Union County, South Dakota

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

Union County was established on January 07, 1864 from Unorganized territory.

Currently the Union County Seat is located in Elk Point and the county government website is http://unioncountysd.org/

Locations adjacent to Union County are Lincoln County, Sioux County, Iowa, Plymouth County, Iowa, Woodbury County, Iowa, Dakota County, Nebraska, Dixon County, Nebraska, Clay County.

Union 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.

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

Union County Society and Family History Resources

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

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• South Dakota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Union County Historical Society, P.O. Box 552, Elk Point SD 57025
• Union County, South Dakota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Union County, South Dakota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Union County (usgwarchives.net)

Union County Courthouse and Government Records

Genealogist often overlook the benefits of Union 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 Union 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 Union 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. The state archives has court records including land transactions (1860—1929); marriages (1919—23); wills (1870—1910); probate records (1869—1962); justice dockets (1868—1903); and bonds and court judgment books (1876—1948).

• Haakon County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 209 E Main St, Elk Point, SD 57025
  • Phone: (605) 356-2132
• Union County Register of Deeds
  • Marriage Records: 1866
  • Land Records: 1862?
• Union County Clerk of Court.
  • Probate Records: 1862?
  • Court Records: 1862?
• 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.

Union County Links

The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Union 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 Union County genealogy or family history associated sites.

Union 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!
• Union County, South Dakota Books (amazon.com)
• Search South Dakota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Union County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Union Co. SD Birth, Marriage & Death Records

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

Union Co. SD Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

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

Union Co. SD Census Records

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

Union Co. SD Cemeteries & Church Records

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

Union Co. SD Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

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

Union Co. SD General and History Websites

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

Union Co. SD Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

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

Union 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 Union County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.