Benton County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Benton County, Minnesota ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Benton County Courthouse 531 Dewey St PO Box 129 Foley, MN 56329 Phone: 320-968-5037 Benton County Website County Recorder has birth records from 1870, marriage records from 1887, death records from 1871 and land records from 1850. Court Administrator has divorce and court records from 1900 and probate records from 1850.

Populated Places
 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

 * Biographies at MNGenWeb

Census Records
State Census
 * 1835-1890 Minnesota, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1849-1905 Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records

 * FamilySearch Places
 * Churches at MNGenWeb

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1912-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Pre-1908 Minnesota, Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry ($)

Local Histories

 * Minnesota County History Name Index at Ancestry ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Minnesota Maps at David Rumsey Map Collections
 * FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns - How to Use FS Places
 * Minnesota Department of Transportation, Benton County municipality and township maps.

Military Records
Civil War Civil War service men from Benton County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Benton County.
 * Military Records at MNGenWeb
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota, Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection
 * 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Spanish American War
 * 7th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota, Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at Ancestry (Free Index)

World War I
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1918-1941 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection

World War II
 * 1940-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1940-1947 U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry ($)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1849-1985 Web: Minnesota, Naturalization Index, 1849-1985 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1872-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1880-1920 Minnesota, Federal Naturalization Records, 1880-1920 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1918 Web: Minnesota, Alien Registration Index, 1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Newspapers

 * Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society — narrow to county (55 listed) or city (106 listed), search for surname, limit by date.
 * Newspaper Articles at MNGenWeb

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1891-2003 Web: Minnesota, Obituary Index, 1891-2003 at Ancestry (Free collection)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1925 Minnesota, Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection

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.

Birth

 * 1840-1980 U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980 at ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota People Records Search - Births at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1900-1934 Minnesota, Birth Index, 1900-1934 at MyHeritage; index ($)
 * 1935-2000 U.S., Birth Index, 1935-2000 at ($)

Marriage

 * 1850-2019 Minnesota, U.S., Marriages from the Minnesota Official Marriage System, 1850-2019 at (Free collection)
 * 1860-1949 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885-present Minnesota Official Marriage System at MOMS.mn.gov; search by county, name or date, and request copy.
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Marriage Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)
 * 1976-2003 Minnesota, Marriages, 1976-2003 at MyHeritage; index ($)

Death

 * 1850-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1887-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota People Records Search - Deaths at Minnesota Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1904-2001 Minnesota, Death Index, 1904-2001 at MyHeritage; index ($)
 * 1908-2017 U.S., Death Index, 1908-2017 at ($)

Divorce

 * 1970-1995 U.S., Divorce Index, 1970-1995 at ($)
 * 1970-2003 Minnesota Divorce Records Index, 1970-2003 at Archives ($)

Family History Centers

 * Princeton Minnesota Family History Center
 * St Cloud Minnesota Family History Center
 * Great River Regional Library - multiple branches - an affiliate library.
 * Sherburne History Center - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Great River Regional Libraries 251 N 4th Avenue Box 340 Foley, MN 56329 Phone: 320-968-6612 Website

Museums
Benton County Historical Society & Museum 218 1st St North Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 Phone: 320-253-9614 Email: [mailto:bchsmus@bentoncountyhistorical.com bchsmus@bentoncountyhistorical.com] Website

Societies

 * Benton County Historical Society 218 1st St North Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 Phone: 320-253-9614 Email: [mailto:bchsmus@bentoncountyhistorical.com bchsmus@bentoncountyhistorical.com] Website
 * Sartell Historical Society P.O. Box 1907 125 Pine Cone Rd North Sartell, MN 56377 Website
 * Central Minnesota Historical Center St Cloud University Centennial Hall, Room 148 St. Cloud, MN 5630 Website

Websites

 * Cyndi's List: Benton County
 * Minnesota Historical Society
 * The Benton County MNGenWeb Project, a member of The MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * USGenWeb Archives for Benton County.
 * Iron Range Research Center
 * – 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.