Williams County, North Dakota

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

Williams County was established on January 08, 1873 (organized in 1903)) from Dakota Territory.

The Williams County Seat is situated in Williston and the county government website is http://www.williamsnd.com/

Areas next to Williams County are Divide County, Burke County, Mountrail County, McKenzie County, Roosevelt County, Montana, Sheridan County, Montana ( west)

Townships include Alamo, Athens, Barr Butte, Big Meadow, Big Stone, Blacktail, Blue Ridge, Bonetraill, Brooklyn, Buford, Bull Butte, Champion, Climax, Cow Creek, Dry Fork, Dublin, East Fork, Egypt, Ellisville, Equality, Farmvale, Golden Valley, Good Luck, Grenora, Hanks, Hardscrabble, Hazel, Hebron, Judson, Lindahl, Lund’s Landing, Marshall, McGregor, Missouri Ridge, Mont, New Home, Oliver, Orthell, Pleasant Valley, Rainbow, Rock Island, Round Prairie, Sauk Valley, Scorio, South Meadow, Springbrook, Stony Creek, Strandahl, Tioga, Trenton, Truax, Twelve Mile, Tyrone, View, West Bank, Wheelock, Williston, Winner, Zahl.

Williams County does have Federal Census Schedules to help in looking into your family tree. Government Population Schedules are available for 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940. There are free online in addition to printable census forms to assist with your research.

Williams County Society and Family History Resources

A list of Williams County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives.

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• North Dakota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Buffalo Trails Museum, P. O. Box 22, Epping, ND 58843; 701-859-4981 or 701-859-4361
• Williams County Historical Society, 519 11th Avenue W, Williston, ND 58801-4727, 701-577-4504
• Fort Buford State Historic Site, 15349 39th Lane NW, Williston, ND 58801, 701-572-9034 or 701-328-2666
• Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, 15550 Hwy. 1804, Williston, ND 58801, 701-572-9083
• Frontier Museum , 423 1st Ave. West, Williston, ND 58801 , 701-572-2258
• Pioneer Trails Historical Society, Hanks, 2310 University Ave., Williston, ND 58801, 701-572-4759
• Ray Opera House Museum Society, 420 4th Avenue East, Ray, ND 58849, 701-568-3437
• Tioga Historical Society, Inc. / Norseman Museum, P. O. Box 697, Tioga, ND 58852-0697, 701-664-2702
• Williams County, North Dakota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Williams County, North Dakota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Williams County (usgwarchives.net)

Williams County Courthouse and Government Records

Genealogist often overlook the value of Williams County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of family history and genealogy information. Buried away in North Dakota courthouses and archives just about everywhere are often the aspirations and worries of countless North Dakota residents. The odds are excellent that your chosen ancestors and forefathers have left a detailed record of at least some elements of their lives in the Williams County court records. Even if your forefathers is not mentioned in a Court case, give some thought to all of the other procedures which may have lead to her or him showing up in court records.

• Williams County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 205 E Broadway, Williston, ND 58801
  • Phone: (701) 774-4376
• Williams County Register of Deeds / Recorder
  • Land Records: 1890
• Williams County Clerk of Courts
  • Marriage Records: 1892
  • Probate Records: 1890
  • Court Records: 1890
• North Dakota Office of Vital Records has copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death records. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in North Dakota for current fees and application process. Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events.
  • Ordering Vital Records – You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for North Dakota Birth Certificate, Death Certificate Applications. Certified copies of marriage records must be issued by the county where the license was originally filed. Copies of divorce records can only be obtained from the county clerk or recorder in the county in which the divorce filed.

Williams County Links

The following are links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relevant to Williams County. Feel free to provide your own favorite Williams County genealogy or family history related sites.

Williams Co. ND Books, Newspapers & Publications

• North Dakota Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• North Dakota historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from North Dakota (1879–1923) (genealogybank.com) Rapidly discover names and key phrases in over 450 million content articles, obituaries, marriage announcements, birth notices along with other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. All new content and articles added every month!
• Williams County, North Dakota Books (amazon.com)
• Search North Dakota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Williams County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Williams Co. ND Birth, Marriage & Death Records

• North Dakota Vital Records Research Guide
• Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com)

Williams Co. ND Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

• North Dakota Court Records Research Guide
• BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)

Williams Co. ND Census Records

• North Dakota Census Records Research Guide
• Williams County, ND Census Records Links
• Williams County, ND Census QuickFacts

Williams Co. ND Cemeteries & Church Records

• North Dakota Cemetery Research Guide
• Williams Co., North Dakota Graves (findagrave.com)
• Williams County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Williams Co., North Dakota Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Williams County, North Dakota
• Williams Co., North Dakota Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• North Dakota Church & Bible Research Guide
• Topographic Church List and Map for Williams County, North Dakota
• Williams County, North Dakota Church Books (amazon.com)

Williams Co. ND Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Williams Co. ND General and History Websites

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

Williams Co. ND Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of North Dakota Links and Information
• 1895 Williams County Map (livgenmi.com)

Williams Co. ND Military Records

• North Dakota Military Records Research Guide
• North Dakota Military Records (fold3.com) will provide easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the North Dakota individuals that served. Just the thing for Williams County genealogists, researchers, historians and much more.