Steele County, Minnesota
Genealogy, History & Facts

County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links

Steele County, Minnesota Facts

When was Steele County, MN Created?
Steele County was founded on February 20, 1855 from Blue Earth County, Le Sueur County and Rice County.

What is the County Seat of Steele County, MN?
The County Seat is located in Owatonna and the county government website is http://www.co.steele.mn.us/

What counties are adjacent to Steele County, MN?
Bordering Counties are Rice County, Dodge County, Mower County, Freeborn County, Waseca County.

Steele County, MN Vital Records

Where can find Steele County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Steele County vital records can be found at the Minnesota Office of Vital Records which has copies of birth resords from 1900 and death records from 1908. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Minnesota for current fees and application process.

You can search online for Steele County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Minnesota Birth Certificate and Death Certificates Applications to mail.

• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• Social Security Death Index
• Minnesota, Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980
• Minnesota, County Birth Records, 1863-1983
• Minnesota Birth Index, 1935-2002
• Minnesota, Marriages Index, 1849-1950
• Minnesota, Divorce Index, 1970-1995
• Minnesota, Death Index, 1908-2002
• Minnesota, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990

Steele County, MN Census Records

What Steele County, MN census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Steele County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Steele Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Steele Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Steele Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890.

Steele Co. territorial and state censuses exist for the years 1849-1905.. There is free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Minnesota Census Records Research Guide

• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection
• Minnesota Census, 1835-90
• Steele County, MN Census Records Link
• Steele County, MN Census QuickFacts

Steele County, MN Courthouse and Government Records

Steele County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Steele County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Steele County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Minnesota courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Minnesota residents.

The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Steele County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also Minnesota Corthouse Records Research Guide.

• Steele County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 111 E. Main Street, Owatonna , MN 55060
  • Phone: (507) 444-7715
• Steele County Recorder
  • Birth / Death Records: 1870
  • Marriage Records: 1856
  • Land Records: 1856
• Steele County Court Administrator
  • Probate Records: 1858
  • Court Records: 1856
• Minnesota, Will Records, 1849-1985
• Minnesota Land Records
• BLM Land Records

Steele County, MN Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Steele County, MN?
A list of Steele County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Minnesota Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.

• Steele County Historical Society, 1448 Austin Rd, Owatonna MN 55060-4018, Phone: 507 451-1420
• Southern Minnesota Historical Center, Mankato State University, Mankato, MN 56001
• Minnesota State Archives, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 • 651-259-3260
• Minnesota Genealogical Society, 1185 Concord St. N. Suite 218, South St. Paul, MN 55075-1187
• Minnesota Historical Society, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 . 651-259-3000

Where can I connect with other Steele County, MN Researchers through message boards and forums?

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• Minnesota Genealogy Network Community (plus.google.com)
• Minnesota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Steele County, Minnesota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Steele County, Minnesota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Steele County, MN?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Steele County. Each of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Professional Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a fee. This is simply a list which has been gathered or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another.

Steele Co. MN Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Minnesota Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Minnesota historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Minnesota (1849 – 1922) (genealogybank.com)
• Steele County, Minnesota Books (amazon.com)
• Search Minnesota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Steele County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Steele Co. MN Cemeteries & Church Records

• Minnesota Cemetery Research Guide
• Steele Co., Minnesota Graves (findagrave.com)
• Steele County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Minnesota Cemetery Inscription Index, Select Counties  (search.ancestry.com)
• Steele Co., Minnesota Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Steele Co., Minnesota Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Minnesota Church & Bible Research Guide
• Steele County, Minnesota Church Books (amazon.com)

Steele Co. MN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

•  Minnesota Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

Steele Co. MN General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Minnesota
• Steele County, Minnesota Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Steele County, Minnesota Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Steele Co. MN Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Steele County, Minnesota (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Minnesota – Counties – Steele (cyndislist.com)
• Steele County Minnesota (genealogytrails.com)
• Steele Co. MNGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
• Steele County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Steele Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Steele Co. MN Immigration & Naturalization

• See Also Statewide Immigration and Naturalization Links for Minnesota
• Minnesota Naturalization Records Index, 1854-1957  (search.ancestry.com)

Steele Co. MN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Minnesota Links and Information
• 1895 Steele County Map (livgenmi.com)
• Steele County D.O.T. Road and Highway Maps

Steele Co. MN Military Records

• Minnesota Military Records Research Guide
• Minnesota, Civil War Records, 1861-1865  (search.ancestry.com)
• Minnesota Military Records (fold3.com) will provide easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Minnesota men and women who served. Suitable for Steele County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.