What's New -- July 2024

We are excited to announce the completion of another important inventory conversion project, the Eastern Railway Company of Minnesota. We now have a modern, easy to use online inventory created from an amalgamation of difficult-to-use typescript paper box lists and inventory sheets made years ago in the Minnesota Historical Society's pre-computer era.

The collection (bulk 1889-1907) consists of 64 boxes and 8 rolls of microfilm, and is part of the Society's massive Great Northern Railway Company Records collection.

The Eastern Railway Company of Minnesota was incorporated in 1887 and built and operated a rail line from Hinckley to the Duluth-Superior Harbor. In 1888 it consolidated with the Lake Superior and South Western Railway Company, which added to its holdings valuable land and terminal and dock properties in Superior, Wisconsin. The Great Northern purchased the Eastern Minnesota in 1907, and the line is today part of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railway.

The collection is divided into three record series: Corporate Files, President's Files, and files of the Vice President and General Manager. It includes minute books, annual reports, executive correspondence, financial and accounting data, stock and bond records, construction records, and other material. It includes a few files relating to the terrible Hinckley Fire of 1894.

This collection is important because the Eastern Railway Company of Minnesota was one of the key early predecessor companies from which James J. Hill built his Great Northern Railway empire.

In addition, newly added accessions this month include the Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council.

Other collections with additions or added digital content include the Abraham Lincoln certificate of appointment of David S. Schultz (August 7, 1861); the Faribault State School and Hospital, Individual School Records; the Governor's Proclamations; the Hennepin County Independent School District No. 273 (Edina) Records; the Legislature, House, Committee Books; the Legislature, Senate, Committee Books; the James McLaughlin Papers; the Mille Lacs County, Princeton Birth and Death Records; the Public Safety Department, Criminal Apprehension Bureau, Criminal History Files; and the United States, Office of Indian Affairs, Sioux and Chippewa annuity rolls.

In addition there are many newly encoded finding aids that are now available online for the first time.

