Research Resources

Sherburne History Center has valuable historic resources for in-house use, and a select number of records available on-line.

The Sherburne History Center is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library, providing local access to the microfilm collection of the largest genealogical library in the world, the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. The collection includes more than 2.4 million rolls and 727,000 microfiche of microfilmed genealogical records spanning the globe. Contact the History Center to find out more.

Researchers who visit the SHC in Becker, Minnesota are assisted by a knowledgeable staff who help you make the most of your research time. Many of the SHC holdings are listed below, but note that newer additions to the collection may not be listed. Researchers are welcome to use the materials during the History Center's working hours of 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. through 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Many of the records the SHC maintains in a database are available online. These include certain years of the marriage, birth, death and burial records. Check below for more information.

Staff at the Sherburne History Center is always happy to help you with your research questions. Please read our research policy and charges

Online Resources

• Births-1870- 1899
• Marriages- 1856-July 9, 1925
• Deaths- 1870 to 1923
• Burials- Partial list, organized by year for 1855-1910 is from records in 17 of the cemeteries in the county. A partial map of Berry Cemetery shows grave locations, updated to 1995.
• Obituaries- index to obituaries published in the Sherburne County Star News 1876-1901, Sherburne County Times 1897-1918, and the Clear Lake Times 1919-1966. The Archives also has clippings from county newspapers from miscellaneous years.
• Farmers' Directories- Entries in the 1914 Atlas and Farmers' Directory, which lists the farmer, location by section and acreage, wife, children, and years of residence in the county.
• Biographies- An index to History of the Upper Mississippi by township is available for the Sherburne County section. Some of these are transcribed, including all for Clear Lake Township and Haven Township.
• Land Records Grantee/Grantor- First owners in Big Lake Twp.- transcriptions of county land records, 18xx-1975.
• Census Records:
  • Minnesota- Clear Lake: 1865 - 1875 (off-site)
  • Federal: Clear Lake 1860, 1870, 1880 - download all via ftp at - (off-site)
• Plat Maps- for all townships, some 1903, some 1914
• Search these records-
   

Sherburne County History

There are four main published sources that cover general Sherburne County history. These are all in our library collection.

• History of the Upper Mississippi Valley by Edward D. Neill, et al, 1881. We have only the Sherburne County portion of this book. There are sections on each township in the county. This is a good source for looking up the early settlement period and many early settlers are mentioned with short biographies included. An index to these names, and some of the biographies are online.
• Inventory of the County Archives of Minnesota: Sherburne County. Minnesota Historical Records Project, Division of Professional and Service Projects, Work Projects Administration, 1940. This book contains a summary of Sherburne County history as well as an annotated list of county archives and records and lists of county officials up to 1940.
• The Growth of Sherburne County 1875-1975 by Sherburne County Historical Society, edited by Cynthia Seelhammer and Mary Jo Mosher. This book contains excerpts from the Sherburne County Star News for each year. The excerpts are categorized by general subject such as Business, Agriculture, Clubs and Organizations, and People. The Sherburne County Star News was the main county newspaper and was based in Elk River, the county seat. The paper still exists and is known as the Star News.
• Sherburne County Heritage by Sherburne County Historical Society, 1986. This book contains short histories of communities, organizations, country schools, churches, and families in Sherburne County. All articles were submitted by the public.
• In addition, many articles about Sherburne County history have appeared in the Sherburne County Historical Society's quarterly newsletter Historically Speaking. Read two sample articles in pdf format-Vacation with a Captial V and Mr. Handke.

Library Resources

• Non-Population Census Records for Sherburne County
  • Agriculture- 1860-1880 Roll 1, Roll 3, Roll 8
  • Social Statistics- 1860-1880 Roll 15
  • Manufacturing- 1880 Roll 1
  • Mortality- 1880 Roll 1
• County Government Records
  • Naturalization Records- 1864-1942
  • Probate Records- 1855-1950. Probate was required for all who owned land in Sherburne County when they died. They include heirs, their addresses, the decedents address at time of death, a land description, sometimes personal property and a will.
  • Guardianship Records- 1950-1982
  • Township Transcriptions- Becker; Big Lake; Haven; Palmer; Big Lake Township Original Minutes 1858-1883
  • Village Transcriptions- Becker; Elk River
• Maps
  • Township Plat Maps- 1903+; 1914; 1940, c1955+; 1962*; 1967; 1980; 1987; 1988; 1990; 1991; 1992; 1995; 1996
    +includes Benton Co. *contain some biographical information
  • Sherburne County Map Book for East St. Cloud and Haven Township- 1963
  • Sanborn Maps
  • 1961- Becker; Clear Lake; Elk River; Zimmerman
  • 1858- Big Lake
• Newspapers
  • Becker
    • Becker Citizen
    • Becker Record- June 11 - October 1, 1906; 1907; 1909; 1910; 1911
    • Becker Herald- 1914; May 11, 1916 - October 18, 1934; 1935
  • Big Lake
    • Big Lake Mirror- Nov. 25, 1898 - September 20, 1899; 
      • January 19, 1922 - December 27, 1923;
      • January 3, 1924 - September 3, 1925
    • Big Lake Herald- 1899; January 1, 1904 +
    • Big Lake Wave- June 24, 1910 - July 31, 1914 (3 boxes)
    • Big Lake West Sherburne Tribune
  • Clear Lake
    • Sherburne County Times- April 29, 1897 - April 3, 1919
    • Clear Lake Times- April 10, 1919; Oc. 13, 1966
  • Elk River
    • Weekly News- 1875; 1882
    • Sherburne County Star News- December 24, 1875 - May 27, 1982
    • Elk River Star News
    • Frontierman- April 26, 1855 - January 5, 1860
    • Sherburne County News- 1874
    • The Sherburne County Tax-Payer- 1875
• Directories
  • Anoka-Sherburne County Directory- 1937-1938
  • Anoka-Sherburne Mille Lacs County Directories-1943- Lists farmer, post office, route number, township, section number, land owned or rented
  • Sherburne County- 1967
  • St. Cloud- 1929-1981, some issues missing
• High School Year Books- select years
  • Purple and Gold Trail (Clear Lake)
  • Elkonian (Elk River)