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Welcome to Codington County, South Dakota SDGenWeb

Genealogy & History

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Communties in Codington County include: 
Florence, Foley, Grover, Kampeska, Rauville, South Shore, Wallace and Watertown.  The county seat is Watertown.


CODINGTON COUNTY GENEALOGY RESOURCES

Attention:  Due to an error, some recent queries may have been lost.  Please resubmit your query if you find that it is no longer on the queries page. 

Townships & Towns ]  [ 1889 Codington County Map

 [ CENSUS ]  [1940 Census Information and Maps]

 [ VITAL RECORDS ]  [ CEMETERIES ]  [ NEWSPAPERS/OBITUARIES ]

[ HISTORY ]  [LAND RECORDS ]  [ MAPS ]

QUERIES ]  [ VOLUNTEER LOOKUPS

PUBLISHED RESOURCES
[
ADDRESSES to use for Codington County Research ]

[
Penny Postcards from Codington County ]

[
Codington County ARCHIVES]
[
South Dakota statewide GenWeb ARCHIVES]

[SDGENWEB Archives]
[
South Dakota State Historical Society/  Office of History]
[
Genealogy Links for Codington County Research ]
[
Native American Links ]  [ More Maps & Directories ]
[
SDGENWEB Codington County ARCHIVES ]

[ USGenWeb Archives ]



If you find a problem with this site, or have a suggestion please contact
Ann Mensch.

 SDGENWEB

Visit the neighboring SDGenWeb counties: 
To the north: 
Day County and Grant County
To the east:
Deuel County
To the west:
Clark County
To the south:
Hamlin County

 

VOLUNTEER LOOKUPS



Can you
Volunteer to do Genealogy related Lookups in Codington County, SD Resources? 
mail your resource name to Ann - Subject: Codington County:
Holy Rosary Parish, Kranzburg, South Dakota, 1879-1979:
Lookups in this book are generously offered by Lori Krei  The Holy Rosary Parish is part of the diocese of Sioux Falls.  This book contains: a history of Kranzburg and the parish; church tidbits, organizations, town development, school information including faculty from 1908-1979; its founders, and members as of 1979; pictures and notes about all the bishops from Sioux Falls until 1979.  It also contains the first members of the congregation, baptisms from 1879 to 1881, deaths from 1880 to 1884, marriages from 1880-1883. 

§  queries page


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VITAL RECORDS

§  Information about Vital Records

 

Addresses for Codington County, SD Research



The County Seat for Codington County is Watertown, SD

Register of Deeds

14 lst Ave. SE

Watertown, SD   57201

Phone:  (605) 882-6278

 27 1st Avenue SE
   Watertown, SD  57201
   Phone: (605) 886-7335 
located at Maple and First Avenue SE in Watertown, SD 
The museum is open May thru August, Monday thru Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 1-5 p.m., and Closed Sunday;  September thru April, the hours are Monday thru Friday 1-5 p.m., closed Saturday and Sunday. Closed Holidays. 

 

CEMETERIES in Codington County (by township)

Note:  The Watertown Regional Library has many cemeteries files available online, including abandoned and individual grave sites.

Dexter Township

Ø Dexter Church & Cemetery (Sec. 10, T120N, R54W; est. ca. 1910; was United Brethren Church, became United Methodist Church; building destroyed in 1944)

Ø Helgen Cemetery (Sec. 14, T120N, R54W; est. ca. 1880 as Garfield Norwegian Evangelical Luthern Church; renamed 1884 to Helgen Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church; church removed in 1964 to Florence as New Helgen Church)

§  Helgen Cemetery gravestones online at the Watertown Regional Library

Ø Bergen Church & Cemetery (Sec. 29, T120N, R52W, est. 1907)

§  Bergen Cemetery gravestones online at the Watertown Regional Library

Ø Gautsch Child Burial, located in the NE ¼ of section 33, Texter Township.  See abandoned and individual grave sites (Watertown Regional Library site)

Eden Township

Ø St. Pauli Lutheran Church & Cemetery (Sec. 11, T119N, R55W)

§  St. Pauli Cemetery gravestones online at the Watertown Regional Library

 

Ø Goodhue Lutheran Church & Cemetery (Sec. 5, T119N, R55W)

§  Goodhue Cemetery gravestones online at the Watertown Regional Library

Elmira Township

Elmira Township includes a large portion of the city of Watertown, SD.

