This file is as complete and accurate as possible, however if you should find errors, have additions or deletions, send them to me and I will update the file. Bill Green bgreen@milo.nodak.edu bill90@Delphi.Com Date of last update: 4 November 1993 ************************************************************************* GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF NEBRASKA 28 July 1990 (C) Copyright 1990 Robert McLaren 7810 Kincardine Ct. Alexandria, VA 22310-4025 The following file contains a listing of genealogical and historical societies in Nebraska. Included in the listing, where known, are telephone numbers and yearly dues. This listing is donated to the public domain and may be freely copied. Under no conditions can this listing be sold or used in any other commercial fashion. If you think this list has any value, then donate that value in helping your local genealogical society (or the National Genealogical Society). If you write to any of the societies on this list for information, remember to include a self addressed stamped envelop (SASE). Many of these societies work with a limited budget, supplemented by volunteers, and can not afford to respond unless a SASE is included in your letter. Nebraska State Genealogical Society P.O. Box 5608 Lincoln, NE 68505 Dues: Nebraska State Historical Society 1500 R Street P.O. Box 82544 Lincoln, NE 68501 Dues: Eastern Nebraska Genealogical Society P.O. Box 541 Fremont, NE 68025 Dues: North Central Nebraska Genealogical Society Box 362 O'Neill, NE 68763 Dues: Northwest Genealogical Society P.O. Box 6 Alliance, NE 69301-0006 Dues: Southeast Nebraska Genealogical Society P.O. Box 562 Beatrice, NE 68301 Dues: South Central Genealogical Society c/o Mrs. Haldine Johnson Rt. 2, Box 57 Minden, NE 68959 Dues: The Southwest Nebraska Genealogical Society P.O. Box 116 McCook, NE 69001 Dues: Adams County Adams County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 424 Hastings, NE 68901 Dues: Antelope County Northern Antelope County Genealogical Society Box 267 Orchard, NE 68764 Dues: Buffalo County Fort Kearny Genealogical Society Box 22 Kearney, NE 68847 Dues: Ravenna Genealogical Society c/o Mrs. Robert Johnsten 105 Alba Street Ravenna, NE 68869 Dues: Burt County Northeastern Nebraska Genealogical Society P.O. Box 249 Lyons, NE 68038 Dues: Cass County Cass County Historical Society 646 Main Street Plattsmouth, NE 68048 Dues: Greater Omaha Genealogical Society P.O. Box 4011 Omaha, NE 68104 Dues: $15.00 per year (single); $20.00 per year (family) Greenwood Historical Society Greenwood, NE Dues: Chase County Chase County Genealogical Society c/o Mrs. Gordon Luhrs Enders, NE 69027 Dues: Cherry County Cherry County Genealogical Society Box 380 Valentine, NE 69201 Dues: Cheyenne County Cheyenne County Genealogical Society Box 802 Sidney, NE 69162 Dues: Dakota County Dakota County Historical Society c/o Paul Culbertson R.R. #1 Dakota City, NE 68731 Dues: Dawson County Dawson County Genealogical Society c/o Mrs. Gus Anderson 514 East 8th Street Cozad, NE 69130 Dues: Lexington Genealogy Society Box 778 Lexington, NE 68850 Dues: $10.00 per year (local); $5.00 per year (outside the area) Dawson County Historical Society P.O. Box 369 Lexington, NE 68850 (308) 324-5340 Dues: Douglas County Greater Omaha Genealogical Society P.O. Box 4011 Omaha, NE 68104 Dues: $15.00 per year (single); $20.00 per year (family) Douglas County Historical Society Fort Omaha P.O. Box 11398 Omaha, NE 68111 Dues: $15.00 per year Fillmore County Fillmore Heritage Genealogical Society c/o Mrs. Merlin Hulse Rt. 2, Box 28 Exeter, NE 68351 Dues: Frontier County Frontier County Genealogical Society c/o Mrs. Larry Sinn Box 507 Curtis, NE 69025 Dues: Furnas County Furnas County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 166 Beaver City, NE 68926 Dues: Gage County Gage County Historical Society Box 793 Beatrice, NE 68310 Dues: Hall County Prairie Pioneer Genealogical Society, Inc. P.O. Box 1122 Grand Island, NE 68802 Dues: Holt County Holt County Historical Society Box 231 O'Neill, NE 68763 (402) 482-5427 Dues: Hooker County Hooker County Genealogical Society Box 280 Mullen, NE 69152 Dues: Keith County Sandhills Seekers c/o Mrs. Gene Casper 1110 Robin Lane Ogallala, NE 69153 Dues: Kimball County Plains Genealogical Society c/o Kimball Public Library 208 South Walnut Street Kimball, NE 69145 Dues: Lancaster County The Lincoln-Lancaster County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 30055 Lincoln, NE 68503-0055 Dues: Lincoln County North Platte Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1452 North Platte, NE 69103 Dues: $8.00 per year Madison County Madison County Genealogical Society Box 347 Norfolk, NE 68701 Dues: Nemaha County Brownville Historical Society Brownville, NE 68321 (402) 825-6001 Dues: Otoe County Otoe Historical Society Nebraska City, NE 68410 Dues: Perkins County Perkins County Genealogcical Society P.O. Box 336 Grant, NE 69140 Dues: Platte County Platte Valley Kin