Lyon County
Taunton, MN Street Scene, 1917 – Courtesy of Lyon County Historical Society
Towns where Poles settled in Lyon County include:
Taunton (prior to 1888 was known as Ripon)
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 Lyon County where Polish families worshiped.
Vital Records and Land Records
The Lyon County Recorder’s Office maintains birth,
marriage, death and land records.
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).
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 and Museum
According to their websites: “The purpose of the Lyon County Historical Society shall be the collection, preservation and dissemination of knowledge about the history of Lyon County and to relate it to the history of the region and the state of Minnesota.”
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Lyon County:
Books about Lyon County
| book | title/author | comments |
|---|---|---|
| An Illustrated History of Lyon County Minnesota | by Arthur P. Rose Northern History Publishing Company, 1912 | Online version |
| Lyon County, Minnesota (A 37-page booklet from a book – History of the Minnesota Valley) | by Rev. Edward D. Neill | How to order |
| Lyon County Images | by Lyon County Historical Society | Order here |
| Prairie Town: A History of Marshall, Minnesota, 1872-1997 | by John Radzilowski | Order here |
| The Sesquicentennial: Cultivating 150 Years of History in Marshall and Lyon County | Gregory Orear, Editor and Publisher | Link about the book |
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.
Taunton
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Taunton:
PGS-MN Newsletter Article
| newsletter | page | title/author |
|---|---|---|
| Summer 2009 | 1 | Drobne Echa Article: Installment #16 – Taunton From Wiarus, 1899 – 1907 by Greg Kishel |