Guide to McPherson County, South Dakota ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
The county is named after American Civil War General James B. McPherson.[2]
It's county seat is Leola. It was organized 1873. It is located in the central area of the state.[3]
Clerk Court has probate records from 1893, court records from 1889, naturalization records from 1884 and divorce records;
Register of Deeds has birth and death records from 1905, burial records from 1941, marriage (as early as 1884)[4] and land records.[5]
McPherson County, South Dakota Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
McPherson County cemeteries listing by odessa.org show the names of deceased, dates of death and birth, and names of parents or spouses where available.
Before South Dakota was a state in 1889, parts of South Dakota were included in the 1836 Iowa Territory census (also known as Wisconsin Territory), 1840 Iowa Territory census, 1850 Minnesota Territory census, and the 1860-1880 Dakota Territory censuses.[10] See links listed below.
Federal Censuses were taken for the state of South Dakota starting in 1890, although only one page survived. The 1900 Census is the next Federal Census available. For links to Federal census indexes, see South Dakota Census.
Church Records
Church records vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about South Dakota denominations, view the South Dakota Church Records wiki page.
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See South Dakota Land and Property for additional information about early South Dakota land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Local histories are available for McPherson County, South Dakota Genealogy. County and town histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section South Dakota Local Histories.
Eureka, 1887-1937. 1998. By Eureka's Golden Jubilee Organization. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah. Online at: ; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Historical information on South Dakota counties of Campbell, McPherson, Walworth, Edmunds, Potter and Faulk. 1993?. By Maurice & Florence Krueger. [Mina, South Dakota] : North Central Genealogical Society. Online at: ; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
South Dakota Newspaper Catalogs
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.
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in South Dakota, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for South Dakota, McPherson then click Probate records.
South Dakota tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records.
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. See the CDC Where to Write website for information on acquiring copies of these records.
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.
Libraries
Museums
Eureka Pioneer Museum of McPherson County Highway #10 mailing address: 1210 North Lake Drive Euerka, SD 57437 Telephone Number:605-284-2711
Societies
Websites
USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
↑The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002)McPherson County, South Dakota, p.626
↑Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), McPherson County, South Dakota. Page 626 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 622.
↑Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Rev. ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 1992), 671; Alice M. Hetzel, U.S. Vital Statistics System: Major Activities and Developments, 1950-95 (Hyattsville, Md.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, [1997]), 58.
↑The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
