Title: Dakota Territory Microfilm
Dates: 1861-1889
Record Series: 30012
Quantity: 86 microfilm rolls (#-9670-09755)
Abstract: After statehood the Dakota Territory records were divided and North and South Dakota each received half of the records. Most of the records were microfilmed so both states would have them. The records are from the Supreme Court, Legislature, Governor, the Secretary (now Secretary of State), Agriculture, Public Examiner, Public Instruction, Public Health, Schools and Colleges, Hospital for the Insane, Penitentiary, Counties, Military, Federal Relations, Exhibitions and Fairs, Insurance, and Murder Trials.
Property Rights: The State Historical Society of North Dakota owns the property rights to this collection.
Copyrights: Public Records are not subject to copyright restrictions, although record series may contain copyrighted material. Consideration of such copyrights is the responsibility of the researcher.
Access: The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
Microfilm Roll Inventory
Roll number/title/date
Judiciary
The Court minute book and docket journal cover the day to day actions of the court through 1885. A summary of Court decisions was published in Dakota Reports. This microfilm includes cases that were appealed but not heard by the Court or were not published in Dakota Reports. Cases are arranged by the date of the opinion, not by the date the case was filed or argued.
09670 Supreme Court Cases 12/1877 - 05/1884 and Index listing cases by term
09671 Supreme Court Cases 05/1884 - 05/1885
09672 Supreme Court Cases 05/1885 - 10/1886
09673 Supreme Court Cases 10/1886 - 05/1887
09674 Supreme Court Cases 05/1887 - 05/1888
09675 Supreme Court Cases 05/1888 - 05/1889
09676 Supreme Court Cases 05/1889 - 10/1889
09677 Supreme Court, Minute Book, Court Docket Journal 1862 - 1885
Legislature
The bills and proceedings of the legislature were published in the House and Council Journals, but no proceedings were published from 1874-1883. The 1861, 1862 and 1869-1872 sessions no longer exist
09678 Index to Council and House Bills 1863-1864; Secretary, House and Council Bills and Resolutions 1863 - 1875
09679 Secretary, House and Council Bills and Resolutions 1875 - 1881
09680 Secretary, House and Council Bills and Resolutions 1881 - 1883
09681 Secretary, House and Council Bills and Resolutions 1885 - 1887
09682 Secretary, House and Council Bills and Resolutions 1887 - 1889
09683 Secretary, House Bills 1889; Miscellaneous Legislative
09684 Secretary, Miscellaneous Legislative undated material
Office of the Governor
The roll contents contain two categories: 1) major subject file, letters incoming or outgoing with notes not intended to be exhaustive but only representative of the correspondence; 2) minor subject files including proclamations, memorials, appointments and resignations, applications and recommendations for appointing positions, extradition requests, applications and petitions for pardons, and official oaths and bonds.
09685 Governors William Jayne, Newton Edmunds, Andrew Faulk, John Burbank Papers 1861 - 1875
09686 Governors John Pennington, William Howard Papers 1878 - 1878
09687 Governor William Howard Papers 1878 - 1880
09688 Governor Nehemiah G. Ordway Papers 1880 - 1884
09689 Governor Nehemiah G. Ordway Papers 1880 - 1884
09690 Governor Nehemiah G. Ordway Papers 1880 - 1887
09691 Governor Nehemiah G. Ordway Papers 1880 - 1884
09692 Governor Nehemiah G. Ordway Papers 1880 - 1884
09693 Governor Nehemiah G. Ordway Papers 1880 - 1884
09694 Governors Nehemiah G. Ordway, Gilbert A. Pierce Papers 1884 - 1884
09695 Governor Gilbert A. Pierce Papers 1884 - 1887
09696 Governor Gilbert A. Pierce Papers 1884 - 1887
09697 Governor Gilbert A. Pierce Papers 1884 - 1887
09698 Governor Gilbert A. Pierce Papers 1884 - 1887
09699 Governor Gilbert A. Pierce Papers 1884 - 1887
09700 Governor Gilbert A. Pierce Papers 1884 - 1887
09701 Governor Gilbert A. Pierce Papers 1884 - 1887
09702 Governors Gilbert A. Pierce, Louis K. Church Papers 1887 - 1887
09703 Governor Louis K. Church Papers 1887 - 1889
09704 Governor Louis K. Church Papers 1887 - 1889
09705 Governor Louis K. Church Papers 1887 - 1889
09706 Governor Louis K. Church Papers 1887 - 1889
09707 Governor Louis K. Church Papers 1887 - 1889
09708 Governors Louis K. Church, Arthur C. Mellette Papers 1889 - 1889
09709 Governor Arthur C. Mellette Papers 1889 - 1889
09710 Governor Arthur C. Mellette Papers 1889 - 1889
Rolls 09711-09713 are from the Andrew J. Faulk Papers in the collections of Yale University Library and contain information beyond the scope of Dakota Territory.
