Midwest States

The heartland of the United States, known as the Midwest, consists of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio. The “bread basket of America” attracted settlers of many nationalities throughout the 1800’s. Thousands of Scandinavians clustered in Minnesota, Iowa, the Dakotas, and nearby states. Germans, Irish, Italians, and eastern Europeans established their unique communities. They brought their cuisine, culture, architecture, faith, and life skills to their new homes.

Genealogical records are very well preserved in all areas of the Midwest, except for a few rare courthouse fires. Most counties began recording marriages soon after the county formation. The recording of births and deaths were mandated by the state governments at varying points in time. Below is a summary of the availability of birth and death records in the twelve Midwest states:

• Illinois has some birth and death records as early as the late 1850’s, but most counties began recording these events in the late 1870’s.

• Indiana births and deaths were recorded beginning in 1882.

• Iowa required the registration of births and deaths beginning in 1880.

• Kansas births and deaths were recorded in some counties as early as mid 1880’s, and others came later.

• Michigan births and deaths were recorded in some counties as early as 1835, but most counties began keeping them by 1867.

• Minnesota births and deaths were recorded by most counties by 1870, with some earlier.

• Missouri births and deaths were recorded in most counties by 1883, with some earlier.

• Nebraska began requiring the registration of births and deaths in 1904.

• North Dakota began registering births and deaths in 1893.

• Ohio started recording births and deaths in 1867, with some counties recording them earlier.

• South Dakota began requiring the registration of births and deaths in 1905.

• Wisconsin began requiring the registration of births and deaths in 1878, but some counties have marriage records as early as the 1850’s.

Probate records, land records, court records, homestead papers, tax records, church records, and many other historical sources are available throughout the Midwestern states. These are also available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Several Midwestern states have state censuses, taken between the decennial federal censuses. These include Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Some of these are partial censuses, not covering the entire state. There are also territorial censuses for some Midwestern states, taken before statehood.

Heritage Consulting Genealogy Research Services has professional genealogists who are highly skilled in the various Midwestern states sources available at the Family History Library. We also have contacts onsite who can retrieve records we may not have in the library.