Minnesota was still a fairly young territory of twelve years when the Civil War broke out. Early settlers where fur traders followed by farmers. Farmers continued to arrive through the mid 1800s as more land became available. Though the state was far removed from the focal point of hostilities between the North and the South, it was Minnesota’s governor who first offered military support when Fort Sumter was fired upon on 12 April 1861. The state sent 20,000 troops to join the Union in fighting the South. However, in 1862 the Dakota Indians began attacking settlers along the Minnesota River Valley. Feeling cheated by delayed payment and forgotten promises, the Indians believed they had the right to reclaim land given up in treaties with the U.S. Government. Many of the Civil War soldiers, from Minnesota, were sent back home to fight the Indians.
A Genealogist’s Guide to Researching Civil War and Dakota Conflict Ancestors in Minnesota guides the research process for those seeking their Minnesotan ancestors during the time period of the Civil War and Dakota conflict. The majority of the book is dedicated to finding soldiers and those directly associated with the wars. However, there is a chapter dedicated to those living at home during those turbulent times. Key resources covered by this guide include Federal and Minnesota state census records, service records for veterans and their units, on-line resources, published records, and manuscripts. Scattered through the pages are plenty of photographs and sample documents.
Minnesota was a very active participant in the military conflicts of the the 1860s. Also, many Civil War veterans moved to Minnesota after the war. These fighters can be found by their descendents with aid of this book.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Beginning a Family Search
- The Historical Setting
- Federal Census records
- Federal Census Availability
- Cemetery Research
- The Minnesota GenWeb
- Shortcuts
- Minnesota Research Bookshelf
Getting Familiar with Military Terminology
Major Repositories of Civil War Information
- The National Archives (NARA)
- Special National Archives Finding Aids
- Civil War Soldiers & Sailors System (CWSS)
- Library of Congress (LOC)
- The Minnesota History Center
- Special MHS Finding Aids
- Minnesota county Historical Societies
- University of Minnesota – Wilson Library
- Public and Academic Libraries
- “Must Reads” – Minnesota Resources
First, Research Your Ancestors
- Service Records
- Places to Look
- Official Government Reports
- Pensions
- Compiling a Soldier’s Records
Second, Research the Unit
- General References
- Minnesota References
Civilians at Home
- The Press
- Refugee Relief
- Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Minnesota
- Depredation Claims
Travel
Contract Information
For more information, or to order, A Genealogist’s Guide to Researching Civil War and Dakota Conflict Ancestors in Minnesota, click on the link. $15.63