Ø Mt. Hope Cemetery (Sec. 29, T117N, R52W)

·         Mount Hope Cemetery gravestones online at findagrave.com

Ø St. Mary's Cemetery: located by the eastern edge of the City of Watertown, SD (Latitude:  445327N,  Longitude:  0970501W)

·        St. Mary’s Cemetery Gravestones online at findagrave.com

Fuller Township

Fuller Township includes the town of Florence, SD; the Esterly community was located in section 5, T199N, R53W.

Ø Catholic Cemetery (Sec. 5, T119N, R53W; Catholic church removed to Florence)

Ø Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (Catholic church removed to Florence from Esterly)

Ø Phipps (Abandoned) Cemetery, located on the William Eck Farm (Alden Phipps Homestead), Fuller Township, section 30, NW corner.  See abandoned and individual grave sites (Watertown Regional Library site)

Germantown Township

Ø St. Luke's Lutheran Church & Cemetery (Sec. 26, T119N, R52W; est. 1888, later joined South Shore)

Ø Klix Cemetery (Private) (Sec. 10, T119N, R52W) - See abandoned and individual grave sites (Watertown Regional Library site)

Graceland Township

Ø Graceland Cemetery (Sec. 7, T117N, R55W; United Brethren Church, est. 1892 is no longer in use; cemetery remains)

The dedicated guardian of the cemetery and its history is Harold Hansen.

·        Online Gravestones in Graceland Cemetery at findagrave.com

·        Online table of burials in Graceland Cemetery, compiled by the Watertown Regional Genealogical Society

Henry Township

The town of Henry is located in Henry Township.

Ø St. Henry's Catholic Church & Cemetery (T116N, R55W; in Henry, SD)

Ø Lorinda Cemetery: located at Henry, SD;  Latitude:  445331N,  Longitude: 0972706W

o   Lorinda Cemetery Gravestones at findagrave.com

Kampeska Township

Ø Kampeska Cemetery - located by Kampeska, SD in T116N, R54W  (Latitude:  445213N,  Longitude:  0971640W)

Kranzburg Township

Ø Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery - located by Kranzburg, SD (Latitude:  445341N,  Longitude:  0965506W )

o   Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery Gravestones online at findagrave.com

Ø Schneider’s Grove (abandoned) Burial site, located in the SE ¼ of section 28, north Kranzburg Township.  See abandoned and individual grave sites (Watertown Regional Library site)

Ø Spooner Children Graves, located in the NE corner of the NW ¼, section 2, south Kranzburg Township (on private property).  See abandoned and individual grave sites (Watertown Regional Library site)

Lake Township

 

Leola Township

 

Pelican Township

 

Phipps Township

Ø Lake Nicholson Cemetery, located in the SW corner of the SW ¼, section 12, Township 118, Range 55.

o   Burials online, by the Watertown Regional Genealogical Society, 2006

 

Rauville Township

Ø St. John's Lutheran Church &Cemetery: located in section 9, T 119N, R 51W.

o   Burials online, by the Watertown Regional Genealogical Society, 2006

 

 

Richland Township

 

Sheridan Township

 

Waverly Township

Ø St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery - located by Waverly, SD (Latitude:  445947N,  Longitude:  0965811W)

o   St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery Burials online, by the Watertown Regional Genealogical Society, 2006

Ø Gray Methodist Episcopal burials online, by the Watertown Regional Genealogical Society, 2006

 

CENSUS

 

Note:  The censuses which are on Internet Archive may be viewed online or the .pdf file may be downloaded.

 

The 1940 U. S. Census is to be released 2 April 2012 and available online at http://1940census.archives.gov/

To prepare:  Gather the information about the city/county/state locations and enumeration districts (E.D.) where your ancestors resided. 

The National Archives has 1940 census maps available online, so that you may look for the enumberation district (E.D.) where your family member resided.  Go to the web page at http://www.archives.gov/research/search/  , then search by entering the words “1940 Census maps” and the name of the county and state – for example 1940 Census maps Codington South Dakota or 1940 Census maps Chippewa Minnesota, etc.

