Carlton County
Cloquet Logging Camp 1887- Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society
Poles settled in Carlton County in the following locations:
Towns: Cloquet, Kettle River
Townships: Silver Township, Split Rock Township
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 Carlton County where Polish families worshiped.
Vital Records and Land Records
The Carlton County Recorder’s Office maintains birth, marriage, death and land records.
Historical Society
The Historical Society provides resources related to genealogy and the history of Carlton 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).
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 Carlton County:
Books
| title | author/publisher | comments |
|---|---|---|
| Family Maps of Carlton County, MInnesota | by Gregory J. Boyd, J.D. Arphax Publishing, 2008 | Surnames are listed Ordering Information |
Crossroads in Time: A History of Carlton County, Minnesota | by Francis M. Carroll Carlton County Historical Society, 1987 |
Video
Polish Roots in Carlton County
Available at the Carlton County Historical Society in Cloquet
This video features Catholic churches in Carlton and Pine Counties with significant Polish membership. Many original family surnames are mentioned.
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.
Cloquet
Public Library
Public libraries have valuable resources related to genealogy, local history and culture.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Cloquet:
Books
| title | author/publisher |
|---|---|
The Fires of Autumn, the Cloquet-Moose Lake Disaster of 1918 | by Francis M. Carroll and Franklin R. Raiter St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1990 |
| Fire Storm: The Great Fires of 1918 | by Christine Skalko, and Marlene Wisuri Cloquet, MN: Carlton County Historical Society 2003 |
Kettle River
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Kettle River:
Article about the Star Club in Kettle River
The Star club was formed as a “Gentleman’s Club” for Polish settlers and was built after the 1918 fire. Previously, St. Joseph Church in Kettle River was the location for this social group. The article below outlines the interesting history of the club. Names of Poles who were members include: Kaspczak, Dunasky, Klejeski, Soboleski, Zelazny, Urbaniak and Kulas.