09711 Governor Andrew J. Faulk Papers 1866 - 1869
09712 Governor Andrew J. Faulk Papers 1866 - 1869
09713 Governor Andrew J. Faulk Papers 1866 - 1869
Correspondence of the Secretary
The Secretary provided commissions, seals, and information to notaries public. He also received copies of articles of incorporation and provided information on the process of incorporation in the territory. The secretary responded to requests for copies of laws and information on existing law, and provided information on territorial officers, election returns, insurance policies, and statistical data.
09714 Secretary Correspondence-Incoming 01/1875 - 04/15/1885
09715 Secretary Correspondence-Incoming 04/16/1885 - 05/01/1886
09716 Secretary Correspondence-Incoming 05/03/1886 - 12/15/1886
09717 Secretary Correspondence-Incoming 12/18/1886 - 07/06/1889; and incoming letter press book 1861-1871
09718 Secretary, Correspondence-Incoming and Outgoing 1865 - 1889
09719 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 04/21/1883 - 02/07/1887
09720 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 02/07/1887 - 04/12/1887
09721 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 04/13/1887 - 07/01/1887
09722 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 07/01/1887 - 11/04/1887
09723 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 11/04/1887 - 03/13/1888
09724 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 03/13/1888 - 07/30/1888
09725 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 07/30/1888 - 02/11/1889
09726 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 02/11/1889 - 05/20/1889
09727 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 05/20/1889 - 09/30/1889
09728 Secretary, Correspondence-Outgoing 09/30/1889 - 11/05/1889; Secretary, Domestic Incorporation Records 03/14/1872 - 05/12/1882
09729 Secretary, Domestic Incorporation Records 05/12/1882 - 05/27/1885
09730 Secretary, Domestic Incorporation Records 05/27/1885 - 03/16/1888
09731 Secretary, Foreign & Domestic Incorporation Records 02/02/1875 - 05/02/1877; 03/16/1888 - 09/30/1889
09732 Secretary, Foreign Incorporation Records 05/02/1877 - 10/20/1880
09733 Secretary, Foreign Incorporation Records 10/20/1880 - 08/15/1883
09734 Secretary, Foreign Incorporation Records 08/15/1883 - 04/25/1885
09735 Secretary, Foreign Incorporation Records 04/25/1885 - 06/14/1887
09736 Secretary, Foreign Incorporation Records 06/14/1887 - 11/04/1889; Election and County Records 1877-1887. Includes general and special elections for issues such as organization and division of counties, issuance of bonds, delegates to Constitutional Convention, and the Nov. 1887 election on the division of the Territory
09737 Secretary, Incorporation Papers Correspondence 01/25/1870-11/25/1887
Articles of Incorporation for Municipalities 1881-1887.
Election Returns 1861-1876
09738 Secretary, Election Returns 11/08/1888
09739Secretary, Census 1885. Includes requests for payment by enumerators; correspondence from the two supervisors, Edwards of Bismarck and Fisk of Pierre to the Governor on organization of the census.
Capitol Location 1883-1887, Letters pertaining to Capitol location, statements, bills, and receipts of public building construction in Bismarck; telegrams from constituents concerning a capitol change; specifications for the Capitol building.
Territorial Auditor correspondence 1871-1877; reports 1873-1878 concerning insurance; appropriation ledger with index 1881-1889; bond register through 1887.
09740 Auditor, Correspondence between Territorial Attorney General and Washington officials 1862-1869; authorization of payment to state officials transacting attorney general’s business; Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor, stock brand certificates/certificate of cattle brands 1886-1889.
Territorial Boards: Annual reports of the valuation of Dakota Southern Railroad co. 1873-1879 and other railroads operating in Dakota Territory 1887; Bond notices of elevator companies.
