Recent State Archives Acquisitions: March 2008
A wide variety of research topics are represented in the records added this month to the State Archives collection. Several records date from the Minnesota Territorial and early statehood period.
Particularly noteworthy are Washington County records that were previously stored in the attic/jail of the Historic Washington County Courthouse. Because of ongoing concerns about the storage environment, and limited public access to the records, these records were transferred to the State Archives. Most of the transferred records inter-file with, or continue, existing records already preserved in the State Archives collection. Some of the records date from the Minnesota territorial and early statehood period, including a St. Croix County marriage license record (1844-1848), Board of Road Commissioners meeting minutes (1858), Equalization Board proceedings (1862-1906), Poor Commissioners record book (1895-1905), Auditor’s road warrants (1929-1939), District Court real estate tax judgment books (1950-1965), and Welfare Board minutes (1937-1969).
A private donor transferred Ramsey County Register of Deeds records that were salvaged from a trash bin at the Ramsey County Courthouse, including a record (1852-1891) of church incorporations (recorded in compliance with a Minnesota Territorial Act ), election and appointment of church trustees and deacons, by laws, and minister ordinations for Protestant and Catholic churches in Ramsey County. Record of appointments and certificates of election (1849-1876) for Ramsey County officials, including assessor, auditor, clerk of court, commissioner, constable, coroner, night watch and jailer, public works board, register of deeds, road supervisor, sheriff, surveyor, tax collector, and their deputies. Also, a minister’s ordination record for a Baptist minister, Henry Greehis, who was ordained in 1851 (recorded in 1868).
Like birth and death records, marriage records are of great interest to family historians, and the Steele County District Court transferred a record of marriages (1909-1990) solemnized by the probate judge, the county court judge, the district court judge, and the court administrator.
1. Washington County. Various Departments. 17 boxes, 6 oversize volumes.
2. Ramsey County. Register of Deeds. 3 volumes.
3. Steele County. District Court. 1 volume in folder.
4. Kandiyohi County. Equalization Board Meeting Minutes (1993-1995); Advisory Board Meeting Minutes (1993, 1995), records concerning rezoning of girls’ group home property (1985), records regarding purchase of boys’ group home property (1995), and boys’ and girls’ group homes annual reports (1987-2001) of the County Group Home. 5 folders.
5. Agriculture Department. Press releases (1994, 2002-2003), Commissioner’s Correspondence (1994-1995) and Commissioner’s Columns (1995-1996, 2000-2003) of the Commissioner’s Office; photographs (1920s) of the Dairy and Food Lab and staff when the lab was located in either the State Capitol or State Office Building. 7 folders.
6. Attorney General. Environmental Protection Division. Correspondence (1993-1997) of Assistant Attorney General John Lampe concerning the possible conflict between Minnesota laws and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade (GASTT) and the General Agreement of Trades and Services (GATS). Also, correspondence regarding an investigation about whether or not Minnesota sugar beets were being illegally sold in Canada in violation of the Special Import Measures Act. 1 box.
7. Nursing Board. Nursing education program files (1992-2003) for practical nursing, professional nursing, and professional degree programs offered at Minnesota state colleges and universities. 3 boxes.
Back to Recent Acquisitions.
April 11 , 2008
