Box 364 Medora, ND58645 Phone: 701-623-4829

Chateau de Mores State Historic Site PO Box 106 Medora, ND 58645 Phone: 701-623-4355 or 701-328-2666 Email: [mailto:histsoc@nd.gov histsoc@nd.gov] Website

Websites

 * Billings County NDGenWeb
 * Billings County, ND, USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Billings County, SD, US GenWeb 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.
 * Billings County, North Dakota Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Billings County (Genealogy Trails)
 * Billings County Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)