 

1885 Dakota Territory Census Index, online by the NDSU Institute for Regional Studies.

 

1900 Census - 12th census of population : South Dakota (Volume Reel 1548 [microform] - 1900 South Dakota Federal Population Census Schedules - Clark, Clay (e.d. 93 to 99), Codington (E.D. 100 to 107; online viewing pages begin on page n369), Custer, Davison, and Day (part: EDs 115-120 and ED 121, sheets 1-9) Counties) - United States. Bureau of the Census – online at Internet Archive

 

1910 Census – 13rd census: population : South Dakota (Volume Reel 1477 [microform] - 1910 South Dakota Federal Population Census Schedules - Brown, Buffalo, Butte, and Codington (E.D.s 119 to 130 ; online viewing pages begin on page n871) Counties.) - United States. Bureau of the Census – online at Internet Archive

 

1920 Census - 14th census of population, 1920. (Volume Reel 1718 [microform] - 1920 South Dakota Population Schedules - Codington Co. (E.D.s 86-102), McPherson Co. (EDs 214-223), Day Co. (EDs 103-119), and Hand Co. (EDs 170-181).) - United States. Bureau of the Census

Microfilm copy of original data as collected by Census Bureau – online at Internet Archive

 

1930 Census - 15th census, population, 1930, South Dakota (Volume Reel 2221 [microform] -  1930 South Dakota Federal Population Census Schedules - Codington (EDs 15-1 to 15-26), Custer EDs (17-1 to 17-60), Davison (EDs 18-1 to 18-7, 18-19, 18-8 to 18-18) - United States. Bureau of the Census – online at Internet Archive

 

Phipps Township residents in the 1930 Census

 

FamilySearch.org  – includes South Dakota State Census for 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935 and 1945– or choose to browse the collection for United States, then scroll down the alphabetical list to the sources for South Dakota.

 

NEWSPAPERS / OBITUARIES

Current Codington County Newspapers include:

Older Newspapers may be available on microfilm at the State Archives in Pierre, SD

900 Governors Drive
  Pierre, SD 57501-2217
  Phone (605) 773-3804
   e-mail archref@chc.state.sd.us
The
South Dakota State Archives:

·         State Archives Newspaper Search

·         Naturalization Records

·         Online Exhibits

·         Codington County Resources

Older Newspapers may be available on microfilm at the State Archives in Pierre, SD

·         More South Dakota Newspapers (Current) 

See South Dakota State Resources

 

HISTORY RESOURCES

 

  • History of South Dakota (Volume 1 and Volume 2), by Doane Robinson, Logansport : B. F. Bowen, 1904.

 

LAND RESOURCES

900 Governors Drive
  Pierre, SD 57501-2217
  Phone (605) 773-3804
   e-mail archref@chc.state.sd.us

MacKay Building
800 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD  57501-2294

 

 


South Dakota State Resources

 

·        FamilySearch.org  – includes South Dakota State Census for 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935 and 1945– or choose to browse the collection for United States, then scroll down the alphabetical list to the sources for South Dakota.

 

900 Governors Drive
  Pierre, SD 57501-2217
  Phone (605) 773-3804
   e-mail archref@chc.state.sd.us
The
South Dakota State Archives:

·         State Archives Newspaper Search

·         Cemetery Records Search (does not appear to include many from Codington County)

·         Naturalization Records

·         Online Exhibits

·         Codington County Resources

Older Newspapers may be available on microfilm at the State Archives in Pierre, SD

·         More South Dakota Newspapers (Current) 

MacKay Building
800 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD  57501-2294

·           Return to MENU

 

 

More Genealogy Links for Codington County Research 


Official State of South Dakota's Home Page
South Dakota Time Line
Homesteading in SD

South Dakota Treasure Chest for 4th Grade History (fur trade, railroads, homesteading, and more)
NARA - National Archives and Record Administration Genealogy Page
South Dakota State Historical Society and Library Archives

State Archives Newspaper Search

Cemetery Records Search

Naturalization Records

Online Exhibits

Codington County Resources

Older Newspapers may be available on microfilm at the State Archives in Pierre, SD

South Dakota State Library

    FamilySearch - LDS

Social Security Death Index Interactive Search

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 Map of Codington County about 1889


  • The map above is from Glimpse of a Marvelous City, Watertown in 1889.    L. D. Lyon (Compiler).  Watertown:  City Council.  1889. 

More MAPS & DIRECTORIES 


  • Use the query form, at USGS, to map features including cemeteries, churches, populated places, and more.  Please note that the map town listed with a feature may be used as a map reference for the site, and may not be the town where the feature is actually located...Select a map to see the location of the actual feature.  This database may not be complete, and, as with any database, there may be errors.


 

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Townships & Towns in Codington County, SD

COMMUNITIES in Codington County include: 


Dexter (historical), Esterly (historical), Florence, Foley, Grover, Henry, Kampeska, Kranzburg, Rauville, South Shore, Wallace, Watertown, and Waverly.

The county seat is Watertown.

  TOWNSHIP  -  Additional information  -  Some Early Settlers -  Towns, City & Villages


  DEXTER TOWNSHIP - Townships 119-120N; Ranges 52-53W
organized 1889
           (There was a town of Dexter located in Section 9.) 

Cemeteries include:

Ø Dexter Church & Cemetery (Sec. 10, T120N, R54W; est. ca. 1910; was United Brethren Church, became United Methodist Church; building destroyed in 1944)

Ø Helgen Cemetery (Sec. 14, T120N, R54W; est. ca. 1880 as Garfield Norwegian Evangelical Luthern Church; renamed 1884 to Helgen Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church; church removed in 1964 to Florence as New Helgen Church)

Ø Bergen Church & Cemetery (Sec. 29, T120N, R52W, est. 1907)



  EDEN TOWNSHIP - Township119N, Range 55W

Cemeteries include:

Ø St. Pauli Lutheran Church & Cemetery (Sec. 11, T119N, R55W)

Ø Goodhue Lutheran Church & Cemetery (Sec. 5, T119N, R55W)


  ELMIRA TOWNSHIP - Township 117N, Range 52W
contains the original portion of  the City of Watertown

      Cemeteries include:

Ø Mount Hope Cemetery: located on the northeastern edge of the City of Watertown, SD;  Latitude:  445459N,  Longitude:  0970555W

·        online Mount Hope Cemetery gravestones at findagrave.com

Ø St. Mary's Cemetery: located by the eastern edge of the City of Watertown, SD (Latitude:  445327N,  Longitude:  0970501W)

o   St. Mary’s Cemetery Gravestones online at findagrave.com


  FULLER TOWNSHIP - Townships 118-119N, Ranges 53-54W
contains the town of  Florence.  The settlement of Esterly was also located within Fuller Township.


  GERMANTOWN TOWNSHIP, - Townships 119-120N, Ranges 51-52W

       Cemeteries include:

Ø St. Luke's Lutheran Cemetery, Township 119N Range 52W. About  7 miles west of South Shore.  This cemetery is in section 26. The church no longer exists, but the cemetery remains.

Ø Klix Cemetery (private)
 


  GRACELAND TOWNSHIP - Township117N, Range 55W

       Cemeteries include:

Ø Graceland Cemetery:  located in the northeastern quarter of section 7, north of Henry, SD.

Graceland Cemetery (Sec. 7, T117N, R55W; United Brethren Church, est. 1892 is no longer in use; cemetery remains)

Online Gravestones in Graceland Cemetery at findagrave.com


   HENRY TOWNSHIP - Township116N, Range 55W
contains the town of Henry. 

       Cemeteries include:

Ø Lorinda Cemetery: located at Henry, SD;  Latitude:  445331N,  Longitude: 0972706W

o   Lorinda Cemetery Gravestones at findagrave.com

Ø St. Henry's Catholic Church & Cemetery (T116N, R55W; in Henry, SD)


   KAMPESKA TOWNSHIP - Township116N, Range 54W 
contains the towns of Grover and Kampeska.

       Cemeteries include: 

Ø Kampeska Cemetery - located by Kampeska, SD in T116N, R54W  (Latitude:  445213N,  Longitude:  0971640W)


   KRANZBURG TOWNSHIP - Township117N, Range 51W
contains the town of Kranzburg.

Cemeteries include: 

Ø Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery - located by Kranzburg, SD (Latitude:  445341N,  Longitude:  0965506W)

o   Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery Gravestones online at findagrave.com

o   Holy Rosary Parish, Kranzburg, South Dakota  1879-1979:  Lookups in this book were generously offered by Lori Krei.


   LAKE TOWNSHIP - Township117N, Range 53W
contains a portion of the town of Watertown which also extends into the townships of
Sheridan, Elmira, and Pelican.


   LEOLA TOWNSHIP - Township119N, Range 51W
contains the town of South Shore.


   PELICAN TOWNSHIP - Township116N, Range 53W
contains portion of Watertown, which also extends into the townships of
Lake, Elmira, and Sheridan.


   PHIPPS TOWNSHIP - Township118N, Range 55W


   RAUVILLE TOWNSHIP - Townships 118-119N, Ranges 52-53W
contains the town of Rauville.

