Genealogy Assistance

The West Fargo Public Library's Ask a Genealogist program is currently paused. Stay tuned for updates about the program's return. 

Online Resources

• Ancestry Library Edition: Search census records, military records, passenger lists and more. Inside library access only.
• HeritageQuest Online: Comprehensive source for family history research. Available from Inside the Library or From Home.
• Universal Class: Free online classes for career and personal development, including an introductory class on conducting genealogy research.

Website Resources

• African American Registry
• Canada ArchiviaNet: Online Research Tool (Library and Archives Canada); Archived content only
• CanadaGenWeb
• Canada Mary's Genealogy Treasures
• Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet: Links to tens of thousands of genealogy-related resources on the Web. The majority are categorized and cross-referenced in over 120 categories. No annotations and few descriptions, but a very comprehensive index to all sorts of genealogy-related Internet resources.
• Denmark Demografisk Database
• Denmark Emigration Archives: Select English language at the top of the page.
• Ellis Island Passenger Search
• FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints provides this free site which lets you search their Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index, Pedigree Resource File, and numerous databases and documents. A free registration feature also lets you collaborate with other genealogists.
• Forms and Family Trees
• Genealogy 101: Online classes from Universal Class
• Geni.com: Create your family tree with pictures and video.
• Heritage Education Commission
• Homestead Records Search - Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office
• Illinois State Archives Databases
• Military Civil War Soldiers and Sailors (National Parks Service)
• Military Indexes and Records: A Genealogy Guide
• Military Norwegians in the Civil War (Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum)
• Minnesota Dalby Database: Cemetery Database Search
• Nationwide Gravesite Locator (United States Department of Veterans Affairs)
• Newspaper Chronicling America: Full-text access to thousands of historical newspapers from across the United States, including over 40 North Dakota newspapers.
• Newspaper Elephind: Searches most national free newspaper sites
• Newspaper Fargo Forum
• Newspaper North Dakota Title List
• Newspaper Proquest Newsstand (accessible from library computers only)
• Newspaper Wikipedia list of historical newspaper online archives
• North Dakota Alumni Grand Forks Public High Schools (Grand Forks Foundation for Education)
• North Dakota Center for Heritage Renewal (North Dakota State University)
• North Dakota Division of Vital Records
• North Dakota E.J. Lander and Co. Land Records Database
• North Dakota Gen Web Project
• North Dakota NDSU Germans from Russia Heritage Collection
• North Dakota NDSU Archives Databases and Indexes: Includes North Dakota Naturalizations, North Dakota Biography Index, 1885 Dakota Territorial Census Index, Cass County Marriages, Cass County Probates, Cass County Civil Suits, and other databases.
• North Dakota Pre-1925 Marriage Index
• North Dakota Public Death Index
• North Dakota Red River Valley Genealogical Society:  Includes holdings list and some local funeral home records indexes.
• North Dakota State Historical Society
• North Dakota University of North Dakota (UND) Special Collections Databases: Includes Arne Brekke Bygdebok Collection, Grand Forks County Marriage License Search, Grand Forks County Coroner's Records Index.
• North Dakota West Fargo Pioneer Death Index 1967 to 1977 (PDF)
• Norway Digital Archives
• Norwegian-American Bygdelagenes Fellesraad
• Rick Crume's Genealogy Links
• Swedish National Archives
• U.S. Gen Web Project