Murray County, Minnesota Genealogical Records Information

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Murray County History and Information

Murray County Facts

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Murray County was created on May 23, 1857 (Organized in 1879) from Brown County. The County Seat is Slayton. The County was named for Willian Pitt Murray, member of the territorial legislature 1852-55 and 1857; member of the constitutional convention; state representative, 1863 and 1868; state senator, 1866-67 and 1875-76; served seventeen years on the St. Paul City Council and was St. Paul City Attorney for thirteen years.

Counties adjacent to Murray County are Lyon County (north), Redwood County (northeast), Cottonwood County (east), Nobles County (south), Rock County (southwest), Pipestone County (west). Cities and Towns Include Avoca, Chandler, Currie, Dovray, Fulda, Hadley, Iona, Lake Wilson, Slayton. Townships Include Belfast, Bondin, Cameron, Chanarambie, Des Moines River, Dovray, Ellsborough, Fenton, Holly, Iona, Lake Sarah, Leeds, Lime Lake, Lowville, Mason, Moulton, Murray, Shetek, Skandia, Slayton Townships. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Murray County Official Government Website
Search the Minnesota USGenWeb Archives
Murray County, Minnesota History Books at Amazon.com
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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 Murray 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 County Courthouse at 2500 28th Street, Slayton, MN 56172-1493; Phone: (507) 836-6148. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. At some time Murray County was attached to Redwood, Watonwan and Cottonwood Counties for county and or judicial purposes. Some early records may be found there.

Murray County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1873, Marriage Records from 1872, Death Records from 1873 and Land Records from 1873.
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.

Murray County Court Administrator's Office has Probate Records from 18? and has Court Records from 1879.
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 Murray County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Murray 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.
Murray County, Minnesota Court Books at Amazon.com

Murray 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 Murray County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Murray 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.
Murray County, Minnesota Military Books at Amazon.com

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

Murray County Historical Society and Museum, PO Box 61, Slayton MN 56172-0061
Location: 2480 29th St, Slayton MN, Phone: 507 836-6533
Fulda Heritage Society, 10603 Town Ave, Dundee MN 56131
Location: Corner of Front St and St Paul Ave, Fulda MN, Phone: 507 425-3100
End-O-Line Railroad Park & Museum, 440 Mill St, Currie MN 56123-1004, Phone: 507 763-3708
Local Minnesota Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
Southwest Minnesota Historical Center, Southwest State University–BA 509, Marshall, MN 56258
Serves Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, and Yellow Medicine 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

Murray 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 Murray County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Murray 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 Murray County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Murray 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.
Murray County, Minnesota Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
Murray 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 Murray County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Murray County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Sites on USGenweb: [ Murray County ] [ Minnesota ] [ Main Page ]
Murray County USGenweb Archives
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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
Murray 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,

Though Native Americans had been here for centuries, the first european visitors to this region began in 1831. Pilander Prescott, a trader stopping at Bear Lake, was the first visitor to write about what he considered the most splendid resource on his prairie travels.

In 1833, the American Fur Company established a trading post on the east edge of Bear Lake. One of the best known traders during the post's regime was Joseph Laframboise. Painter George Catlin was a guest of Laframboise, staying with the trader as he traveled to visit the Pipestone Quarries. Catlin is commonly noted as the first white visitor to this national monument.

In 1838, Nicollet and Lt. John Fremont came west with a government expedition. These men were on an expedition to explore the Minnesota River and Missouri River. Their party spent three days with LaFramboise. In his writings, Nicollet mentions an area called "Lost Timber," which is a hidden wooded area near Chandler. The Sioux had named this area, "Tchan-na tambe," which can be translated to "hidden woods."

The first settler to the Leeds area was Hans Simonson, who arrived in June 1872. He was followed by Christian Christiansen, Gilber Johnson, and Theodore Knutson. Soon after, the villages began to form: Avoca, Iona, Currie, Fulda, Hadley, Lake Wilson, and Chandler, to name a few.

Dakota Conflict of 1862

Not all of the villages created in the 1850s were legitimate settlements. As part of an attempt by irreputable individuals to increase the number of votes cast for statehood, imaginary villages were created. To validate these voters, false census records were created. The imaginary settlers, numbering 100, all voted for statehood.

One of the fictional villages was supposedly near Lake Shetek. Named Cornwall City, the village census boasted a population of 91 residents. However, when settlers John Eastlick, Charles Hatch, Phineas B. Hurd, John Wright, William J. Duley, N.W. Smith, and Aaron Kock moved their families to the area in 1862, they were unable to find any settlement. Determined to stay, the men and their families created their own settlement.

Tensions Mount

Relations between the Native Americans and the state had broken down during the 1850s. Many of the Indians had been moved to reservations, and life was near to incarceration. Deprived of a way to meet their needs, the Indians awaited the provisions promised by the government. After months of waiting, the food finally came. It was spoiled.

This sparked an already volatile situation. While the exact details of what happened differ, tensions between the Indians and their white oppressors had reached a boiling point. On August 20, 1862, Lean Bear and White Lodge, two Dakota Sioux Indians, led 100 warriors on a raid against the Lake Shetek settlement. The 34 settlers had only enough time to leave - they took no possessions. Bound for sanctuary in New Ulm, the settlers were attacked and killed about one mile from their homes.

This attack was unique and didn't follow the pattern of other raids. None of the settlers' belongings had been taken. No cabins were burned; no settlers were scalped. They weren't robbed. There was no excessive brutality.

Monuments and Remembrance

An obelisk sits at the entrance of the Lake Shetek State Park, a monument to the settlers killed in the encounter. Their mass grave near Lake Shetek is marked as well.

County Courthouse

Murray County's first courthouse was a frame building bought for $73 in 1872 and located in Currie, the county seat at that time. The building served citizens for seven years, until the county built a courthouse at a cost of $1,155.

In an 1887 election, Slayton became the county seat and county records were moved. The Minnesota Supreme Court disallowed the election, but the records stayed in Slayton. In 1889, the county seat change became official and the following year, Murray County began construction of the brick courthouse that stand more than 90 years.

The Romanesque Revival courthouse was completed in 1892 at a cost of $22,300. Yellow brick veneer and buff Kasota limestone trim made up the two stories and attic of the 60 by 94 foot building. Its tower featured an unusual classical style, with a segmented dome above a central bay and an arched entry. Frank Thayer of Mankato designed the building, and Leck and McLeod of Minneapolis built it. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Place in 1977.

A modern county building designed by Stegner, Hendrickson, McNutt and Sullivan of Marshall, costing $370,600, was built south of the courthouse in 1974. The courtroom from the old building's second floor was dismantled and reconstructed in the new addition.

In 1981, another 12,000 square feet was built of steel, concrete, and brick veneer designed by the Delpro Corporation of Sioux Falls at a cost of $1 million. County commissioners, not entirely satisfied with the design, asked for a "more monumental appearance" and settled for a triangular canopy above the roof. The 1892 courthouse was demolished later that year.

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