Wright County
Street in Delano, 1905 – Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
Locations where Poles settled in Wright County include:
Delano, and Franklin Township
Delano was one of the first concentrated Polish settlements in Minnesota, according to Father Waclaw Kruszka ( A History of the Poles in America to 1908, Part IV: Poles in the Central and Western States). The Poles were from both Silesia and Kashubia.
County-Wide Resources
Catholic Churches and Cemeteries
The church was a central point in the lives of Polish immigrants. Learn more about the churches and cemeteries in Wright County where Polish families worshiped.
Vital Record and Land Records
The Recorder’s Office is responsible for vital records as well
as real estate records for properties in Wright County.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management has General Land Office Records where you can pick the state and county, then type a surname. If an ancestor purchased land, you will likely be able to see the document and details about the land and purchase.
Census Records
United States Census Records
You can find a lot of information about the U.S. Census records on the National Archives website. The U.S. Census was done every ten years from 1790 through 1950. (the site has direct links to census records for 1940 and 1950). FamilySearch and Ancestry also have census records (Ancestry requires a paid subscription).
Some Unique Questions on the Federal Census
| Census Year | Information |
|---|---|
| 1880 | Health conditions/disabilities (not many are entered in this column) |
| 1900 | Lists month and year of birth (not just year) |
| 1900 | For women: How many children were born to her and how many are living at the time of the census |
| 1910 | For women: How many children were born to her and how many are living at the time of the census |
| Multiple years | Naturalization Status: Ai=Alien, Pa=First Papers, Na = Fully Naturalized |
| Multiple years | Property Ownership: “O” = Owned, “R” = Rent |
| Before 1922 | When a male was naturalized, his whole family became naturalized |
| 1940 | X with a circle around it = The person in the household who reported the information |
Minnesota State Census Records
- The first Minnesota Territorial Census was taken in 1849, and was taken again in 1850, 1853, 1855, and 1857.
- After Minnesota became a State in 1858, the Minnesota State Census was taken every 10 years, in years that ended with a 5: 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, and 1905.
- 1905 was the last year of the Minnesota State Census.
Historical Society
The Wright County Historical Society provides resources related to genealogy and the history of the County.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Wright County:
Maps
The 1916 plat map is helpful in showing who owned the land that year. Click on the area you are interested in until you get to the detail level with names.
Book
| title | author | comments |
|---|---|---|
| History of Wright County Minnesota, Volume 1 | by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, 1915 | Online version |
Delano
Delano was established as a Polish town, with immigrants from Upper Silesia and Kashubia. Father Wacław Kruszka noted that Delano had one of the oldest Polish parishes in Minnesota, founded in 1873.
Local Resources
PGS-MN Newsletter Article
(You will need to scroll down to the page indicated to find the article within the newsletter link)
| Newsletter | page | title/author |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2003 | 12 | Drobne Echa Article – Installment #2: Delano, Installment#2 From Rolnik,1906-1909 by Greg Kishel |
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Delano: