Morrison County, Minnesota Genealogy

Guide to Morrison 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 fur trading brothers, William and Allan Morrison. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Morrison County Courthouse 213 1st Avenue SE Little Falls, MN 56345 Phone: 320-632-0296 Morrison County Website County Recorder has birth, marriage, death and some cemetery records, land and military records. Court Administration has divorce, probate and court records.

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

 * Fuller, Clara K.; History of Morrison and Todd Counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions: ... (Indianapolis, Indiana: B.F. Bowen & Co., 1915) Volume 2 online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, Internet Archive.
 * WPA Biographies Index at Morrison County Historical Society; copies can be requested by calling the Morrison County Historical Society at 320-632-4007 or e–mail [mailto:contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org. contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org.]

Census Records
State Census
 * 1835-1890 U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1835-1890 at ($)
 * 1849-1905 U.S., Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 at ($)
 * 1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1875 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

Emigration and Immigration

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

Funeral Homes

 * Brenny Family Funeral Chapel - Randall
 * Emblom Brenny Funeral Service - Little Falls, Pierz, Royalton
 * Miller-Carlin Funeral Homes - Upsala
 * Shelley Funeral Chapels - Little Falls, Pierz, Swanville

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

Local Histories

 * Fuller, Clara K.; History of Morrison and Todd Counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions: ... (Indianapolis, Indiana: B.F. Bowen & Co., 1915) Volume 1 online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1861-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Free index, images ($)
 * 1898-1899 Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection at Ancestry ($)

Civil War Civil War service men from Morrison 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 Morrison County.
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Records, 1861-1865 at ; Free index
 * 1861-1865 Minnesota Civil War Soldiers at Ancestry; Free index
 * 1861-1934 U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at Ancestry; Free index
 * - 1st Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company E.
 * - 7th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Company I.

Spanish-American War
 * 1898 U.S., Spanish American War Volunteers Index to Compiled Military Service Records, 1898  at ; Free index
 * 1898-1899 U.S., Spanish American War Muster Rolls and Casualty Lists, 1898-1899 at ; Free index

World War I
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918 at Ancestry (Free collection)
 * 1917-1918 U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry; Free index
 * 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; Free index, images ($)
 * 1942 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at Ancestry; Free index

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

Newspapers

 * Newspaper Listings at Morrison County Historical Society; copies can be requested by calling the Morrison County Historical Society at 320-632-4007 or e–mail [mailto:contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org. contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org.] Research and copy fees will apply.
 * Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub at Minnesota Historical Society; narrow to county or city, search for surname, limit by date.

Obituaries

 * 1865-2006 at  — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1891-2003 Minnesota, U.S., Obituary Index, 1891-2003 at (Free collection)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1801-1925 U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1925 at ; index and images ($)
 * 1849-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Three Minnesota counties are not in this collection: Hennepin, Marshall, and St. Louis.

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

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

Libraries

 * Little Falls Library Carnegie Library 100 NE 7th Avenue P.O. Box 244 Little Falls, MN 56345 Phone: 320-632-9676 Email: [mailto:info@cityoflittlefalls.com info@cityoflittlefalls.com] Website
 * Morrison County Historical Society Archives & Library 2151 S Lindbergh Dr P.O. Box 239 Little Falls, MN 56345 Phone: 320-632-4007 Email: [mailto:contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org] Website

Museums

 * The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum 2151 S Lindbergh Dr P.O. Box 239 Little Falls, MN 56345 Phone: 320-632-4007 Email: [mailto:contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org] Website
 * Royalton Historic Museum 12 N Birch St P.O. Box 276 Royalton, MN 56373 Phone: 320-584-5900 Website

Societies
Morrison County Historical Society PO Box 239 2151 South Lindbergh Drive Little Falls, MN 56345 320-632-4007 E–mail: [mailto:contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org. contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org.] Website Military Historical Society of Minnesota Camp Ripley 15000 Highway 115 Little Falls, MN 56345-4173 Website Motley Area Historical Society PO Box 7 316 Hwy 10 S Motley, MN 56466 218-352-6137 Website Royalton Historical Society PO Box 196 Center St Royalton, MN 56373 320-584-5641 or 320-584-5417

Websites

 * Morrison County, a member of MNGenWeb Project, an affiliate of USGenWeb Project
 * Research at Minnesota Historical Society — links to Records and Indexes; See also MHS Wiki Page
 * Iron Range Research Center The Iron Range Research Center contains one of the largest collections of genealogical and local history research materials in the Upper Midwest and includes census, naturalization records, passenger arrival records, mining company newsletters, and a survey of Women in Industry taken in 1919, among many others.
 * Morrison County, a member of MN USGenWeb Archives, an affiliate of USGenWeb 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.