Clay County, Minnesota
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Clay County Facts

Clay County was created on March 18, 1858 (Organized in 1872) from Pembina County. The County Seat is Moorhead. The County was named for Henry Clay, American statesman. U.S. Senator and Congressman from Kentucky variously during the period 1806-52; U.S. Secretary of State, 1825-29; three times Speaker of the House, and three times a candidate for president.

Counties adjacent to Clay County are Norman County (north), Becker County (east), Otter Tail County (southeast), Wilkin County (south), Richland County, North Dakota (southwest), Cass County, North Dakota (west). Cities and Towns Include Barnesville, Comstock, Dilworth, Felton, Georgetown, Glyndon, Hawley, Hitterdal, Moorhead, Sabin, Ulen. Townships Include Alliance, Barnesville, Cromwell, Eglon, Elkton, Elmwood, Felton, Flowing, Georgetown, Glyndon, Goose Prairie, Hagen, Hawley, Highland Grove, Holy Cross, Humboldt, Keene, Kragnes, Kurtz, Moland, Moorhead, Morken, Oakport, Parke, Riverton, Skree, Spring Prairie, Tansem, Ulen, Viding Townships. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

• The Clay County Official Government Website
• Search for Local Minnesota Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Minnesota Researcher!
• Search the Minnesota USGenWeb Archives
• Minnesota County History Name Index: This database is a name index of eleven county histories and plat books for the area immediately south of the city of St. Paul in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Researchers will find the name of the county resident, the book in which the person's name appears, and the page number. Where information is available, town of residence is also given.
• Search Historical Newspapers from Minnesota (1849 - 1922) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
• Clay County, Minnesota History Books at Amazon.com
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
• Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
• Search Minnesota Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

Records at the Clay County Courthouse

See Also Minnesota Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link, by contacting the Phone number below for each department or contacting the County Courthouse at 807 North 11th Street, PO Box 280, Moorhead, MN 56560-1500; Phone: (218) 299-5065. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. At some time Clay County was attached to Stearns, Crow Wing, Douglas and Becker Counties for county and or judicial purposes. Some early records may be found there.

Clay County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1872, Marriage Records from 1872, Death Records from 1872 and Land Records from 1864.

The Recorders Office is responsible for all the real estate records for properties located in the County. Permanent records of deeds, mortgages and other various real estate records are recorded/filed in this office. As Local Registrar, the office protects and issues certified copies of Birth and Death records, Marriage Certificates & Military Discharge Records.

Clay County Court Administrator's Office has Probate Records from 1872 and has Court Records from 1872.

The Court Administrator's Office maintains court files for Civil, Criminal, Traffic, Probate, Conciliation, Juvenile, Tax and Family Court matters.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
• Minnesota Naturalization Records Index, 1854-1957: An index to the microfilmed Minnesota Naturalization Records
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• Minnesota Land Records: This database contains information on Minnesota (U.S.A.) land records. The database comes from the Bureau of Land Management's Minnesota Pre-1908 Homestaed and Cash Entry Patent and Cadastral Survey Plat Index. Information recorded in the collection includes patentee name, land office, legal description, etc.
• Clay County, Minnesota Court Books at Amazon.com
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
• Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.

Clay County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

The Minnesota Historical Society holds large numbers of county property tax records, filed under the respective county. Some of the tax records are for specific municipalities. No determination has been made concerning tax record holdings in the county courthouse.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Clay County Treasurers Office - The treasurer is responsible for keeping a complete accounting of all monies collected and expended by all the county departments. This includes the investing of available funds and accurately distributing the interest received. The department is also responsible for the collection of taxes and distribution to the various taxing entities within the County.
• Clay County, Minnesota Tax Books at Amazon.com

Clay County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Minnesota

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Minnesota Department of Health, Attention: Office of the State Registrar, P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164. It is no longer necessary to go to the registrar's office of the county where the birth or death took place. You may go to a registrar's office in any county in Minnesota for births that took place during of after 1900 and for deaths that took place during or after 1997. They have the following records:

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• Birth Certificates: Avalible since 1900 to 3 months ago.
  • Cost: $16.00 for Certified and $13.00 for Non-Certified Certificates. For births that took place before 1900, go to the local registrar office in the county where the birth took place.
  • Processing Time: Filled requests take 4-6 weeks when ordered by mail (Application for Certified and Non-certified) or 2-5 Days when you order online.
• Death Certificates: Avalible since Jan 1908.
  • Cost: $13.00 for Certified and Non-Certified Certificates. For deaths that took place before 1900, go to the local registrar office in the county where the death took place.
  • Processing Time: Filled requests take 4-6 weeks when ordered by mail (Application for Certified and Non-certified) or 2-5 Days when you order online.
• Marriage Certificates: Certified copies may be available from the Local Registrar in the county where the license was issued or you can order them online.
• Divorces: Certified copies may be available from the Local Registrar in the county where the divorce was granted.
• Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
• Order In Person: The Dept of Health no longer accepts walk-in or phone orders because of a change in Minnesota law. However, you may complete your requests by mail or online.

