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SEARCH FOR YOUR ANCESTORS IN THESE Minnesota GENEALOGICAL DATABASES:
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Pine County History and Information
County History | Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Church & Cemeteries | Genealogy Related Sites |
Pine County Facts


Click HERE to see full size D.O.T. County Map

Pine County was created on March 1, 1856 (Organized in 1857, Deorganized in 1858 and Reorganized in 1871) from Chisago and Ramsey Counties. The County Seat is Pine City. The County was named for large stands of white and red pine found at one time in the county.

Counties adjacent to Pine County are Carlton County (north), Douglas County, Wisconsin (northeast), Burnett County, Wisconsin (southeast), Chisago County (south), Isanti County (southwest), Kanabec County (west), Aitkin County (northwest). Cities and Towns Include Askov, Brook Park, Bruno, Denham, Finlayson, Henriette, Hinckley, Kerrick, Pine City, Rock Creek, Rutledge, Sandstone, Sturgeon Lake, Willow River. Townships Include Arlone, Arna, Barry, Birch Creek, Bremen, Brook Park, Bruno, Chengwatana, Clover, Crosby, Danforth, Dell Grove, Finlayson, Fleming, Hinckley, Kerrick, Kettle River, Mission Creek, Munch, New Dosey, Nickerson, Norman, Ogema, Park, Partridge, Pine City, Pine Lake, Pokegama, Royalton, Sandstone, Sturgeon Lake, Wilma, Windemere Townships. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

 

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.

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Records at the Pine County Courthouse
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. Courthouse burned in 1870. most all records were destroyed. The 1886 frame courthouse was struck by lightning and burned in 1952. Records were saved.

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 635 Northridge Drive NW, Suite 260, Pine City, MN 55063-1620; Phone: (320) 629-5600. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

   Pine County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1871, Marriage Records from 1871, Death Records from 1871 and Land Records from 18?.
   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.

   Pine County Court Administrator's Office has Probate Records from 1875 and has Court Records from 1871.
   The Court Administrator's Office maintains court files for Civil, Criminal, Traffic, Probate, Conciliation, Juvenile, Tax and Family Court matters.

Search Online 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 Pine County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Pine 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.
  • Pine County, Minnesota Court Books at Amazon.com

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Pine County 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 Pine County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Pine County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Pine 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.
  • Pine County, Minnesota Tax Books at Amazon.com

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Pine County Vital Records
Search Online Click Here to Search Minnesota Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Often in as few as three business days!

   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:

  • 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 On-Line:  To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek.

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.

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

  • Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
  • 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.
  • Pine County, Minnesota Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com

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Pine County Census Records
Search Online Click Here to Search Minnesota Voter Lists & Census Records! - 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 Pine County, Minnesota are 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Pine 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.

See Also Statewide Records that exist for Minnesota

Below is a list of online resources for Pine County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Pine 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
  • Pine County, Minnesota Census Books at Amazon.com

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Pine County Maps & Atlases

   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 Pine County Maps. Email us with websites containing Pine County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Pine County Military Records
Search Online 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 Pine County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Pine County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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

  • Pine County Historical Society, Maril: 64385 Hammond Rd., Finlayson, MN 55735
    Museum is located at Askov, Phone: 320 245-2574
  • Hinckley Fire Museum, PO Box 40, Hinckley MN 55037-0040
    Location: 106 Old Highway 61, Hinckley MN, Phone: 320 384-7338
  • Pine County Genealogy Society, PO Box 115, Sandstone MN 55072-0015
  • Local Minnesota Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
  • Central Minnesota Historical Center, Centennial Hall, Room 148, St. Cloud University, St. Cloud, MN 56301
    Serves Aitkin, Benton, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena, and Wright 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

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Pine County Church & Cemeteries
Search Online 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 Pine County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Pine 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 Pine County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Pine County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Search Online 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 Pine County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Pine County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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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,

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County Courthouse

Pine County's first courthouse was a frame building located in the Chippewa village and trading post of Chengwatana, then the county seat.  The courthouse burned in 1870.

In 1872, the county seat was moved to Pine City by popular vote and a new courthouse was built.  When the more elaborate courthouse was completed in 1886 in the square to the south, the first small building was moved from Main Street and used as a residence.

The 1886 frame courthouse cost $10,000 to build.  By the 1930s, electric lighting and steam heat had replaced the original kerosene lamps and wood stoves.  The towered, Romanesque Revival style building had been a problem since the first contractor, John F. Stone, had failed to finish the job he won on a bid of $7,172 and James Hurley had to take over and complete it.  Nevertheless, many people regretted the building's passing when lightning struck it in 1952, causing it to burn.

The new Pine County courthouse was originally built to be a city hall.  Those words are still carved above the door on the long side of the building as it turns to Main Street.  The plain, yellow brick, two-story rectangle was built with the help of the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works in 1939.  Pine City had become nervous about losing its status as county seat to Hinckley because of the need for better county office space.  Hinckley had lost the county seat vote by a small margin years earlier.  So Pine City gave its new city hall to the county.

In a 1954 bond issue, the county raised $160,000 for a new courthouse.  It was built of identical brick on the north end of the one-time city hall, using the same marble wainscoting and terrazzo floors, but with an entrance on the north.  The words "court house" are carved over the entrance.

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