Benton County
PGS-MN member Mike Stodolka’s ancestral farm house in Benton County, built in 1906.
Poles settled in Benton County in the following locations:
Towns: Gilman, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, Foley, Royalton, Rice
Townships: Mayhew Lake, Alberta,
Unincorporated Communities: Popple Creek, Brenneyville, Duelm, North Benton
County-Wide Genealogical 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 Benton County where Polish families worshiped.
Vital Records and Land Records
Benton County Recorder’s Office has birth and death records dating back to 1860. The office also oversees marriage and land records.
Historical Societies and Museums
The Historical Society can direct you to resources, including documents and photos, related to genealogy and the history of Benton County.
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 the purchase.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
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.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Benton County:
PGS-MN Newsletters
(You will need to scroll down to the page indicated to find the article within the newsletter link)
| Newsletter | page | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2007 | 6 | A Novice Researcher’s Circuitous Route to Finding Her Rafinski Great- Grandfather’s Parish in Poland by Lisa Trembley |
| Winter 2007 | 10 | Tracing Our Silesian Roots by Bob Prokott |
| Spring 2009 | 9 | Where My Polish Immigrant Ancestors Settled by Wiliam R. Graczyk |
| Winter 2010 | 1 | Thomas and Tekla Wolak and Family – Their Immigration and Settlement in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana and Nebraska (1881-1995) by Amy Jowers |
| Winter 2019 | 9 | Filling in the Blanks by Marie Przynski |
| Summer 2020 | 11 | Henry J. Wolak by Amy Jowers |
| Summer 2023 | 12 | Benton County and Polish Migration by Marie Przynski |
Books
Sauk Rapids and Benton County
Ronald Christopher Zurek
Arcadia Publishing, 2002
Benton County Fair History Book – Minnesota’s Legacy
Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 2013
Articles
Illnesses in Benton County
in the early 1900s
The Stodolka Family – Overview of several generations of a family from Silesia to Central Minnesota
by Mike Stodolka
Maps
1903 Plat Map
1903 Plat Map Index
(with names of owners)
1914 Plat Map
Current County Map
Alberta Township and Gilman
Genealogy Links
PGS-MN Drobne Echa Articles
(You will need to scroll down to the page indicated to find the article within the newsletter link)
| Town or TOwnship | Related Region in Poland | Newsletter |
|---|---|---|
| Gilman and Alberta Township | Kashubia, Galicia, Poznan, Silesia | Fall/Winter 2002 page 14 |
| Gilman and Alberta Township | Kashubia, Galicia, Poznan, Silesia | Spring 2007 page 1 |
Mayhew Lake Township
Mayhew Lake Document
The People of Mayhew Lake (Minnesota) (1896-1992)
by Robert J. Voigt
Available in the Polish section of the Hoffman Research Library at the Minnesota Genealogy Center.
Duelm
Duelm had a small population of Polish immigrants, mainly from Silesia. They farmed alongside German immigrants.
Brennyville
Foley
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Foley:
Map
Plat maps are 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.
Public Library
Public libraries can be a valuable resource for finding local historical books, articles and other documents related to genealogy.
Sauk Rapids
Sauk Rapids was founded by Silesian Lutherans from the northeast region of Poland called Mazury.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Sauk Rapids:
Town History
- Sauk Rapids History (within a Benton County History Book)
- 1886 Sauk Rapids Tornado (38 people killed)
Maps
Plat maps are helpful in showing who owned the land that specific year.
Click on the area you are interested in until you get to the detail level with names.
Popple Creek
Book
| title | Author | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Documental History of the Evangelical Church and Pioneer Cemetery of Popple Creek, Minnesota | by Edward F. Sowa, 1987 | Available in the Hoffman Research Library at the Minnesota Genealogy Center |
Article
Sartell
(Note: Sartell is in both Benton County and Stearns County)
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Sartell:
- Wikipedia Overview
- History of Sartell
- Sartell Historical Society – many photos
Book
| Title | author/Pubisher | comments |
|---|---|---|
| Lumber, Paper, Valves and Progress- A History of Sartell Minnesota | Historical Publications Group, 2006 | Can be purchased through the Sartell Historical Society |
Royalton
Royalton is primarily in Morrison County, however, part of it lies in Benton County.
Local Genealogy Resources
Royalton Historic Newspaper – The Royalton Banner
The Royalton Banner was published from 1887 until 1973, when it merged with the Pierz Journal.
It then became the Royalton Banner-Pierz Journal.
- Newspaper clippings from this newspaper (1912-1961)
- Microfilm access to Royalton Banner newspapers
Book
Historical Sketches of Royalton and Vicinity
by Frank B. Logan, 1930
General Genealogy LInks
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Royalton:
Rice
A Railway village in Langola Township, named after George T. Rice, who ran a hotel for Stagecoach travelers before the railroad came through. His name was also given to an extensive prairie in the area.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Rice:
- Wikipedia Overview
- Video about the Old Village Hall in Rice
- Information about 1886 tornado
- Article about a Polish wedding and the 1886 tornado