faces3.jpg

 

CODINGTON COUNTY

Genealogy & History MENU

 

Townships & Towns

Census 

Cemeteries

History

Land Records

Maps

1889 County Map

Naturalization

Native American Links

Newspapers/Obituaries

Published Resources

Queries

Vital Records 

 

Volunteer Lookups

Addresses for Codington County Research  
Penny Postcards
Codington Co. Archives

SDGenWeb Archives
South Dakota statewide GenWeb Archives

SD State Historical Society Genealogy Links  

More Maps & Directories

Welcome to

Codington County, South Dakota




This website NEEDS a new volunteer to maintain it. IF interested please contact Linda Ziemann.
lin.ziemann48@gmail.com 

 homested 1.jpg 

USGenWebA1TM.jpg

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

 

 

CODINGTON COUNTY GENEALOGY RESOURCES

 [  Townships & Towns ]  [ 1889 Codington County Map ] 

 [ CENSUS ] 

 [ VITAL RECORDS ]  [ Cemeteries ]  [ NEWSPAPERS/OBITUARIES ]

[ HISTORY ]  [LAND RECORDS ]  [ MAPS ]

 [ VOLUNTEER LOOKUPS ] [QUERIES]

[  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 ]

faces3.jpg      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



Return to MENU

 

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

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

o   Dexter Cemetery on Find a Grave

o   West Dexter Township: Dexter Cemetery gravestones online at the Watertown Regional Library

 

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

o   Helgen Cemetery gravestones online at the Watertown Regional Library

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

o   Bergen Cemetery gravestones online at the Watertown Regional Library

§  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

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

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

 

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

o   Goodhue Cemetery gravestones online at the Watertown Regional Library

Elmira Township

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

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

o   Mount Hope Cemetery gravestones online at findagrave.com

§  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

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

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

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

§  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

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

§  Klix Cemetery (Private) (Sec. 10, T119N, R52W) -

o   See abandoned and individual grave sites (Watertown Regional Library site)

Graceland Township

§  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.

o   Online Gravestones in Graceland Cemetery at findagrave.com

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

o   Lorinda Cemetery

Henry Township

The town of Henry is located in Henry Township.

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

§  Lorinda Cemetery: located near 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

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

o   Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery Gravestones online at findagrave.com

§  Schneider’s Grove (abandoned) Burial site, located in the SE ¼ of section 28, north Kranzburg Township. 

o   See abandoned and individual grave sites (Watertown Regional Library site)

§  Spooner Children Graves, located in the NE corner of the NW ¼, section 2, south Kranzburg Township (on private property). 

o   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

1.     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 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 enumeration 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.

·        familysearch.org - 1880 Census Index - Excellent resource!!!

 

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

1905 South Dakota State Census Index, online by the South Dakota

·         familysearch.org – 1900 Census

·         Obtaining EDs for the 1930 Census in One Step (Large Cities), by Stephen P. Morse, PhD, Joel D. Weintraub, PhD and David R. Kehs, PhD

 

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

 

·         familysearch.org – 1910 Census

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

 

·         familysearch.org – 1920 Census

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

 

·         familysearch.org – 1930 Census

 

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 – 1940 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.

 

·         NARA: National Archives and Records Administration

o    The Genealogy Page.

o    About Census Records

o    Clues in Census Records, 1790-1840

o    Clues in Census Records, 1850-1930

o    Indian Census Rolls

o    Nonpopulation Census Records

o    Prologue, Spring 1996, Vol. 28, No. 1, "First in the Path of the Firemen" The Fate of the 1890 Population Census,” by Kellee Blake.

 

NATURALIZATION RECORDS

 

·        South Dakota Naturalization Records Index: First Papers (SD State Historical Society)

NEWSPAPERS / OBITUARIES

Current Codington County Newspapers include:

  • The Watertown Public Opinion     120 3rd Avenue NW 
       Watertown, SD 57201-2311
       Phone: (605) 886-6901.
     
  • South Shore Gazette     South Shore, SD 57263
       Phone: (605) 756-4200.  

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 (which newspapers are available)

·         Naturalization Records

·         Online Exhibits

 

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

 

 

 

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

·         State Archives Newspaper Search (which newspapers were available)

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

·         Naturalization Records

·         American Indian

·         Online Exhibits

·         Codington County Resources



MacKay Building
800 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD  57501-2294

·         NARA: National Archives and Records Administration

o    The Genealogy Page.

o    About Census Records

o    Clues in Census Records, 1790-1840

o    Clues in Census Records, 1850-1930

o    Indian Census Rolls

o    Nonpopulation Census Records

o    Prologue, Spring 1996, Vol. 28, No. 1, "First in the Path of the Firemen" The Fate of the 1890 Population Census,” by Kellee Blake.

 

·           Return to MENU

 

 

More Genealogy Links for Codington County Research 

Official State of South Dakota's Home Page

Homesteading in SD

South Dakota Treasure Chest for 4th Grade History (fur trade, railroads, homesteading, and more)

Social Security Death Index Interactive Search

Return to MENU

 Map of Codington County about 1889

codmap.gif
  • 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.


 

Return to MENU

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

See also the CEMETERIES section for cemeteries within each township

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


  EDEN TOWNSHIP - Township119N, Range 55W

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

  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

       

  GRACELAND TOWNSHIP - Township117N, Range 55W

      

 

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

      

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

 

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

 

   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.

 

   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.

       
 Return to MENU

Native American Genealogy Resources

·         NARA: National Archives and Records Administration

o    Indian Census Rolls

 

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).

 


Return to MENU

 

 

 

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 site. 

Return to MENU

 

Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000-2022            All Rights Reserved.
**Thanks to former Codington County SDGenWeb Coordinator, Ann Mensch!
SDGenWeb 2023-2024   SDGenWeb State Coordinator -Linda Ziemann

This page was last modified 10/20/2024.