Seekers P.O. Box 153 Columbus, NE 68601 Dues: Richardson County Richardson County Historical Society 828 East 17th Falls City, NE 68355 Dues: Sarpy County Sarpy Historical Society Sarpy County Museum 2402 Clay Street Bellevue, NE 68005 (402) 292-1880 Dues: Greater Omaha Genealogical Society P.O. Box 4011 Omaha, NE 68104 Dues: $15.00 per year (single); $20.00 per year (family) Seward County Seward County Genealogical Society 19 South 2nd Street Seward, NE 68434 Dues: Thayer County Thayer County Genealogical Society Box 388 Belvidere, NE 68315 Dues: Thomas County Thomas County Genealogical Society c/o Mrs. Calvin Jones Box 136 Thedford, NE 68503 Dues: Valley County Valley County Genealogical Society 619 South 10th Ord, NE 68862 Dues: Washington County Washington County Genealogical Society c/o Blair Public Library Blair, NE 68008 Dues: York County Greater York Area Genealogical Society c/o Levitt Library York College York, NE 68467 Dues: ************************************************************************** VITAL RECORDS Local Records of Births and Deaths The earliest civil vital records were kept by a few city health departments. Omaha has death records dating from 1870 and birth records from 1873. Lincoln has birth and death files from 1889. A few Nebraska counties also began recording births and deaths before statewide registration. Contact the county clerk to obtain copies of the records. Copies of the incomplete county records before 1905 (except Douglas County) are also available at the Bureau of Vital Statistics (see below). For Douglas County records write to: Douglas County Health Department Room 402 1819 Farnam Street Omaha, NE 68183 State Records of Births and Deaths Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1905 and was generally complied with by 1920. Delayed registrations are also available from 1917 for births that occurred before that time. To obtain copies of the records, write to: Bureau of Vital Statistics State Department of Health 301 Centennial Mall South P.O. Box 95007 Lincoln, NE 68509 State your relationship to the individual and the reason you want the information. Requests for records of persons born or married within the last 50 years must be accompanied by authorization from the individual whose record you are requesting. Marriage Records Marriages have been recorded by individual counties since the date each county was organized. Marriage documents since 1867 often list the names of parents of the bride and groom. Copies can be obtained by writing to the office of the probate judge in the county. Some of the earliest marriage records are now in the custody of the Nebraska State Historical Society. Statewide registration of marriages began in 1909. Since that time, each county clerk has been required to submit a copy of all marriage records to the Bureau of Vital Statistics. You can write to the Bureau (address above) for information. The Bureau of Vital Statistics will release records of marriages within the last 50 years only to a member of the immediate family. Divorce Records Divorce proceedings since the 1850s have been kept by the clerk of the district court for each county. Divorce records since 1909 are also at the Bureau of Vital Statistics. (Source: FHC Research Guide) *************************************************************************** STATE ARCHIVES Nebraska State Historical Society Department of Reference Services 1500 "R" Street P.O. Box 82554 Lincoln, NE 68501 The Department of Reference Services includes two divisions of particular interest to genealogists--the Library Division and the State Archives. The Library Division houses printed materials, whereas the State Archives maintains Nebraska government records, newspapers, and other historical documents. The state of Nebraska is actively microfilming records. Most of the state and many of the county records described in this outline are available on microfilm at the Nebraska State Historical Society. They cannot be borrowed by interlibrary loan, but most are available for purchase. The Nebraska State Historical Society has also published a series of helpful leaflets describing genealogical sources in Nebraska. You can write to the society for copies. Nebraska State Genealogical Society P.O. Box 5608 Lincoln, NE 68505 American Historical Society of Germans from Russia 631 "D" Street Lincoln, NE 68502-1199 To learn more about the history and record-keeping systems of Nebraska counties, use the seven inventories of county archives published by the Historical Records Survey around 1940. (Source: FHC Research Guide) *************************************************************************** NEWSPAPER GENEALOGICAL COLUMNS ----- **************************************************************************** * Bill Green Minot, North Dakota 58701 * Home of the * * bgreen@milo.NoDak.Edu * NORSK H0STFEST * * Bill90@Delphi.Com * Velkommen! * ****************************************************************************