Goodhue County, Minnesota Genealogical Records Information

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Goodhue County History and Information

Goodhue County Facts

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Goodhue County was created on March 5, 1853 (Organized in 1854) from Dakota and Wabasha Counties. The County Seat is Red Wing. The County was named for James Madison Goodhue, first printer and editor in Minnesota. Printed first issue of the Minnesota Pioneer on April 28, 1849.

Counties adjacent to Goodhue County are Pierce County, Wisconsin (northeast), Pepin County, Wisconsin (northeast), Wabasha County (east,southeast), Olmsted County (southeast), Dodge County (southwest), Rice County (west), Dakota County (northwest). Cities and Towns Include Bellechester, Cannon Falls, Dennison‡, Goodhue, Kenyon, Lake City, Pine Island, Red Wing, Wanamingo, Zumbrota. Townships Include Belle Creek, Belvidere, Cannon Falls, Cherry Grove, Featherstone, Florence, Goodhue, Hay Creek, Holden, Kenyon, Leon, Minneola, Pine Island, Roscoe, Stanton, Vasa, Wacouta, Wanamingo, Warsaw, Welch, Zumbrota Townships. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Goodhue County Official Government Website
Search the Minnesota USGenWeb Archives
Goodhue 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.

There are free downloadable and printable forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms, U.K. Census Extraction Forms, Research Calendar, Ancestral Chart, Research Extract, Correspondence Record , Family Group Sheet , Source Summary Form.

Records at the Goodhue County Courthouse

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

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 Justice Center/Court Administration at 454 W. 6th Street, Red Wing, MN 55066-2540; Phone: (651) 385-3034. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Goodhue County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1870, Marriage Records from 1854, Death Records from 1870 and Land Records from 1853.
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.

Goodhue County Court Administrator's Office has Probate Records from 1854 and has Court Records from 1854.
The Court Administrator's Office maintains court files for Civil, Criminal, Traffic, Probate, Conciliation, Juvenile, Tax and Family Court matters.

Click Here to Search Minnesota Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

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

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.
Goodhue County, Minnesota Court Books at Amazon.com

Goodhue County Tax Records

See Also Military Records in Minnesota

Click Here to Search Minnesota Military Records! - 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 Goodhue County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Goodhue 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.
Southern Claims Commission from the State of Minnesota (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
Goodhue County, Minnesota Military Books at Amazon.com

Goodhue 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 Goodhue County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Goodhue County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak St, Red Wing MN 55066-2447; Phone: 651 388-6024
Cannon Falls Area Historical Society, PO Box 111, Cannon Falls MN 55009-0111
Location: 206 West Mill St, Cannon Falls MN; Phone: 507 263-4080
Friends of the Florence Town Hall, PO Box 96, Frontenac MN 55026-0096
Location: 33923 Highway 61 Blvd., Frontenac, MN; Phone: 651 388-5683
Goodhue Area Historical Society, PO Box 141, Goodhue MN 55027-0141
Location: 105 E. 4th Ave., Goodhue MN
Wanamingo Historical Society, 572 Second Ave., Wanamingo MN 55983; Phone: 507 824-2627
Local Minnesota Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
Minnesota Historical Society Research Center, 1500 Mississippi Street, St. Paul, MN 55101, (612) 296-6980
Serves Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona 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.)
Minnesota Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Minnesota Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

Goodhue County Church & Cemeteries

Click Here to Search Minnesota Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. 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 Goodhue County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Goodhue 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 Goodhue County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Goodhue County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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.
Goodhue County, Minnesota Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
Goodhue County, Minnesota Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Click Here to Search Minnesota Family Tree Records! - 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 Goodhue County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Goodhue 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: [ Goodhue County ] [ Minnesota ] [ Main Page ]
Goodhue County USGenweb Archives
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Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Minnesota Family Group Sheets
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Minnesota Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
Goodhue County, Minnesota Family Books at Amazon.com

County 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,

Location and Area
Goodhue County is in the southeast triangle of Minnesota. There are several irregularities in its boundary lines, but, generally speaking, it has Dakota County on the north, Wisconsin on the northeast, Wabasha County on the east, Dodge and Olmsted Counties on the south, and Rice County on the west. The Mississippi River and its enlargement, Lake Pepin, form its northeastern border and separate it from the State of Wisconsin. Its Area is 764 square miles.

Physical Features
The surface of Goodhue County is mostly prairie, but it changes to a bluffy contour along the streams, especially towards the Mississippi, which has areas of bottom lands along the great stream. The surface drainage all reaches the Mississippi River and takes an easterly or northeasterly course along elevations varying from 1,250 feet at Kenyon to 665 feet at Lake Pepin. The chief tributary streams of the Mississippi River in this county are the Cannon River with its southern arm, the Little Cannon; Prairie Creek; the north and middle branches of the Zumbro; and Belle Creek, which is another branch of the Cannon. Spring, Hay, Bullard's, and Wells Creeks, although not large streams, are important features in forming the topography of the county. Besides these streams, the Vermillion River, after draining a large part of the county to the west, separates Prairie Island from the main land. The island thus formed contains the only lakes in the county.

A prominent feature of the landscape in this region is Barn Bluff which is close to the Mississippi River at Red Wing. The name is a translation of "La Grange:, a designation given by the French because of its appearance. The promontory is a lone, high, and nearly level-crested bluff which is quite separated from the side bluffs of the valley and conspicuously seen for many miles up and down the river.

Naming of Goodhue County
The County is named for James Madison Goodhue, the first newspaper editor in Minnesota. He was born on March 31, 1810, and died in St. Paul on August 27, 1852. He graduated from Amherst College in 1833 and was later admitted to the bar. After practicing law, he became editor of the Wisconsin Herald, published at Lancaster. He came to St. Paul in 1849, and on April 28 of that year, he issued the first edition of the Minnesota Pioneer.

Establishment of the County
Goodhue County was established by the Legislature on March 5, 1853, from an area which had previously been a part of Wabasha County. The boundaries were indefinite. After the government survey of the greater part of the county was completed, the boundaries were defined in 1854. The Half Breed Tract, however, had not been included in the survey, and it was later found that the starting point of the boundaries as described in the act was in Wisconsin, a few miles northeast of Frontenac. In general, the boundary was as at present, except that Central Point Township was excluded, and the line between Welch township in Goodhue County and Douglas Township in Dakota County was extended due north to the Mississippi River a few miles southeast of Hastings. The present boundaries were defined in 1855. A bill was introduced in the Legislature in 1858 to detach part of Goodhue, Olmsted, and Wabasha Counties and to form a new county to be called Zumbrota. A committee to which it was referred made an unfavorable report, and the bill was never brought to a vote. In 1861 the voters defeated a proposition to attach that part of Cannon Falls Township north of the Cannon River to Dakota County.

County Courthouse

A courthouse square was first set aside in 1854, when Goodhue County's commissioners held their first meeting "on a lumber pile." However, public and court business took place in the law office of Philander Sandford until 1859, when the courthouse was completed.

The first courthouse was built with red brick and stone at a cost of $26,666. It was criticized at the time as an extravagance. The building was still sound when it was torn down 72 years later to make room for the new courthouse.

The second courthouse was a monumental Moderne building, dating back to 1932. The authoritarian, bulky building had flattened, fluted pilasters at the entrance, an incised figure of Justice, and other decoration across the top. Windows were arranged formally and recessed between verticals that echoed classic columns rising to a heavy parapet. Buechner and Orth of Minneapolis, in association with E.D. Corwin, designed the building that was built by Standard Construction Co., Inc. of Minneapolis. The three-story granite building cost $275,000.

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