Buffalo County, South Dakota

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

Buffalo County was established on January 08, 1873 (organized in 1871) from Unorganized territory.

Currently the Buffalo County Seat is located in Gann Valley and the county government website is unknown

Locations adjacent to Buffalo County are Hand County, Jerauld County, Brule County, Lyman County, Hyde County.

Buffalo County has Federal Census Schedules to help in researching your family tree. Federal government Population Schedules are present for 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Buffalo Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1870 and 1880. Buffalo Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1870 and 1880. Buffalo Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. There are free down-loadable not to mention printable census forms to help with your research.

Buffalo County Society and Family History Resources

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

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• South Dakota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Buffalo County, South Dakota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Buffalo County, South Dakota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Buffalo County (usgwarchives.net)

Buffalo County Courthouse and Government Records

Genealogist often overlook the benefits of Buffalo County court, probate, and land files as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy details. Hidden away in South Dakota courthouses and archives just about everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of the many South Dakota residents.

The odds are very good that your potential forefathers have left a comprehensive record of at least quite a few elements of their lives in the Buffalo County court records. Even if your forefathers is not referred to in a Court case, take into consideration all of the other procedures which could have lead to him or her to appear in court records.

The following indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Buffalo county. The dates indicated below are the first known records for this county which may include records of land, estates, taxes, vital records, divorces, naturalizations, voter registration, court records, and so forth. Parts of the original Buffalo County became counties in North Dakota.

• $1 County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 300 S Courtland St, Chamberlain, SD 57325
  • Phone: (605) 293-3231
• Buffalo County Register of Deeds
  • Marriage Records: 1887
  • Land Records: 1885
• Buffalo County Clerk of Court.
  • Probate Records: 1884
  • Court Records: 1890
• South 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 South 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 South Dakota Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.

Buffalo County Links

The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Buffalo County. Each of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a payment. This is simply a directory which has been gathered or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to furnish your own most liked Buffalo County genealogy or family history associated sites.

Buffalo Co. SD Books, Newspapers & Publications

• South Dakota Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• South Dakota historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from South Dakota (1861–2002) (genealogybank.com) Immediately discover names and keywords / phrases in over 450 million publications, obituaries, marriage announcements, birth notices and other items written in over 2,800 old U.S. newspapers. All new content and articles added monthly!
• Buffalo County, South Dakota Books (amazon.com)
• Search South Dakota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Buffalo County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Buffalo Co. SD Birth, Marriage & Death Records

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

Buffalo Co. SD Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

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

Buffalo Co. SD Census Records

• South Dakota Census Records Research Guide
• Buffalo County, SD Census Records Links
• Buffalo County, SD Census QuickFacts

Buffalo Co. SD Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Buffalo Co. SD Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Buffalo Co. SD General and History Websites

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

Buffalo Co. SD Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Buffalo Co. SD Military Records

• South Dakota Military Records Research Guide
• South Dakota Military Records (fold3.com) delivers easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the South Dakota women and men that served. Just the thing for Buffalo County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.