Public Examiner Reports 1887; correspondence with Gov. Church; investigation of Dakota Hospital for the Insane at Yankton.
09741 Public Examiner Reports 1887-1889 continues investigation at Yankton and the Governor’s response.
Misc. correspondence 1881-1889 of Governors to Secretary of State and other federal officials; local officials to territorial officials; letter from President Arthur establishing boundary lines in Dakota Territory; correspondence received by the Governors; Adjutant General 1888.
09742 Notary Public Records 1881-1889. Correspondence regarding the appointment of notaries public; letterbook of notaries public; list of those appointed, data of appointment, residence and expiration of appointment.
Department of Public Instruction Records 1879-1888. Correspondence with the Governors and biennial reports.
Veterinary Surgeon Records 1886-1889. Reports and correspondence from Superintendent of public health; correspondence dealing with veterinary problems; reports and correspondence of the territorial veterinary surgeon; petitions for compensation of animals destroyed.
Governor, Correspondence Concerning Schools and Colleges 1869-1889. Correspondence received regarding the care of the blind, deaf, dumb, and insane.
09744 Governor, Correspondence Concerning Schools and Colleges 1869-1889. Bylaws of the regents of the University of North Dakota; correspondence to the Governor
Governor. Correspondence Concerning Hospital for the Insane 1875-1889. Correspondence received regarding establishment of the hospital for the insane; building plans for additions to the Hospital for the Insane at Yankton; transcript of testimony of investigation of the North Dakota Hospital of the Insane in Jamestown 1888.
Governor, Records of the Penitentiary 1870-1889. Correspondence received regarding placement of offenders in out of state penitentiaries 1882-19889; correspondence received regarding Dakota Territorial Penitentiary at Sioux Falls.
09745 Governor, Records of the Penitentiary 1883. First annual report of the Dakota Penitentiary at Sioux Falls.
County Government 1870-1880. Correspondence regarding formation of new counties and appointment of commissioners; certifications of county elections; correspondence of county clerks and registers of deeds, usually to the territorial auditor 1875-1883; bonds for deeds for the Elk Valley Farming Company 1882; correspondence received regarding formation of townships, establishment of boundaries 1869-1888; abstract of assessment rolls; individual county reports on values of lands, townlots, and personal property.
Military Records 1861 - 01/22/1866. Correspondence received and sent regarding the military in Dakota Territory; topics of the correspondence include command assignments, requisitions for arms, requests for troops; formation of militia units, trouble with Indians, expeditions to the Black Hills, location of roads.
09747 Military Records 01/22/1866-07/15/1885.
09748 Military Records 07/15/1885-04/27/1887.
09749 Military Records 04/27/1887-1889.
Post Offices. General correspondence concerning individual post offices and mail service, appointments of postmasters, to 07/27/1874.
09750 Federal-Territorial Relations 06/15/186-09/10/1888. Correspondence concerning the administration of territorial government; instructions from the Secretaries of State and Interior; answers to requests for advice; 09/29/1861-06/30/1888, correspondence concerning territorial finances, deposits in territorial accounts, proper disbursement of funds.
9751 Aliens and Consuls 07/29/1869-09/12/1888. Correspondence concerning aliens in the U.S.; appointments of foreign consuls.
Exhibitions and Fairs 03/29/1871-07/12/1887. Correspondence concerning various state and national exhibitions, fairs, including the U.S. Centennial celebration.
Contested Elections 1880-1888. Documents pertinent to the election contests between Wallace and Smith, Bechted and Stong, Wilson and Lamar, Winship and Walsh.
9752 Railroads 07/11/1879-08/14/1889. Primarily resolutions from various railways accepted the provisions of an act entitled “an act providing for the levy and collection of taxes upon property of railroad companies in this Territory,” passed 03/07/1889.
9753 Insurance 05/25/1887-06/26/1887. Insurance policies on territorial buildings and approval of them signed by the governor.
Affidavits of Publication 04/27/1889-10/08/1889. Clippings of the newspaper publication of bank and building and loan financial statements as required by law.
Murder Trials 1876-1877. Documents relating to several district court murder trials.
9754 Oversized Documents. Election returns, census, capitol, territorial auditor, miscellany, schools and colleges, hospital for the insane.
9755 Oversized Documents. Hospital for the Insane and Penitentiary, counties, townships, abstract of assessment roll, military, treasury department.
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