New and Updated Finding Aids

Name/Abstract	File No.
Aitkin County: Williams Township: An Inventory of its Records	gr03003
Clerk's record books (1904-1978), treasurer's miscellaneous records, and road record book (1915-1927).
Big Stone County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Judgment Dockets	gr02997
Judgment dockets A-C of the Big Stone County District Court.
Big Stone County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Minutes	gr02998
Minutes of the Big Stone County District Court.
Big Stone County: District Court: An Inventory of its Naturalization Records	gr02999
Declarations of intention, final papers, petitions, and related records.
Big Stone County: District Court: An Inventory of its Registration and Certificate Records	gr03000
Includes registers of dentists, physicians, basic sciences certificates, medical examiners' certificates, optometrists, and ordination credentials.
Big Stone County: Probate Court: An Inventory of its Final Decrees of Distribution	gr03001
Information on decedents' estates and their distribution to heirs and/or legatees.
Big Stone County: Probate Court: An Inventory of its Will Books	gr03002
Copies or transcriptions of the complete texts of wills probated by the courts, accompanied by certifications of authenticity and of filing signed by witnesses and clerks of court. Original wills are found in the probate case files.
Cass County: Audit Board: An Inventory of Its Audit Board Records	gr03024
Includes minutes and record (1909), record A (1910-1941), minutes (1923-1965), and record (1945-1969).
Cass County: Beulah Township: An Inventory of Its Records	gr03025
Clerk's books, treasurer's records, board of audit minutes and annual reports, poll lists, and election registers.
Douglas County: Attorney: An Inventory of Its Registers of Criminal Actions	gr03026
Registers of criminal actions (1913-1975) and justice criminal reports (1965).
Eastern Railway Company of Minnesota: An Inventory of Its Records	01549
Minute books, annual reports, executive correspondence and letter books, stock and bond records, histories, and financial and other records of a Great Northern Railway Company predecessor corporation formed in 1887 to construct and operate a rail line from Hinckley, Minnesota to the mouth of the St. Louis River, and which eventually included extensive operations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Education Department: Superintendent of Public Instruction: An Inventory of Its Correspondence	gr03007
Letterpress copies of the outgoing correspondence of Superintendents of Public Instruction J. H. Lewis, J. W. Olsen, and C. G. Schulz.
Faribault County: An Inventory of Its Birth Records	gr03036
Registers of births, with indexes (1870-1915), and delayed birth records (1863-1923). They cover the entire county.
Faribault County: An Inventory of Its Death Records	gr03037
Death registers (1870-1910), accompanied by indexes to death records that span the period 1870-1990. They cover the entire county.
Faribault County: An Inventory of Its Marriage Records	gr03038
Marriage registers or record books (1857-1917), and an extensive file of marriage returns (1861-1915). The degree of overlap between information in the two series is not known. They cover the entire county.
Faribault County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Case Files, Miscellaneous	gr03027
Primarily or entirely civil cases.
Faribault County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Civil Case Files	gr03028
Includes some pre-1904 criminal case files.
Faribault County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Criminal Case Files	gr03029
Criminal case files for the years 1871-1891 and 1904-1945. Some pre-1904 files are included among the civil case files.
Faribault County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Judgment Books	gr03030
Transcripts of judgments issued by the court.
Faribault County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Judgment Dockets	gr03031
Judgment dockets of the Faribault County District Court.
Faribault County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Minutes	gr03032
Record of documents filed, proceedings held, and actions taken at each day's session of the court.
Faribault County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Naturalization Records and Index	gr03033
Personal name index, declarations of intention, final papers, petitions, and related records.
Faribault County: Probate Court: An Inventory of Its Final Decrees of Distribution	gr03034
Final decrees, 1882-1981 (reels 1-11) and miscellaneous orders, 1863-1982 (reels 12-18), containing data on decedents' estates and their distribution to heirs and/or legatees.
Faribault County: Probate Court: An Inventory of Its Probate Case Files	gr03035
Case files numbered 1-2730.
Faribault County: Recorder: An Inventory of Its Deed Records	gr03039
Deed and mortgage records (1856-1861) and deed record books (1859-1922), covering primarily the period 1859-1901; grantee/grantor indexes and reception books (1856-1901) that serve as an index to the deed record books; and an abstract index to deeds and lots (1856-1900).
Faribault County: Recorder: An Inventory of Its Military Discharge Records	gr03040
A military discharge index (1917-1990) and corresponding record book.
Faribault State School and Hospital: An Inventory of Its Individual School Records	gr00925
Teachers' records of activities in each class, including detailed progress reports on each individual pupil. Includes digital content.
Governor: An Inventory of Its Proclamations	gr00486
Proclamations and executive orders, primarily executive office copies of those issued during 1901-1978. Includes printed copies and some miscellaneous typescripts for the years 1850-1927 and occasional later years, primarily for holidays and other celebratory occasions, and indexes for the years 1901-1965 and 1977-1978. Of particular interest are proclamations declaring the creation of new or partitioned counties, 1895-1912. Includes digital content.
Hennepin County: Independent School District No. 273, Edina: An Inventory of Its Records	gr02713
School district 17 school record (1869-1879); classification registers (1907-1910); clerk's financial records (1915-1932); school board minutes and superintendent's reports (1917-2000); superintendent's reports to faculty (1930-1931, 1935-1947); enrollment statistics (1950s-1970s); school district newsletters and newspapers (1982-1995); directories; memorybooks; yearbooks; and related records. Also includes records from Creek Valley Elementary School, Highlands Elementary School, Valley View Junior High (Edina West Lower Division), and Edina High School.
Jackson County: County Court: An Inventory of Its Judgment Books	gr03008
Judgment books of the County Court of Jackson County.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Civil Case Files	gr03009
Files numbered 1-9586. Files prior to 1899 probably include criminal cases.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Coroner's Records	gr03010
Coroner's register books (1888-1985), inquest record books (1892-1973), and inquest files (1932-1948), consolidated from the offices of the clerk of court and the coroner.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Criminal Case Files	gr03011
Files numbered 304-1262. Files prior to 1899 are probably included with civil case files.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Default Judgment Books	gr03012
Default judgment books for the Jackson County District Court.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Indictment Records	gr03013
Indictment records of the Jackson County District Court.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Judgment Books	gr03014
