This South Dakota state page of our website provides direct links to major databases and historical titles found on South Dakota genealogy and history, whether they exist on our site, or across the web.
South Dakota Cemeteries
South Dakota Census Records
- South Dakota Census Records
- South Dakota 1910 Census Map
- South Dakota, State Census, 1905
Individual census cards arranged in alphabetical order. - South Dakota, State Census, 1915
Name index and images of census cards from the 1915 South Dakota State Census acquired from the South Dakota State Historical Society. - South Dakota, State Census, 1925
Name index and images of census cards from the 1925 South Dakota State Census acquired from the South Dakota State Historical Society. - South Dakota, State Census, 1935
Name index and images of census cards from the 1935 South Dakota State Census acquired from the South Dakota State Historical Society. - South Dakota, State Census, 1945
Name index and images of census cards from the 1945 South Dakota State Census acquired from the South Dakota State Historical Society.
South Dakota Court Records
- South Dakota, County Naturalization Records, 1865-1972
County Circuit and District court naturalization records from county courthouses in South Dakota. Coverage dates vary by county. The records were acquired from the South Dakota State Historical Society. - South Dakota, Minnehaha County, Probate Case Records, 1873-1935
Probate case records located at the South Dakota State Historical Society in Pierre. The files are arranged by box, folder and file numbers. - South Dakota, Pennington County Probate Case Files, 1880-1937
Images of probate case files from the South Dakota State Historical Society in Pierre. The collection is arranged by case number.
South Dakota Genealogy Websites
United States Genealogy
- South Dakota Genealogy
- Marshall County, South Dakota History and Genealogy
Website providing information and genealogical records for researchers of Mitchell County, South Dakota.
- Marshall County, South Dakota History and Genealogy
United States GenWeb Project
Aurora, Beadle, Bennett, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Buffalo, Butte, Campbell, Charles Mix, Clark, Clay, Codington, Corson, Custer, Davison, Day, Deuel , Dewey, Douglas, Edmunds, Fall River, Faulk, Grant, Gregory, Haakon, Hamlin, Hand, Hanson, Harding, Hughes, Hutchinson, Hyde, Jackson, Jerauld, Jones, Kingsbury, Lake, Lawrence, Lincoln, Lyman, Marshall, McCook, McPherson, Meade, Mellette, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Pennington, Perkins, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn , Shannon, Spink, Stanley, Sully, Todd, Tripp, Turner, Union, Walworth, Yankton, Ziebach
American History and Genealogy Project
- SDGenWeb
Clark, Dewey, Kingsbury, Lake, Miner, Minnehaha, Pennington
South Dakota History
- Marshall County, North Dakota History
About the middle of the seventeenth century French explorers passed through what is now Dakota, and again in the beginning of the present century Lewis and Clark explored this region. In 1809 one of the Astor’s parties, conducted by Mr. Hunt on their way across the continent to the mouth of the Columbia River, ascended the Missouri River to the 46 degree parallel, where they procured horses from the Indians and traveled overland. - Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane (Martha Jane Cannary)
My maiden name was Marthy Cannary. I was born in Princeton, Missouri, May 1st, 1852. Father and mother were natives of Ohio. I had two brothers and three sisters, I being the oldest of the children. As a child I always had a fondness for adventure and out-door exercise and especial fondness for horses which I began to ride at an early age and continued to do so until I became an expert rider being able to ride the most vicious and stubborn of horses, in fact the greater portion of my life in early times was spent in this manner. - South Dakota, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1861-1941
Images of G.A.R post records from the Dakota and South Dakota Departments. The collection includes membership rosters, attendance registration books of various encampments (some include Women’s Relief Corps.), post descriptive books, member deaths, adjutant reports, muster rolls, lists of officers, applications to form a post, reunion rosters, etc. The descriptive books are arranged by post name and number. Most records include item number, name, post name and number. The descriptive books may list name, age, state of birth, residence in South Dakota, occupation, date-rank-company-regiment of service and final discharge, cause of discharge, when mustered into G.A.R., status, and date of death. The collection was acquired from the South Dakota State Historical Society in Pierre. - South Dakota, School Records, 1879-1970
School records, including teacher’s term reports, school census and attendance records located at the South Dakota State Historical Society in Pierre. Records are generally arranged by county, year and school district number. This collection is being published as images become available.
