Morrison County
Polish Day Parade in Sobieski – Photo Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society
Poles settled in the following locations in Morrison County:
Towns: Elmdale, Bowlus, Buckman, Flensburg, Royalton, Sobieski, Upsala, Little Falls, Pierz
Townships: Two Rivers Township, Culdrum Township, Swanville Township, Pulaski Township
Unincorporated Communities: Morrill, North Prairie, Platte
Poles in Morrison County
Poles began arriving in Morrison County between 1868-1870. They came primarily from the Prussian-controlled area. In reviewing Find-a-Grave entries in the cemeteries affiliated with Polish-related churches in Morrison County, the following towns had a higher number of Polish names listed in the cemeteries.*
| Poles from Silesia | Poles from Poznan | Poles from Kashubia |
| Bowlus | Flensburg | Little Falls |
| Elmsdale | Little Falls | Pierz |
| North Prairie | Morrill | Platt |
| Royalton | Sobieski |
*Note: The above table is based on the graves where there was specific documentation of the buried person having emigrated from Silesia, Poznań, or Kashubia. There were also many graves that just indicated they were from “Poland” or “Prussia”, as well as many graves that did not indicate any country of origin. Morrison County overall had a large number of Poles from Silesia.
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 Morrison County where Polish families worshiped.
Vital Records and Land Records
The Morrison County Recorder’s Office maintains birth, marriage, death and land records.
Historical Societies and Museums
The Historical Society preserves artifacts and historical information regarding Morrison 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.
A typical farm in Morrison County was 80 acres. Of that, 70 acres would be woodland, 8 acres tilled land and two acres of pasture and meadow. Each farmer usually had two one or horses for working the fields, 1-2 cows, 1-2 pigs, and 15-20 chickens. The tilled land had wheat, oats, barley and potatoes.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Morrison County:
Morrison County Genealogy Society
P.O Box 144
Little Falls, MN 56345
For more information, contact Judy Glaze – judylovesflowers1234@gmail.com
Maps
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.
Articles
Wisdom of Crowds- Pierz, MInnesota – Summary of a lecture on Pierz, at the Morrison County Historical Society in 2008. Participants responded to the question “What do you know about Pierz, MN?” The link provides their answers to the question.
Silesia to America – A Heritage: Polish Silesian Settlement in Central Minnesota
by Robert Prokott
The Stodolka Family – Overview of several generations of a family from Silesia to Central Minnesota
by Mike Stodolka
Morrison-Todd Counties
by Clara Fuller, 1915
Chapter XIX – The Poles
by A.F. Koslosky
Books about Morrison County
PGS-MN Newsletter Articles
(You will need to scroll down to the page indicated to find the article within the newsletter link)
| Newsletter | Page | Title/Author |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 1998 | 9 | Agriculture Census: Morrison County, 1880 by Bob Prokott |
| Fall 1998 | 14 | Family Trails Weekend: Morrison County Families Reunion, August 28-30,1998 Little Falls, Minnesota by Genny Zak Kieley |
| Fall 1998 | 15 | Information about the Morrison County Historical Society |
| Winter 2007 | 10 | Tracing Our Silesian Roots by Bob Prokott |
| Summer 2016 | 5 | Genealogical Byways by Mike Eckman |
| Spring 2020 | 7 | The Journey: Coming to America |
| Fall 2023 | 16 | Morrison County Historical Society |
| Spring 2024 | 9 | What a Small World It Is by Mike Stodolka |
While PGS-MN does not endorse specific Facebook sites, we know that members have found it valuable to connect with others on Facebook regarding genealogy resources. The following Facebook sites have been identified by PGS-MN members for the Morrison County area:
- Morrison County Memories
- Bowlus and Royalton Minnesota Connection
- History and Memories of Royalton Minnesota
- Morrison County Genealogy MN (Morrison County Genealogy Society, Inc.)
Sobieski
Sign at entrance to the town of Sobieski (Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia)
About the Town of Sobieski
- Was known as Ledoux in 1890, named after the owner of the store and post office (F.X. Ledouux), who arrived in 1872.
- From 1904 until 1916, it was known as Swan River
- In 1916, it was re-named Sobieski, in honor of a Poland national hero.