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Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
• Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
• Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Minnesota newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
• Minnesota Birth Index, 1935-2002: This database is an index created by the Minnesota Department of Health to approximately 5.2 million births occurring in the State of Minnesota, USA, between 1935 and 2002. Information contained in this index includes child's full name, father's full name, mother's maiden name, birth date, birth county, and state file number.
• Minnesota Marriage Collection, 1958-2001: This database is an index to individuals who were married in the state of Minnesota (U.S.A.) from 1958-2001. Information that may be found in this database for each entry includes bride and groom's full names, their ages, birth dates, and marriage date and place.
• Minnesota Divorce Index, 1970-1995: This database contains a statewide index of divorces filed in Minnesota between 1970 and 1995. Information that may be found in this database includes: husband's name and age, wife's name and age, divorce date, and divorce county.
• Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002: This database is an index of deaths recorded by the State of Minnesota, USA, from 1908 to 2002. The index includes: name of the deceased, city and county of death, date of death, birth date, birthplace, mother's maiden name, and state file number.
• Clay County, Minnesota Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
• Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.

Clay County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Minnesota

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Clay County, Minnesota are1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Clay County, Minnesota are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Minnesota Census, 1835-90: This database contains indexes to the Minnesota (U.S.A.) portions of the 1850-1880 U.S. Federal Censuses as well as indexes to the 1835-1839 Tax Lists, 1849 Territorial Census, and the 1890 Veteran's Schedule. Information contained in these indexes can include name, state, county, township, year of record, and name of record set.
• Minnesota Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905: This database contains the Minnesota territorial and state censuses from 1849-1905. Information available for an individual will vary according to the census year and the information requested on the census form. Some of the information contained in this database though includes: name, enumeration place, age, gender, race, and birthplace.
• Census Online - Minnesota Census Records
• The USGenWeb Archives Minnesota CENSUS IMAGES PROJECT
  
• Clay County, Minnesota Census Books at Amazon.com
• Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.

Clay County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlases has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Minnesota showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Minnesota showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The Minnesota Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Maps. Email us with websites containing Clay County Maps by clicking the link below:

• County Subdivision Outline Map and County Location Index
• The USGenWeb Archives Digital Map Library
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Minnesota Maps
• Clay County, Minnesota Map Books at Amazon.com
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

Clay County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Minnesota

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Minnesota Civil War Soldiers: List of over 26,000 soldiers mustered from Minnesota during the American Civil War
• Minnesota Volunteers in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection: This database indexes names of persons from Minnesota who enlisted in the Spanish American War.
• Minnesota Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006; Phone: (202) 628-1776
• Minnesota Society of Sons of the American Revolution
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Minnesota (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Clay County, Minnesota Military Books at Amazon.com
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

Clay County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Minnesota Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Clay County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Clay County Historical Society, PO Box 501, Moorhead MN 56561-0501
  Location: 202 1st Ave N., Moorhead MN; Phone: 218 299-5520
• Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center, PO Box 157, Moorhead MN 56561
  Location: 202 1st Ave N, Moorhead MN; Phone: 218 299-5511 ext. 222
• Ulen Historical Museum, PO Box 182, Ulen MN 56585; Phone: 218 596-8121
• Red River Valley Genealogical Society, PO Box 9284, Fargo ND 58106
  Library Location: 112 N University Drive Suite L116, Fargo, ND; Phone: (701) 239-4129
  Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday 11am-3pm CST or CDST.
  
• Northwest Minnesota Historical Center, Livingston Lord Library, Moorhead State University, Moorhead, MN 56560
  Serves Becker, Clay, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, and Wilkin counties.
• Minnesota State Archives, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 • 651-259-3260
• Minnesota Historical Society, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 • 651-259-3000
• Minnesota Genealogical Society, 1185 Concord St. N. Suite 218, South St. Paul, MN 55075-1187; (651) 455-9057
• National Archives - Great Lakes Region (Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898; 773-948-9001; E-mail: chicago.archives@nara.gov (Maintains retired records from Federal agencies and courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Minnesota.)
• Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
• Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
• Minnesota Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

Clay County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Minnesota

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Clay County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Clay County Tombstone Transcription Project.

The Minnesota Historical Records Survey Project of Madison published the Directory of Churches and Religious Organizations in Minnesota in 1941 and Guide to Church Vital Statistics Records in Minnesota in 1942. There are also numerous publications by the project for specific denominations. Extensive microfilm collections of church records in Minnesota are available through the FHL. The State Historical Society of Minnesota and Area Research Centers have a variety of church records including microfilm and original records.

Numerous cemeteries have been read and transcribed by local genealogical societies in Minnesota. The transcriptions are frequently deposited with an Area Research Center, a local library, or the State Historical Society of Minnesota. A considerable number have been printed in the Minnesota State Genealogical Society Newsletter. Some have been privately published.

The Minnesota State Old Cemetery Society, 6100 West Mequon Road, Mequon, WI 53092, publishes a newsletter and maintains an archive of tombstone inscriptions from around the state. Contact the society for membership information

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Minnesota obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Minnesota newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Indiana.
• Minnesota Cemetery Inscription Index, Select Counties: This database is an index to cemetery inscriptions of cemeteries in several Minnesota (U.S.A.) counties and cities. It contains the names of nearly 600,000 persons. Researchers will find birth date, death date, name of cemetery and, in some cases, the closest living relative.
• Clay County, Minnesota Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Clay County, Minnesota Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Clay County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project - Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Clay County ] [ Minnesota ] [ Main Page ]
• Clay County USGenweb Archives
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Minnesota Family Group Sheets
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
• Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
• Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
• Clay County, Minnesota Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

 

Minnesota County History Name Index: This database is a name index of eleven county histories and plat books for the area immediately south of the city of St. Paul in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Researchers will find the name of the county resident, the book in which the person's name appears, and the page number. Where information is available, town of residence is also given.
Minnesota Crew Lists, 1929-1952: For several decades in the early half of the twentieth century, Two Harbors, Minnesota was one of the busiest iron ore loading ports in the world. This database is an index to the crew lists (NOT passenger lists) of vessels that arrived at Two Harbors,

Clay County, located along the west border of Minnesota, was established in 1858 as Breckenridge County, named for John C. Breckenridge, Vice President of the United States from 1857-1861.

Minnesota Governor Ramsey appointed the first county commissioners in 1861: R. M. Probstfield, Richard Manning and George Northrup. Today, the county is represented by five commissioners.

After the Civil War started, Breckenridge joined the army of the South. Pressure by Minnesota residents resulted in the State Legislature of Minnesota passing a bill on March 6, 1862, rescinding the name of Breckenridge. The county was then renamed for Henry Clay (1777-1852). Clay was known as a statesman and orator, and called "The Great Pacificator".

In 1871, a decision was made to have the Northern Pacific Railroad cross the Red River at the present site of Moorhead. The railroad bought Job Smith's land, platted a townsite, offered lots for sale, and named the town Moorhead.

County Courthouse

Moorhead was designated the county seat on June 1, 1872 and a county building was built at Fifth Street and First Avenue North. The first courthouse was sold in 1878.

Clay County's first formal courthouse was built in 1879. The one-story brick building with a single-ridged roof and arched windows and doorways was built at Eighth Street and First Avenue North. Lamb Bros. constructed the 25 by 50 foot building at a cost of $2,136.

Its replacement was completed in 1883. The Romanesque-style building was built of bricks from the Bergquist yards and stood on land donated by John Bergquist just west of the current courthouse (pictured above). Its most prominent feature was a room-sized square corner tower rising from the foundation to a steep pyramidal roof.

Keese and Fisk drew plans for the building that was excavated by J.L. Bjorkquist, and built by John Seegar of Moorhead and Pauly Bros. at a total cost of $60,625. Electric lights and steam heat were installed in 1908, and in 1917 an addition was built at a cost of $11,135. The building was demolished in 1954, when the courts moved into a new three-story rectangular block building.

The building includes a two-story, smooth, stone-faced block projecting over the center of the first story. The light-colored stone of the exterior walls contrasts with the horizontal bands formed by the windows and brick spandrels. M.O. Foss and Associates of Fargo designed the building and Meinecke-Johnson Construction Co. built it at a total cost of $725,000.