       Cemeteries include:

Ø St. John's Lutheran Church and Cemetery: located in section 9, T 119N, R 51W.


   RICHLAND TOWNSHIP - Township117N, Range 54W


   SHERIDAN TOWNSHIP - Township116N, Range 52W
contains a portion of Watertown.


   WAVERLY TOWNSHIP - Townships 117-118N, Range 51W
contains the town of Waverly.

       Cemeteries include:

Ø St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery - located by Waverly, SD   (Latitude:  445947N,  Longitude:  0965811W)

 
 
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Native American Genealogy Resources



Codington County Published Resources: 

The First 100 Years in Codington County, 1879-1979.  Codington County History Book Committee.  Barbara Miller (Editor), Shirley Haines and Mary Tesch (Associate Editors).  Watertown Public Opinion Print.  1979. 
The Index to The First 100 Years in Codington County, 1879-1979, by Kevin Wells, is no longer available online.  Thank you Kevin for allowing its use for so long, and best wishes!



Holy Rosary Parish, Kranzburg, South Dakota,  1879-1979.  (A history of the Catholic Church Parish).
   Lookups in this book are generously offered by Lori Krei



Glimpse of a Marvelous City, Watertown in 1889.  L. D. Lyon (Compiler).  Watertown:  City Council, ca. 1889.



75th Anniversary Souvenir Program; a Book Containing Pictures and Short Historical Sketches of the Early Days of Watertown, South Dakota.   Watertown SD : Historical Booklet Committee, 1954.



Centennial Jubilee of the City of Watertown; Centennial Edition.  Watertown Public Opinion.  (Author).  Watertown, S.D. : [s.n.], 1979.



The Early and Territorial History of Codington County. Wright Tarbell.  (Author).  Pierre, S.D. : South Dakota State Historical Society, 1949.



Glimpses of Our Town, 1882-1982.  Henry History Book Committee.  (Author).  [S.l. : s.n.], 1982.



Grandma's Watertown Story : the First Quarter of Watertown's Century.  Florence Bruhn.  (Author).  [Watertown, S.D.] : Watertown Public Opinion, 1979.



Heritage Sampler : a Sampling of Stories and Essays about People and Places in the History of Codington County.  Vel Stokke.  (Author).  Watertown, SD : Watertown Public Opinion, ca. 1975.



History of Our County and State : [Codington County].  Donald Dean Parker.  (Author).  [Brookings, S.D.] : South Dakota State College, [1960].



A History of Watertown, South Dakota, 1878-1900.  Gary L. Spawn.  (Author).  Vermillion : University of South Dakota, 1970 (Thesis, University of S.D.).



Historical Articles from Codington County.  Codington County Home Extension Clubs.  (Author).  [Watertown, S.D. : [s.n.] 1972].



Historical Material Related to the Settling of Codington County and Watertown.  Wright Tarbell, comp.  (Author).  [S.l.] : [s.n.] n.d.



Pictorial History of Codington County, South Dakota.  Joanita Kant, Virginia Allen, and Stanley W. Allen, Jr., eds.  (Authors).  Codington County Historical Preservation Commission, Dallas, Tex. : Taylor Publishing Company, 1987.



South Shore, South Dakota. Diamond Jubilee. 1903 - 1978, June 16, 17, 18.   [S.l. : s.n., 1978?].



Souvenir and History... South Shore, South Dakota, Golden Jubilee 1953.  [S.l. : s.n., 1953].



Wallace, 75th Jubilee, June 27 & 28, 1981. Wallace, South Dakota. 1906-1981.  Wallace SD : Wallace Jubilee Committee, 1981.

 

·         Name Index to “The Early and Territorial History of Codington County,” by Wright Tarbell.  (This document appears in SD Historical Collections, Vol. XXIV, (pp. 276-469).

 


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·         Codington County Queries

·         Codington County Published Resources

·         Addresses to use for Codington County Research

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About the South Dakota GenWeb Project

In June, 1996, a group of genealogists organized the SDGENWEB (The South Dakota Genealogical Website Project). The idea was to provide a single entry point for all counties in South Dakota, where collected databases would be stored. In addition, these 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.  At the same time, volunteers were found who were willing to coordinate the collection of databases and generally oversee the contents of the web sites. The person responsible for this county is Ann Mensch (mensch-family@frontier.com). Contact her if you have any data to add to the Codington County archives.

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0Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000-2012 by Ann Mensch.  All Rights Reserved.


This page was last modified on Monday, 31 Mar 2012.