- The first Poles (some from Silesia) arrived in the mid- to late 1870s
- Over time, 200 Polish farming families lived in the township
PGS-MN Drobne Echa Newsletter Article
| Newsletter | page | title/author |
|---|---|---|
| Spring/Summer 2006 | 1 | Installment #7 – Swan River (Sobieski) from Wiarus 1899 by Greg Kishel |
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Sobieski:
Bowlus
About the Town of Bowles
- Poles from Silesia settled in Bowlus, starting in 1870
- The Soo Railroad was one of the reasons for settling there
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Bowlus:
PGS-MN Drobne Echa Newsletter Article
(You will need to scroll down to the page indicated to find the article within the newsletter link)
| newsletter | page | title |
|---|---|---|
| Winter 2007 | 1 | Installment # 13 – Bowlus: From Kuryer Polski 1908 – 1910 and Rolnik, 1911 and 1913 by Greg Kishel |
Book about Bowlus
| title | authors |
|---|---|
| Bowlus- A Pictorial History, 100 Years | by Louis Titel, James Beniek and Tim Jendro |
Little Falls
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Little Falls:
Books
| Title | Author | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Little Falls on the Big River: History of Little Falls, Minnesota for Kids | Mary Warner, Jan Warner and Ann Marie Johnson, 2001 | Online pdf of book |
| East Versus West – Little Falls, MN | Mary Warner Morrison County Historical Society, 2014 | Online pdf of book |
Charles Lindbergh House and Museum
Charles Lindbergh grew up in Little Falls, where his house is now a National Historic Landmark.
Polish Restaurant in Little Falls
Polish Palace
9259 Cable Road
Little Falls, MN 56345
320-632-8909
PGS-MN Drobne Echa Newsletter Article
| newsletter | page | title/author |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2007 | 1 | Installment #12 – Little Falls: From Wiarus and Katolik, 1888 – 1910 by Greg Kishel |
Flensburg
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Flensburg:
Articles about Flensburg
Flensburg Began as a Side Track
Flensburg Memories
Flensburg – Minnesota’s Sweetest Post Office
PGS-MN Drobne Echa Newsletter Article
(You will need to scroll down to the page indicated to find the article within the newsletter link)
| newsletter | page | title/author |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2009 | 1 | Installment # 16 – Flensburg: From Wiarus, 1893 – 1910, Rolnik, 1906 – 1908, Gwiazda Polarna, 1909, and Kuryer Polski, 1907 – 1910 by Greg Kishel |
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:
Pierz
Public Library
Public libraries can be a valuable resource for finding historical information about the area and the people living there.
Local Business
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Pierz:
Historic Newspaper
- Merged with the Royalton Banner in 1973
- Became the Royalton Banner-Pierz Journal
Books
| title | author/Publisher | description |
|---|---|---|
| Murder Book | Frank Weber North Star Press of St. Cloud, 2017 | While this is a mystery book, we are sharing it as the author grew up in Pierz and the book is set primarily in and around Pierz. |
Pierzana. 1865-1965. The Religious and Secular History of the Community of Pierz, Minnesota | by Robert J. Voight Mills Creative Printing, 1965 | 100th anniversary of the St. Joseph parish history. |
| Pierzana II: The Religious and Secular History of Pierz, Minnesota: 1865-1990 | by Robert J. Voight, 1990 | 125th anniversary St. Joseph parish history. Includes photos, illustrations, and index. This link identifies surnames that are listed in this book (they do not sound like Polish names) |
Upsala
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Upsala:
Public Library
Public libraries can be a valuable resource for finding historical information about the area and the people living there.
North Prairie
North Prairie started out as a German community around 1865, in fact it was originally named German Settlement. After the conclusion of the Franco-German war of 1870-71, the first immigrants of Polish nationality arrived at North Prairie and settled within the boundaries of the Catholic parish. Polish immigrants, primarily from Silesia, continued to settle in North Prairie for several years, until the Polish by far outnumbered any other nationality, or even all others combined.
The Silesian settlement expanded from the North Prairie area and eventually included the villages of Royalton, Bowlus, Sobieski, Flensburg, and Elmdale and Bellevue Township in Morrison County. Silesians also moved to Opole and Holdingford, both in Stearns County.
Article about North Prairie
History of North Prairie Parish
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about North Prairie: