Recent State Archives Acquisitions: June 2012
Background Information
Records added this month to the State Archives collection document and protect the civil and property rights of Minnesotans and are valuable for family history research.
Documenting an unusual function of Minnesota state government, are meeting minutes (dated January 1982-December 2011), and newsletters (dated July 1980-May 1988) of the Animal Health Board. The records continue existing sets of records already preserved in the State Archives. The Board was established in 1903 and oversees numerous voluntary and mandatory programs that focus on controlling and eradicating animal diseases in the state. While the Board most often deals with cattle, horses, poultry, swine, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, deer, and elk, they also are responsible for exotic animals.
Valuable for family history research are police department booking photographs (dated ca. 1992-2003), and jail registers (dated 1955-1985) transferred by the Edina Police Department. The State Archives does not regularly collect police department booking photographs or mug shots, but since these booking photographs are from a more recent time period they nicely complement a set of St. Paul Police Department mug shots (dated 1891-1911) already preserved in the State Archives. The on-line finding aid to the St. Paul Police Department mug shots, which includes some images of the mug shots can be found here: http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/SPaul041.xml.
Also useful for family history research are court records received from Pennington County. Included in the transfer are registers of civil and criminal actions (dated 1910-1981), and selected civil case files (dated ca. 1912-1949) concerning such topics as judicial ditches and roads, railroad right of way, land condemnation, formation of soil and water conservation districts, and other land-related matters of the District Court; registers of probate actions (dated 1910-1981), and selected probate case files (dated 1910-1949) concerning guardianships, and commitments of persons because of insanity, mental illness, senility, and epilepsy of the Probate Court; registers of action (dated 1971-1981) of the County Court/Civil Division; registers of action (dated 1973-1981) of the County Court/Family Division.
Red Lake County District Court transferred registers of civil and criminal action (dated 1897-1983), and judgment docket-torrens (dated 1913-1936). The registers of civil and criminal action will enhance access to the Pennington County District Court and Red Lake County District Court civil and criminal case files already preserved in the State Archives. Court records for northwestern Minnesota are underrepresented in the State Archives collection, so these records are a welcome addition.
The State Law Library transferred briefs of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals (dated February 2010-January 2011) that continue an existing set dating from 1960. The briefs are master negative microfiche, and preserved as a security copy; a use copy is available at the State Law Library.
Received from the Tax Court are closed (completed) decision files (dated 1990-2001) that inter-file with the existing set of case files (dating from 1939) already preserved in the State Archives. The case files are for appeals from orders of the Commissioner of Revenue regarding tax disputes, or from property valuations or classifications that resulted in a Tax Court decision. The court's decisions interpret the law and have precedent value.
Records of the Supreme Court/Court of Appeals and the Tax Court are primarily valuable for protecting and documenting the civil and property rights of Minnesotans, but may also be useful for more advanced family history research.
Acquisitions
1. Animal Health Board. Meeting Minutes (dated January 1982-December 2011), and newsletters (dated July 1980-May 1988). 6 folders.
2. Hennepin County. City of Edina. Police department booking photographs (dated ca. 1992-2003), and jail registers (dated 1955-1985). 5 boxes.
3. Pennington County. Registers of civil and criminal actions (dated 1910-1981), and selected civil case files (dated ca. 1912-1949) of the District Court; registers of probate actions (dated 1910-1981), and selected probate case files (dated 1910-1949) of the Probate Court; registers of action (dated 1971-1981) of the County Court/Civil Division; registers of action (dated 1973-1981) of the County Court/Family Division. 32 boxes.
4. Red Lake County. District Court. Registers of civil and criminal action (1897-1983), and judgment docket-torrens (1913-1936). The registers of civil and criminal action will enhance access to the Red Lake County District Court civil and criminal case files already preserved in the State Archives. 7 boxes.
5. Supreme Court. Briefs of Supreme Court and Court of Appeals (dated February 2010-January 2011). 4,000 master negative microfiche.
6. Tax Court. Closed (completed) decision files (dated 1990-2001) that inter-file with the existing set of case files (dating from 1939) already preserved in the State Archives. The case files are for appeals from orders of the Commissioner of Revenue regarding tax disputes, or from property valuations or classifications that resulted in a Tax Court decision. The court's decisions interpret the law and have precedent value. 1 box.
Back to Recent Acquisitions.
July 10, 2012
