ROLETTE COUNTY, ND HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

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Rolette County, North Dakota: A Genealogical Overview

Positioned on the international border with Canada, Rolette County, North Dakota, is a region defined by its unique cultural landscape, blending the deep history of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians with the story of Euro-American homesteaders. The county is home to the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation, and its genealogy is inextricably linked to the history of the Ojibwe and Métis people of the Northern Plains. For researchers, this means tracing ancestry often requires navigating both conventional county records and vital tribal and federal Indian agency records, as well as looking across the Canadian border.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Rolette County was created during the great Dakota Boom of the late 19th century and organized as settlers pushed west across the prairie.

  • 1873: County Formed: The boundaries for Rolette County were established by the Dakota Territorial Legislature on January 4, 1873.
  • Parent County: It was created from the territory of the now-extinct Buffalo County, a massive unorganized area that covered much of north-central North Dakota, with lands also taken from Bottineau and Cavalier counties.
  • 1884: County Organized: Although created on paper in 1873, the county government was not formally organized until October 14, 1884, at which point record-keeping began in earnest.
  • Name Origin: The county was named for Joseph Rolette Jr., a well-known fur trader, frontier politician, and legislator of French-Canadian and Ojibwe heritage who was instrumental in the early history of Minnesota and Dakota Territory.
  • County Seat History: The first county seat was established in Dunseith. Following a contentious political struggle and a disputed election in 1889, the county seat was moved to Rolla, where it has remained ever since.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: The Turtle Mountains served as a vital resource for various Native American groups. In the 19th century, the area became a primary homeland for the Ojibwe (Chippewa) and the Métis (people of mixed Indigenous and European, primarily French, ancestry) who had migrated from the Great Lakes region and eastern Canada.
  • Key Historical Events:
    • Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation: The reservation was officially established by executive order in 1882 for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. The history of the county is deeply intertwined with the tribe, including the controversial McCumber Agreement of 1892 (often called the “Ten Cent Treaty”), which ceded millions of acres of tribal land.
    • Homesteading and Railroads: Beginning in the 1880s, the arrival of the Great Northern Railway brought waves of homesteaders to the area. These new settlers were largely Anglo-Americans from the eastern U.S., as well as French-Canadians, Scandinavians, Germans, and Scots-Irish, who established the towns and farms outside of the reservation.
    • The Métis Community: Rolette County has historically been a major center of Métis culture in the United States, with deep family and cultural connections to Métis communities just across the border in Manitoba.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

Research in Rolette County requires a two-pronged approach, utilizing standard county sources alongside crucial tribal and federal records.

  • County Courthouse: The Rolette County Courthouse, 301 2nd St NE, Rolla, ND 58367, is the main repository for local civil records.
    • Clerk of District Court: Holds probate and estate files, civil court cases, divorce decrees, and naturalization records.
    • County Recorder: This office holds all land records (deeds, mortgages, homestead patents) and is the repository for marriage licenses from the county’s organization (c. 1884). It may also hold some delayed birth and death records.
  • Tribal & Federal Records (Essential for Native Ancestry):
    • Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians: The tribal government offices in Belcourt, ND, are the source for modern tribal enrollment records and membership information.
    • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): Historical records created by the BIA for the Turtle Mountain Agency are vital. These include the Indian Census Rolls (1885-1940), allotment records, and school records. These are primarily held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in North Dakota began inconsistently in 1907 and became more reliable in the 1920s. Official certificates are held by the North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Vital Records.
    • Marriage Records: Held by the County Recorder in Rolla, dating from around 1884.
  • Libraries and Societies:
    • Rolette County Historical Society: Located in St. John, it is a resource for local history and pioneer family information.
    • State Historical Society of North Dakota (Bismarck): The state’s main historical archive, holding extensive newspaper collections, state census records, and other materials.
    • Turtle Mountain Community College Library (Belcourt): Possesses collections focused on the history and genealogy of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa.
  • International Border: Due to the large number of French-Canadian and Métis families, research frequently crosses into Canada. Key resources include the St. Boniface Historical Society (Le Centre du patrimoine) in Winnipeg and Library and Archives Canada.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Bottineau County, ND (west)
    • Pierce County, ND (southwest)
    • Towner County, ND (east)
    • Province of Manitoba, Canada (north)

Please share any resources you have and will do lookups or links to resources you are aware of. Thanks