Norman County Genealogy Society

Serving Norman County, Minnesota

The Norman County Genealogy Society was formed in February, 1997. The members are dedicated to completing a number of projects. Two of the main ongoing projects are compiling obituaries from the various local newspapers as well as indexing the county cemeteries and adding headstone photos to the index. While many of the completed projects are featured on the Society's web site, additional records are located at the Historical and Research Center located in the Log Museum at the Prairie Village in Ada. It is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Genealogist are encouraged to visit the Historical and Research Center to search the extensive collection of information on the people who once lived in Norman County.

Every family in America has played a role in our nation's history. A surge of interest in genealogy is helping refocus our attention on the past. In addition to researching and creating a family tree, we can save our own family history by interviewing older family members, recording family stories, protecting family heirlooms, saving family letters, diaries, Bibles and other papers. Stories that have been handed down from generation to generation are invaluable because they not only connect us to our families, but also to our nation. Genealogy is fascinating work and the Norman County Genealogy Society asks anyone to join who has an interest in our history.

Membership dues are $10.00 a year for county residents and $5.00 a year for non-county members. Memberships are available by contacting the club secretary, Ardis Horn, 100 1st St. E. Apt. 202, Ada, MN 56510.

The Genealogy Society's objectives are:

To acquire genealogical information to be shared among the members of the society.
To aid and instruct others with their family genealogy and history.
To build a society library.
To create interest in genealogy and seek genealogical records in Norman County.
To preserve and perpetuate genealogical and historical records in Norman County.
To provide and maintain a family surname file and a file of pedigree charts of the members.

Society Minutes and Newsletters

In addition to the family histories listed below, many other family histories are housed at the Historical and Research Center at the Prairie Village in Ada.

Web site of Agnar Merkesnes called Hemneslekt listing 49, 000 people from Hemne Norway. Contains people (born 1883 to 1892) who emigrated to Norman County. Site is in Norwegian.

Web site on Thaddeus W. Bradley (1837-1914) who lived in Minnesota from 1865/8 to 1902/3 and who served in the Civil War.

Book "Looking Forward to the Past: The Norbye Family's Selbu Connection" extensive research on the Norby(e) family from Selbu, S�r-Tr�ndelag, Norway. Many of them settled in MN and Norman County. Connie Ferris

Paulson Family from Sundal Township web site. T.J.

Noldus Nelson and Bertha Fliefleth family research. Related names are Berland, Huseby, Kragero, Melaas, and Sagen. Families lived around Twin Valley, mostly Flom or Fossum Twps. Barbara

Book "Descendants of Ansteen Sorenson and Martha Jensen". They arrived in Hegne Twps in 1882. Gives some family history prior to 1882 and lots after. Also have some early history of the township. Keri

Booklet on Tollef and Martha Redland from Egersund, Norway. Also booklet on the Haaland/Holland/Flikka families from Flekkefjord, Norway. Carol

Sjur and Serina Stennes History. Related names include Gilbertson, Ellingson, Christopherson, and Spande. The book is available at the Norman County Historical Museum and Research Center. Leslie

Ole Bjorheim/Bjorem Family History. This book is available at the Norman County Historical Museum and Research Center Helen

Watson, Weatherhead, and Taylor (Waterman) Family History. This information is available at the Norman County Historical Museum and Research Center and Helen

The Minnesota GenWeb Project

In March and April, 1996, a group of genealogists organized the Kentucky Comprehensive Genealogy Database. The idea was to provide a single entry point for all counties in Kentucky, where collected databases would be stored. In addition, the databases would be indexed and cross linked, so that even if an individual were found in more than one county, they could be located in the index. This lead to the USGenWeb of which Minnesota is a part.

Volunteers are needed who are willing to coordinate the collection of databases and generally oversee the contents of the web page. If you would like to host another available Minnesota county, please contact the MNGenweb State Coordinator.

Top