South Dakota Land Records
- U.S., Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1820-1908
3,907 land management tract books containing official records of the land status and transactions involving surveyed public lands arranged by state and then by township and range. These books indicate who obtained the land, and include a physical description of the tract and where the land is located. The type of transaction is also recorded such as cash entry, credit entry, homesteads, patents (deeds) granted by the Federal Government, and other conveyances of title such as Indian allotments, internal improvement grants (to states), military bounty land warrants, private land claims, railroad grants, school grants, and swamp grants. Additional items of information included in the tract books are as follows: number of acres, date of sale, purchase price, land office, entry number, final Certificate of Purchase number, and notes on relinquishments and conversions.
South Dakota Military Records
- Military Records
- Dakota Territory Forts
List of colonial forts, trading posts, named camps, redoubts, reservations, general hospitals, national cemeteries, etc., established or erected in the United States from its earliest settlement to 1902. - South Dakota Forts
List of colonial forts, trading posts, named camps, redoubts, reservations, general hospitals, national cemeteries, etc., established or erected in the United States from its earliest settlement to 1902.
- Revolutionary War
- 1840 Pensioners Census
The information contained in this 1840 Pensioners Census database is a compilation of the data on the Revolutionary War pensioners gathered from the 1840 census returns. The information is organized by place – state, county, then township. It also lists the name and age of the veteran, and the name of the head of household with whom the pensioner resided on the census date. - Revolutionary War Pension Records
- 1840 Pensioners Census
- Civil War Records
- Civil War Pensions Index Cards
Each card gives the soldier’s name, unit, the application number, the certificate number and the state from which the soldier served. In some cases, the soldier’s rank, terms of service, date of death and place of death are given. The index cards refer to pension applications of veterans who served in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917. The majority of the records pertain to Civil War veterans, but they also include veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, Indian wars, and World War I.
- Civil War Pensions Index Cards
- World War I Records
- World War II Records
- Korean War Casualty List
- Vietnam War Casualty List
South Dakota Native American Tribes
- South Dakota Indian Tribes
- South Dakota Indian Reservations
- Blackfoot Indians and their Stories
- Marshall County, South Dakota Indian Reservations
- South Dakota Indian Honored War Dead
- Oregon and South Dakota Indians Wounded in Action
- Current Federally Recognized Indian Tribes by State
- List of Federally Non-Recognized Tribes
- State Recognized Tribes
South Dakotas Vital Records
- South Dakota Vital Records
- South Dakota Courthouse Addresses
- South Dakota Birth Records Database
This database contains information from birth records with birth dates of over 100 years of age as required by South Dakota Codified Law 34-25-8. At this time this database contains 244,652 records.- South Dakota, Department of Health, Birth and Marriage Indexes, 1843-2014
Index of birth and marriage indexes from 1843 to 2014 provided by the South Dakota Department of Health.
- South Dakota, Department of Health, Birth and Marriage Indexes, 1843-2014
What’s New in South Dakota Genealogy?
Biography of Henry O. Valeur
Henry O. Valeur, architect and builder, of Muskogee, was born in Norway, April 30, 1882, a son of Alrik and Dorothy Valeur. He enjoyed liberal educational advantages, receiving his more advanced training in universities of Norway and of Germany, pursuing university studies in his native country for three years and in Germany for four years. In young manhood he went to sea, spending three years as a sailor, and it was subsequent to this time that he became a student in Germany, thus qualifying for important and responsible duties in life. It was with the belief that he would have…
Biography of Ezra King Longley
Ezra King Longley was one of the very early members of the bar of Elk County. He had not resided continuously in Elk County since he first went there more than forty-five years ago, but in recent years he had given all his time to his general practice as a lawyer with offices at Howard. Mr. Longley is now seventy years of age. Few men of that age have had such opportunities to know American life at the fountain head and have had experiences covering so many different and varied scenes and bringing them into closer contact with the men…
