CARVER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

 

Application for Pioneer, County or Century Certificates

 

The Carver County Historical Society issues certificates to persons who are directly descended from Carver County Pioneers.  Applicants must prove direct descent and prove that the ancestor settled in Carver County.

 

Pioneer Certificate – 1854 or Before

   County Certificate – 1855 through 1865

   Century Certificate – More than 100 years prior to the date of application

 

Applicants may apply for certificates to be issued to themselves or to other persons.  The person to whom the certificate is issued need not currently live in Carver County.

 

The purpose of this program is to recognize families with Carver County roots, encourage people to undertake genealogical research, and to provide resources for researchers in our library.

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Requirements:

 

1.       A separate completed application for each certificate requested. 

 

2.       A pedigree chart showing the ancestral line(s) of the person to whom the certificate is to be issued.

 

3.   Copies of your documentation.

 

4.       A check payable to the Carver County Historical Society, for $10.00 plus a $3.00 handling fee for each certificate requested.

 

Instructions:

 

1.       Application

  • Name of only one ancestor identified on a certificate  
  • Type or print all entries, legibility is important
  • Use only the application form provided (only current version provided by CCHS will be accepted)   
  • Listing of the known children of the ancestor (last section of form)
  • Enter the name of the person to whom the certificate is to be issued exactly as you want the name to appear on the certificate
  • Enter the name of the ancestor exactly as you want the name to appear on the certificate

 

2.       Pedigree Chart

  • Pedigree chart must begin with the person to whom the certificate is to be issued and extend through to the ancestor 
  • Pedigree chart must show the dates and places of birth, death and marriage along with associated proof, to the best of the applicant’s ability to provide them

·         A CCHS Chart is provided with the application form; however, any standard pedigree chart (including computer-generated charts) on 8 1/2 x 11- inch paper will be accepted 

·         Continuation sheets may be used

·         Enter women’s surnames in the order in which acquired ( e.g., Mary, the daughter of John Jones, who married first Sam Brown  and second Amos Black would be entered as Mary Jones Brown Black) 

·         Do not use parentheses

·         Enter dates in day, month and year format, using the-letter abbreviations for the month (e.g., 12 Feb 1895).

 

3.  Ancestor Documentation

  • Documentation for Carver County Ancestor on the Certificate must include the following forms of proof of Carver County residence: 

·         census records:  state and/or federal including source, census year, volume, and page number

OR

·         land records:  copy of deed or plat map, if plat map include year

 

4.       Descendent Documentation

  • Documentation for each individual on the Pedigree chart must include the following forms of proof of descent:

·         Birth record:  copy of birth certificate or baptismal record showing date of birth

·         Marriage record (if applicable):  copy of marriage record

·         Death record (if applicable):  copy of death certificate or burial record

·         Will or probate records:  copy of the record

·         Reference a previously issued Carver County Certificate by Certificate number

 

5.   Multiple Certificates

§         If more than one certificate based on the same ancestor is requested, proof of the ancestor’s settlement in Carver County is required for only the first such application: 

·         Remaining applications should be cross-referenced to it, if the individual is on the initial pedigree chart   

·         If the individual(s) on a subsequent certificate(s) is not on the initial pedigree chart, a separate pedigree chart must be submitted  

·         Application form, pedigree chart and proof of descent are still required for each person for whom a certificate is requested

 

6.       Forms of Proof

§         Because these records are used, as a genealogical resource by other researchers:

·         All proof of descent needs to be extracted from a primary source, such original documents that were created at the time of the event (i.e. Marriage, Census, etc.) 

·         County histories are not acceptable as proof 

·         Published or unpublished genealogies, family histories and family group sheets are not acceptable as proof 

·         Submit the documents or extracts that were used as proof for the aforementioned                           

·         Documents that infer rather than establish the fact being claimed require corroboration

 

7.       Send the completed application, pedigree chart, proof of descent and proper payment to:

 

                        Carver County Historical Society

                          555 West 1st Street

                          Waconia, Minnesota  55387

 

Attn:  Certificate Program

 

Note:  All Information becomes the property of the Carver County Historical Society for use in our Research Library.