Recent State Archives Acquisitions: October 2009
Background Information
Records added this month to the State Archives collection document several levels of the Minnesota judicial system, and include unique information about a variety of topics.
The Hennepin County District Court transferred criminal case file documents (dated 1963-1976; bulk dated 1963-1964) concerning the 1963 homicide trial of T. Eugene Thompson, who was convicted for contracting for the murder of his spouse, Carol Thompson. According to published sources and the criminal case file documents, Mr. Thompson paid Norman Mastrian to hire Richard Anderson to murder Carol Thompson. Some of the documents are entitled Ramsey County District Court criminal case file no. 21154, and were apparently transferred to the Hennepin County District Court when the trial of Mr. Thompson had a change of venue from Ramsey County to Hennepin County. Documents of the City of St. Paul Municipal Court where, apparently, the case was initially heard, are also included. It’s possible many of these documents were used in subsequent appeals, or related cases concerning Thompson, Mastrian and Anderson in Hennepin County, the U.S. District Court, and the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Justice courts, such as municipal courts and justice of the peace courts, no longer exist in Minnesota, but this level of the judicial system is important to document, and is a valuable source for family history research. Justice court dockets (dated 1875-1973) for the Village/City of Spring Grove in Houston County, and for the Village of Lanesboro in Fillmore County were added to the State Archives.
Useful for local and regional history research are annexation files (dated 1977-1985) of the now defunct Municipal Board. The records continue an existing series of records dating back to 1959. The Minnesota Municipal Board was created in 1959 to hear and decide questions of municipal incorporation, boundary adjustment, and annexation, and to promote and regulate municipal development in general. Helpful for family history research is a clerk’s book (dated 1917-1929) of School District No. 68 (Eldorado Township) in Stevens County, which was donated by the family of a former school board member.
Microfiche of briefs (dated 1960-1990; bulk dated 1985-1989) were added to the records of the Supreme Court/Court of Appeals, the highest level of the Minnesota judicial system. The paper copies of the briefs that were microfilmed were removed from the Supreme Court/Court of Appeals case files during a multi-year project undertaken by State Archives staff and volunteers.
Finally, additional records of the Willmar State Hospital (now called a regional treatment center) were transferred to the State Archives, as the state Human Services Department continues to downsize and close the regional treatment centers. The records (dated 1916-2008) include summary patient records, autopsy and death records, and summary reports of the superintendent and hospital departments that will be very useful for family history research, and other types of research concerning the state’s public institutions. These records directly complement one of the strengths of the State Archives collection.
Acquisitions
1. Hennepin County. District Court. Criminal case file no. 4860 (State of Minnesota v. T. Eugene Thompson), dated 1963-1976 (bulk dated 1963-1964). Criminal case file documents concerning the homicide trial of T. Eugene Thompson, who was convicted for contracting for the murder of his spouse, Carol Thompson. 5 boxes.
2. Houston County. Spring Grove (village/city) justice court dockets dated 1954-1973. Also received with the acquisition, justice court dockets (dated 1875-1906) for Lanesboro (village) in Fillmore County. 1 box.
3. Municipal Board. Annexation files, dated 1977-1985. 13 boxes.
4. Stevens County. School District No. 68 (Eldorado Township) clerk’s record book, dated 1917-1929. Donated by a private individual. 1 volume.
5. Supreme Court/Court of Appeals. Briefs, dated 1960-1990 (bulk dated 1985-1989). Microfiche of briefs. Ca. 15,000 microfiche sheets.
6. Willmar State Hospital, 1916-2008. Records include admissions log books, 1955-2005; autopsy record, 1943-1949; biennial reports, 1940-1952, and monthly reports, 1932-1954, of the superintendent; death reports, 1953-1980; medical records committee minutes, 1995-2006; monthly reports of departments, 1953-1993; population movement reports, 1937-1995; statistical record books, 1916-1930; tuberculosis report book, 1923-1976. 9 boxes.
Back to Recent Acquisitions.
November 10 , 2009
