Faribault County
Harvest Fair, Wells MN, 1908 – Courtesy of LakesnWoods.com
Towns where Poles settled in Faribault County include:
Easton, Minnesota Lake, and Wells
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 Faribault County where Polish families worshiped.
Vital Records and Land Records
The Faribault 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.
Faribault County Historical Society
The Mission of the Faribault County Historical Society is to collect, preserve and disseminate the history of Faribault County.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Faribault 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/Publisher | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| History of Faribault County, Minnesota From Its First Settlement to the Close of the Year 1879 | J. A. Kiester, 1896 | Online version |
Easton
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Easton:
Cover of a Cook book from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Easton
Minnesota Lake
Local Newspaper
Minnesota Lake Tribune is available at the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Publishing began in September 1894.
Minnesota Lake Historical Society
Kremer House (mailing) Box 225
Minnesota Lake, MN 56068
507-462-3420
Email: mlfamily@bevcomm.net
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Minnesota Lake:
Wells
Early Polish immigrants who settled in Wells came from the Silesian village of Syców.
Haller’s Army
Polish men in Minnesota joined Haller’s Army in World War I. Below is a link to an article about Leo Mosser, from Wells, who was one of those soldiers.
General Genealogy Links
The following are websites with general resources and genealogy information about Wells:
Local Newspaper
The Wells Mirror is available at the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Publishing began in September 1913.
Wells Historical Museum
100 1st Ave NW
PO Box 43
Wells, MN 56097
www.wellsdepotmuseum.com
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2000 | 12 | Table of Immigration Information: Silesian Polish Settlement in Central Minnesota |
| Fall 2000 | 14 | From Słownik Geograficzny: The Homeland of the Polish Pioneers of Wells: Syców and Selected Nearby Villages, by Greg Kishel |
| Fall 2005 | 7 | A Third Person from Wells in Haller’s Army by J.M. Bias |
| Winter 2015 | 8 | Reprint from the Wells Mirror Newspaper: “Proving how we’re all connected: Jan Bias and her destiny of genealogy” |