Biography of Fred Leslie Ervay
Fred Leslie Ervay, M. D. The medical fraternity of Wilson County had as one of its highly skilled and thoroughly trained members Dr. Fred Leslie Ervay, who had been engaged in a general practice at Fredonia since 1908. While Doctor Ervay had not carried on his profession as long as some of his fellow practitioners, he had risen to a prominent place in his calling, and the confidence in which he is held is evidenced by the size and importance of his clientele. He was born at Elk Point, South Dakota, June 14, 1880, and is a son of H.…
Becker, Mary Ann Theresa – Obituary
Enterprise, Oregon Mary Ann Theresa Hoffart Becker died Feb. 20, 2006, in Oregon City of natural causes. She was 91. Mrs. Becker was born Jan. 6, 1915 in Ipswich, S.D. In 1920 her family moved to the Portland area where she attended school at Jefferson High School. She married Ted Whitesell in 1931 and had 3 children. They divorced. She met and married Vernon L. Becker in 1946 and they settled in Redland and raised their family. They lived there for over 15 years, enjoying the farm life. She was an accomplished gardener and her yard was always a showplace.…
Phillips, Freeman H. – Obituary
Joseph, Oregon Freeman H. Phillips of Joseph died June 4, 2007, at the Wallowa Valley Care Center in Enterprise. He was 81. Mr. Phillips was born Dec. 27, 1926, at Wilmot Flats, N.H. to Freeman S. and Christabel chamberlain Phillips, the second of 14 children. In 1927, the family moved to Alexandria where he attended grammar school and spent his early years working on the farm and for neighboring farmers at the going wage of fifty cents per day. Following his seventeenth birthday, in 1943, he entered the U.S. Navy and served on ships in the Atlantic Fleet before being…
Bay, Iantha Duluska – Obituary
Mrs. Iantha Duluska Bay, 99, 2107 3rd Street, died at a local hospital Thursday, November 28, following an extended illness. Mrs. Bay was born December 17, 1868, in Yankton, South Dakota, the daughter of early day pioneers to this valley. She had resided in this area for over 90 years, and was a member of the Christian Church. Survivors of Mrs. Bay include: two sons, Guy of Hilgard and Ira of La Grande; two daughters, Mrs. Eva Vandermulen of La Grande, and Mrs. Ella Kolb of Portland; also nine grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. Services will be held Saturday,…
Cathey, Lawrence “Vern” – Obituary
La Grande, Oregon Lawrence “Vern” Cathey, 75, of La Grande, died Nov. 27, 2004, at his home. A celebration of life will begin at 11 a.m. Friday at the New Life Center in La Grande (behind Shop ‘n Kart). Burial will be at the Summerville Cemetery. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is in charge of arrangements. Vern was born on Sept. 26, 1929, to Hugh and Laura Ray Cathey at Spearfish, S.D. He moved to Baker City where he joined the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was in the Signal Corps when he was discharged. He joined Labor…
Bruins, Cecil Earl – Obituary
La Grande, Oregon Cecil Earl Bruins, 75, of La Grande died July 11 at a local care center. A graveside service will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 18 at the Island City Cemetery. Mr. Bruins was born July 30, 1930, to John and Wilma Backer Bruins in Crandon, S.D. The family moved to Oregon in 1946. He worked for the Umatilla Army Depot, the Union Pacific Railroad in Portland, Alpenrose Dairy and at a Metalbestos plant before moving to Nampa, Idaho, where he worked for Fleetwood Trailers until his retirement. In 2006 he moved to La Grande to be…
Jederberg, Warren William – Obituary
La Grande, Oregon Warren William Jederberg, 85, of La Grande died Thursday at Grande Ronde Hospital after a short illness. He will be buried next to his wife at Hillcrest Cemetery following funeral services at the Stake Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 11 a.m. Monday. He was born Aug. 26, 1921, in Selby, South Dakota, Mr. Jederberg came to La Grande in 1943 as an aviation cadet, and met his wife during his shifts at the switchboard in the Sacajawea Hotel, and her work at West Coast Telephone Co. He served in the Army during World…
Hoskins, Jerome – Obituary
La Grande, Oregon Jerome “Jerry” Hoskins, 78, of La Grande died Jan. 10 Services are planned 1 p.m. Monday at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in La Grande. Viewing will be on Sunday from 4 until 6 p.m. and again Monday from 9 until 11 a.m. at Daniels Chapel of the Valley. Mr. Hoskins was born Aug. 21, 1928, to Omar K. and Essie C. Hoskins at Havre, Mont. Mr. Hoskins attended grade school at Havre; Mobridge, S.D.; Baker City and Lewiston, Idaho. He attended junior high in Clarkston, Wash., and senior high at Yakima. While in high school Mr. Hoskins…