BIG STONE COUNTY, MN HISTORY AND LOOKUP
County History Books
*None Listed
Big Stone County, Minnesota: A Genealogical Overview
Situated on the western border of Minnesota, Big Stone County is a rural, agricultural region defined by its prairie landscape, the headwaters of the Minnesota River, and the prominent Big Stone Lake which forms its boundary with South Dakota. The county’s history is a classic story of the American Upper Midwest, shaped by its original Dakota inhabitants, the arrival of the railroad, and the waves of Scandinavian and German immigrants who turned the vast grasslands into productive farmland in the late 19th century.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Understanding Big Stone County’s legislative creation versus its later government organization is key to pinpointing records from its earliest period.
- 1862: County Formed: Big Stone County was established by an act of the Minnesota State Legislature on February 20, 1862. However, it was not formally organized with a functioning government until 1874.
- Parent County: It was created from lands that were part of the vast Brown County territory. More directly, its territory was carved from Toombs and Davis counties, two “paper counties” that were created in 1858 but never fully organized and were later dissolved. Any records for this area prior to 1874 are scarce but could potentially be found in the records of adjacent, already-organized counties like Pope or Stevens County.
- Subsequent County Formations: The boundaries of Big Stone County have remained largely unchanged since its formal organization in 1874.
- Name Origin: The county is named for Big Stone Lake, a prominent feature forming its western border. The name is a direct translation of the Dakota name for the lake, “Mde Inyan,” which means “Stone Lake,” likely referring to the rock formations in the area.
- County Seat History: Ortonville was named the county seat when the county was organized in 1874 and has remained the county seat ever since.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The land that became Big Stone County was the traditional territory of the Dakota people, specifically the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands. They utilized the lake and surrounding prairies for hunting, fishing, and gathering.
- Pioneer Settlement and Economy: Significant settlement by non-native people did not begin until after the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. The primary wave of settlement occurred in the 1870s and 1880s, driven by the Homestead Act and the expansion of the Hastings and Dakota Railway through the area. The majority of these early settlers were immigrants from Norway, Sweden, and Germany, as well as native-born Americans moving west from states like New York and Wisconsin. The economy was, and remains, fundamentally agricultural, centered on the cultivation of corn, soybeans, wheat, and livestock farming.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Big Stone County.
- Courthouse: The Big Stone County Courthouse is located at 20 Second Street SE, Ortonville, MN 56278. The offices of the County Recorder (for land records like deeds and mortgages) and the Court Administrator (for probate, civil court cases, and marriage records) are housed here.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in Minnesota began in 1908. For records after that date, contact the Minnesota Department of Health. For births and deaths prior to 1908, researchers should check with the Big Stone County Recorder’s office, though these records can be incomplete.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records from the county’s organization in 1874 to the present are held by the Big Stone County Court Administrator’s office at the courthouse.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Big Stone County Historical Society Museum: Located at 999 US Highway 12, Ortonville, MN 56278. This is the primary local resource for family histories, photographs, local newspapers, and historical records.
- Ortonville Public Library: Local libraries are often good sources for local histories, plat maps, and newspapers on microfilm.
- Minnesota Historical Society (Gale Family Library): Located in St. Paul, this is the most important statewide repository for genealogical research. It holds state census records, newspapers, vital records indexes, and extensive collections on all Minnesota counties.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Traverse County, MN
- Stevens County, MN
- Swift County, MN
- Lac qui Parle County, MN
- Roberts County, SD
- Grant County, SD