FARIBAULT COUNTY, MN HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

The History of Faribault County Minnesota by J. A. Kiester, (1896) – 768 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2024.05.20.1841 .CD.AR

Faribault County, Minnesota: A Genealogical Overview

Located in south-central Minnesota on the Iowa border, Faribault County is a prime agricultural region characterized by its fertile soil and rolling prairies drained by the Blue Earth River. Its history is a classic story of American westward expansion, with land once home to the Dakota people being transformed into a productive farming landscape by settlers from the eastern United States and waves of European immigrants. For genealogists, the county’s records tell the story of these pioneers who built a new life on the prairie.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Understanding Faribault County’s formation from larger parent counties is essential for tracing the earliest settlers and locating the correct pre-county records.

  • 1855: County Formed: Faribault County was established by an act of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature on February 20, 1855. It was officially organized with a functioning government in 1857.
  • Parent County: It was created from the western portion of Blue Earth County. Before 1853, the entire region was part of the vast, unorganized Wabasha County. Records for settlers in the area prior to 1855 would be located in Blue Earth County records.
  • Subsequent County Formations: Faribault County was later partitioned itself. In 1857, its western half was used to create Martin County. Researchers with ancestors in the western part of the county must pay close attention to this 1857 boundary change, as records could be in either county depending on the year.
  • Name Origin: The county is named for Jean-Baptiste Faribault, a French-Canadian fur trader who was influential in the region and established trading posts along the Minnesota and Cannon Rivers, fostering relationships with the local Dakota people.
  • County Seat History: The city of Blue Earth was established as the county seat upon the county’s organization in 1857 and has remained the seat of government ever since.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: For centuries, the land that became Faribault County was the territory of the Dakota people, particularly the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands. The Blue Earth River and its tributaries were important resources and travel corridors.
  • Pioneer Settlement and Economy: Following the Treaties of Traverse des Sioux and Mendota in 1851, the region was opened to American settlement. The first wave of pioneers, arriving in the mid-1850s, were primarily “Yankees” from New England, New York, and Ohio. They were soon followed by large numbers of immigrants from Germany and Norway, who established farms and communities that retain their cultural heritage today. The economy was, and has always been, overwhelmingly based on agriculture, with the rich, dark soil ideal for growing corn, soybeans, and raising livestock.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Faribault County.

  • Courthouse: The Faribault County Courthouse is located at 415 N Main St, Blue Earth, MN 56013. This central location is the primary repository for county records. The Faribault County Recorder’s office holds land records (deeds), vital records, and marriage licenses. The Clerk of District Court holds probate, civil and criminal court cases, and naturalization records.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth and Death Records: Counties in Minnesota were required to keep birth and death records starting in 1870. Records from 1870 to the present are available from the Faribault County Recorder. Statewide registration began in 1908, and these records are also held by the Minnesota Department of Health. For births or deaths prior to 1870, researchers must rely on church records, newspapers, and cemetery inscriptions.
    • Marriage Records: Marriage records from the county’s organization in 1857 to the present are held by the Faribault County Recorder.
  • Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
    • Faribault County Historical Society: Located at 405 E 6th St, Blue Earth, MN 56013. This is the most crucial resource for local research, housing a museum, research library, and archives with family histories, photographs, and local records.
    • Blue Earth Community Library: Part of the Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative, it may have local history materials and access to wider genealogical databases.
    • Minnesota Historical Society: (Located in St. Paul) This is the main state-level repository for Minnesota research, holding state census records, an extensive newspaper microfilm collection, naturalization records, and much more.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Martin County, MN (west)
    • Blue Earth County, MN (north)
    • Waseca County, MN (northeast)
    • Freeborn County, MN (east)
    • Winnebago County, IA (south)
    • Kossuth County, IA (southwest)

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