Watonwan 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

Watonwan County, Minnesota Facts

When was Watonwan County, MN Created?
Watonwan County was founded on November 6, 1860 from Brown County.

What is the County Seat of Watonwan County, MN?
The County Seat is located in St. James and the county government website is http://www.co.watonwan.mn.us/

What counties are adjacent to Watonwan County, MN?
Bordering Counties are Brown County, Blue Earth County, Martin County, Jackson County, Cottonwood County.

Watonwan County, MN Vital Records

Where can find Watonwan County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Watonwan 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 Watonwan 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

Watonwan County, MN Census Records

What Watonwan County, MN census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Watonwan 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.

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

Watonwan 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
• Watonwan County, MN Census Records Link
• Watonwan County, MN Census QuickFacts

Watonwan County, MN Courthouse and Government Records

Watonwan County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Watonwan County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Watonwan 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 Watonwan 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.

• Watonwan County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 710 Second Avenue S., St. James , MN 56081
  • Phone: (507) 375-1236
• Watonwan County Recorder
  • Birth / Death Records: 1870
  • Marriage Records: 1867
  • Land Records: 1859
• Watonwan County Court Administrator
  • Probate Records: 1890
  • Court Records: 1885
• Minnesota, Will Records, 1849-1985
• Minnesota Land Records
• BLM Land Records

Watonwan County, MN Societies and Family History Resources

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

• Watonwan County Historical Society, PO Box 126, 423 Dill Ave SW, Madelia MN 56062-0126; Phone: 507 642-3247
• 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 Watonwan 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)
• Watonwan County, Minnesota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Watonwan County, Minnesota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Watonwan County, MN?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Watonwan 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.

Watonwan 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)
• Watonwan County, Minnesota Books (amazon.com)
• Search Minnesota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Watonwan County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Watonwan Co. MN Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Watonwan Co. MN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Watonwan Co. MN General and History Websites

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

Watonwan Co. MN Immigration & Naturalization

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

Watonwan Co. MN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Watonwan 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 Watonwan County genealogists, researchers, historians and more.