Includes volumes A-H (1871-1987) and volumes I-X (1987-1995). The second set of volumes includes judgments for the District Court, Family Court, and District Court: Family Division and have been removed from looseleaf binders. Each volume includes an index, which is filed at the beginning of the first folder for each volume. The judgments are foldered in page-number order, which is also generally, but not exactly, chronological.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Minute Books	gr03015
Minutes of the Jackson County District Court.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Naturalization Records and Index	gr03016
Personal name index, declarations of intention, final papers, petitions, and related records.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Order and Decree Books	gr03017
Handwritten and typescript orders for judgments, other orders, decrees, and conclusions of law issued by the judge of district court.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Real Estate Tax Judgment Books	gr03018
Real estate tax judgment books of the Jackson County District Court.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Records of Convictions in Justice Court	gr03019
Records of convictions in justice court from the Jackson County District Court.
Jackson County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Registration and Certificate Records	gr03020
Records or registers for optometrists, veterinarians, dentists, ministers, notaries, and physicians, and for basic sciences certificates.
Jackson County: Probate Court: An Inventory of Its Final Decrees of Distribution	gr03021
Final decrees, 1887, 1891-1982 (reels 1-11), final decrees (summary proceedings and distribution of exempt estates), 1942-1982 (reel 11), and miscellaneous orders, 1868-1913 (reels 11-12), containing data on decedents' estates and their distribution to heirs and/or legatees.
Jackson County: Probate Court: An Inventory of Its Insanity Records	gr03022
Petitions in insanity, reports of examining jury, and related orders and judgments.
Jackson County: Probate Court: An Inventory of Its Will Books	gr03023
Copies or transcriptions of the complete texts of wills probated by the courts, accompanied by certifications of authenticity and of filing signed by witnesses and clerks of court. Original wills are found in the probate case files.
Legislature: House of Representatives: An Inventory of Its Committee Books	gr00073
Minutes and record of bills acted upon by standing committees and their subcommittees.
Legislature: Senate: An Inventory of Its Committee Books	gr00074
Minutes and record of bills acted upon by standing committees and their subcommittees.
James McLaughlin: An Inventory of His Papers	01552
Letters, applications for land patents, publications, financial records, notebooks, letter books, and other papers relating to McLaughlin's work as Dakota Indian agent at the Devils Lake and Standing Rock reservations in North Dakota (1876-1895) and as agency inspector and treaty negotiator for the U.S. Office of Indian Affairs (1895-1923).
Mille Lacs County: Princeton: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01657
Birth (1908-1911) and death (1901, 1906, 1908-1910) certificates and birth (1900-1907 and 1914-1953) and death (1923-1953) registers.
Nobles County: Superintendent of Schools: An Inventory of its Pupil Record Cards	gr03005
Cards for students whose schools were under the supervision of the County Superintendent and, therefore, contain data on students who attended the "rural" or "country" schools, and, in the 1950s, students who attended certain parochial schools. Students who attended independent or consolidated schools are not represented in this series.
Owatonna State Public School: An Inventory of its Index to Residents' Records	gr03006
Each card includes the following information: name and case file number of student, date of admission, county of residence, date and place of birth, parents' names and residence, names of siblings, date placed and with whom, date adopted, date discharged (attained age of majority, returned to parents, returned to jurisdiction of county, died at institution).
Public Safety Department: Criminal Apprehension Bureau: An Inventory of Its Criminal History Files	pubsaf08
Fifty-one criminal history files, mainly documenting high-profile 1930s gangsters, including Arthur (Doc) and Fred Barker, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, John Dillinger, Arthur Flegenheimer (Dutch Schultz), Alvin Karpis, Frank Mitchell (Pretty Boy Floyd), George Nelson (Baby Face Nelson), Clair Ralph Gibson, Robert W. Markwood, Fred Ryan, Rocky S. Lupino, and Homer Van Meter. Includes digital content.
Redwood County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Default Judgment Records	gr03042
Volumes A-E.
Redwood County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Judgment Dockets	gr03043
Volumes A-E.
Redwood County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Judgment Records	gr03044
Volumes A-I.
Redwood County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Minutes	gr03045
Volumes A-D, 8-9.
Redwood County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Naturalization Records and Index	gr03046
Personal name index, declarations of intention, final papers, petitions, and related records.
Redwood County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Real Estate Tax Judgment Records	gr03047
Real estate tax judgment records of the Redwood County District Court.
Redwood County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Record of Convictions in Justice Court	gr03048
Register (1903-1923) and records A and B (1907-1945, 1952).
Redwood County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Record of Oaths and Bonds of Local Officials	gr03049
Volumes A-C.
Redwood County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Registration and Certificate Records	gr03050
Records or registers for veterinarians, optometrists, dentists, medical certificates, and basic science certificates.
Sibley County: Probate Court: An Inventory of Its Probate Case Files	gr03041
Files covering the settlement of decedents' estates, and guardianship files for minors, wards, and incompetents.
Wadena County: District Court: An Inventory of its Judgment Books	gr03004
Judgment books of the Wadena County District Court.

New and Updated Catalog Records

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865. Certificate of appointment of David S. Schultz, 1861 August 7.

A certificate appointing David Schultz as deputy postmaster of Buffalo, New York. Signed by Abraham Lincoln.

Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council, 2021-2023.

Annual reports, dated 2021-2023, of the Minnesota Statewide Independent Living Council. The Council is composed of Minnesota citizens recruited from around the state and representing various ethnicity groups, ages, disabilities and backgrounds. Members are appointed by the Governor to serve a one-, two- or three-years term. The main responsibilities of the Council are to develop, monitor, review and evaluate a State Plan for Independent Living.

United States. Office of Indian Affairs. Sioux and Chippewa annuity rolls, 1838-1839, 1843.

Handwritten copies of annuity rolls for the Mdewakanton Band of Sioux (Dakota) Indians in Iowa Territory (1838, 1839) and the Mississippi and Lake Superior bands of Chippewa (Ojibwe) Indians within the jurisdiction of the Office of Indian Affairs La Pointe Agency in Wisconsin Territory (1843). They document payments made to the bands by the federal government under the terms of treaties negotiated in 1837 and ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1838.

What's New -- July 2024

New and Updated Finding Aids

New and Updated Catalog Records

Archives - New Finding Aids