Organized in December 1867. Established by the Legislature January 26, 1856 and redefined on March 3, 1873. Sources disagree over the county’s name. It may have been named for President James Madison; it may have been named by its German settlers who came from Madison County, Wisconsin.

COURTHOUSE RECORDS

Madison County Courthouse

1313 N. Main St.

Madison, NE 68748

Phone: 402-454-3311

Hours: M-F 8:30am-5:00pm

http://www.madisoncountyne.com/county-offices/madison-county-court/

NOTE: In Madison County, birth certificates and marriage licenses are administered by the County Clerk & Election Commissioner: http://www.madisoncountyne.com/county-offices/madison-county-clerk/

For genealogical purposes, such as copies of birth certificates, the Clerk’s Office forwards you to the NE Department of Health & Human Services website. This is a good place to start for Madison County birth records: http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/ced_bicert.aspx

Marriage Records: Family Search (planned to expand) to view - https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1708654 “Nebraska Marriages, 1855-1995”; for copies, History Nebraska - https://history.nebraska.gov/collections/marriage-records-requests

County Assessor: Will allow in person research. Records of land owners and valuations from 1946. Earlier records located at NSHS (History Nebraska).

County Court: Closed over noon hour. Records begin Aug. 1, 1870 and include probates, wills, guardians, divorces and conservators.

Clerk of District Court: Court records and case files, foreclosures, and jury lists. Naturalization records are located at NSHS (History Nebraska).

County Clerk (Register of Deeds): Records include deeds and mortgages 1876 to present, plat maps, miscellaneous records, marriages, supervisors' proceedings, Lincoln Creek Cemetery Records and School census 1905-1913, 1920-1984

PLACE NAMES (Incomplete)

List towns and townships that are past or present:

Battle Creek (1870 to present – current U.S. Postal Service Office)

Burnett (originally Ogden; 1880 to 1887, when changed to Tilden)

Closter (1880 to 1917; 41.9°N 97.9°W, approximately 8 miles south-south-west of Tilden; now in Boone County)

Deer Creek (1870 to 1899, when changed to Meadow Grove)

Emerick (1873 to 1920; now Emerick Election Precinct; on Emerick USGS Map)

Enola (1906 to 1909; now within Union Election Precinct; on Enola USGS Map)

Hiram (originally Munson; June 2, 1887 to June 11, 1887 when changed to Warnerville)

Kalamazoo (1874 to 1904; now a rural election precinct; on Battle Creek SW USGS Map)

Lindsay (1874 to present; U.S. Postal Service Office; now part of Platte County)

Madison (1869 to present; county seat; U.S. Postal Service Office)

Meadow Grove (originally Deer Creek; 1889 to present; U.S. Postal Service Office)

Munson (1880 to 1887, then changed to Hiram)

Newman Grove (1874 to present; U.S. Postal Service Office)

Norfolk, City of – (1868 to present; county seat from 1867 to 1875; U.S. Postal Service Office)
Some records held at History Nebraska https://history.nebraska.gov/collections/municipal-government-records

Ogden (P.O. moved from Boone County in 1878; name changed to Burnett in 1880)

Tilden (originally Ogden, then Burnett; 1887 to present; U.S. Postal Service Office)

Warnerville (originally Munson, then Hiram; 1887 to 1917;on USGS Enola Map)

CEMETERIES

(Substantially complete) GPS coordinates, if available, are given for those *not* on FindaGrave.

Some cemetery records available (free) at:

http://www.usgwtombstones.org/nebraska/madison.html

https://nebraskagravestones.org/cemeteries.php?selected_cid=60

========================================================================

Alberry Cemetery, southwest of Norfolk

Barnes Reserve Cemetery, Madison – isolated on private property east of S. Ingram and dead-end of West 9^th Street; GPS Latitude: 41.8227500 Longitude: -97.4582000

Besk German Lutheran Cemetery, Madison – see Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Madison

Best Cemetery, west of Norfolk

Buffalo Creek Cemetery, Tilden – See Saint Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Tilden

Buffington-Jackson Cemetery, northwest of Battle Creek

Crown Hill Cemetery, also known as Clausen Cemetery, Madison

Deer Creek Cemetery, Meadow Grove

Emerick Cemetery, Emerick

Evangelical Cemetery, east of Newman Grove (north of Lindsay)

Fairview Cemetery, northeast of Madison

Green Garden Cemetery, west of Madison – May be cemetery from St. John’s Lutheran Church (est. 1877, disbanded 19??)

Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery, also known as Hillcrest Cemetery, Norfolk

Hope Cemetery, Madison – On Nebraska State Genealogical Society list, but unable to find location or GPS

Howard Cemetery, Tilden - See Warren Cemetery, Tilden

Hutchins Cemetery, Meadow Grove

IOOF Cemetery, also known as Odd Fellows Cemetery and as Tilden City Cemetery, Tilden

Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, Tilden

Iowa Valley Cemetery, west of Madison

Jackson Cemetery, east of Meadow Grove – isolated on private property west of 545^th Avenue, north of 843rd Road; GPS Latitude: 42.0499992 Longitude: -97.6399994

Kalamazoo Cemetery, also known as Kohl Cemetery, southwest of Madison

McCoy Cemetery, Meadow Grove

Nebraska State Hospital at Norfolk, originally named Insane Asylum in 1885, with first patients in 1888; renamed in 1920 (from 1962 to present the Norfolk Regional Center) Old Cemetery, Norfolk (1888-August 1916)

Norfolk Regional Center (formerly the Insane Asylum, then Nebraska State Hospital at Norfolk) New Cemetery, Norfolk (September 1916 to present)

New Lutheran Cemetery, Norfolk

Odd Fellows Cemetery, Tilden City – See IOOF Cemetery, Tilden

Osborn Cemetery, northwest of Madison

Pleasant Valley Cemetery, also known as Besk German Lutheran Cemetery, Madison

Prospect Hill Cemetery, Norfolk

Rosehill Cemetery, Newman Grove

Saint John's Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, Highland Township (1 mile south of Battle Creek)

Saint Leonard’s Cemetery, Madison

Saint Mathews Lutheran Cemetery, south of Meadow Grove

Saint Patrick’s Cemetery, Battle Creek

Saint Paul Lutheran Cemetery, also known as Buffalo Creek Cemetery, Tilden

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Cemetery, Norfolk

Schmitt-Rottler Cemetery, Madison – see Zion Evangelical Cemetery

Shell Creek Lutheran Church Cemetery, Closter (near Newman Grove)

Spring Branch Cemetery, Norfolk

Tilden City Cemetery, Tilden – See IOOF Cemetery, Tilden

Trinity Episcopal Church Columbarium, Norfolk

Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Newman Grove

Trinity Lutheran Cemetery #2, Newman Grove

Union Cemetery (Battle Creek) – Note that Find-A-Grave’s map shows this as “Lutheran Cemetery” but there is a photo clearly showing the sign for Union Cemetery.

Warren Cemetery, also known as Howard Cemetery, Tilden

Wedekind Cemetery, Newman Grove – See Zion Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, Newman Grove

Williams Cemetery, Tilden

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, also known as Wedekind Cemetery, Newman Grove

Zion Evangelical Cemetery, also known as Schmitt-Rottler Cemetery, Madison

CHURCHES

(In progress) Churches with an (*) also listed in “Cemeteries,” above.

Calvary Baptist Church, now Calvary Community Church (Madison)

Christ is King Community Church (Norfolk)

Christ Lutheran Church* and School (Norfolk), unknown to present;

Christ the Servant Lutheran Church

Church of Christ (Tilden)

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Norfolk), 100 El Camino Dr, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-7441

Community Bible Church (Norfolk)

Covenant Life Christian Center (Norfolk)

Dahlsburg Lutheran Church (Newman Grove), 1880-1915 [History Nebraska Call #RG2677]

Fairview Church (Battle Creek)

Faith Christian Fellowship (Norfolk)

Faith Hope and Love Church (Norfolk)

Faith United Methodist Church, now Tilden Faith United Methodist Church (Tilden) unknown to present; 304 S Madison, Tilden, NE 68781; Phone (402) 368-5601; church records kept at church, per UMC.

Fellowship Bible Church (Newman Grove) unknown to present; N 8th St, Newman Grove, NE 68758; Phone 402-244-6322

First Baptist Church (Norfolk); 404 W Benjamin Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-5609

First Christian Church (Norfolk); 1408 E Benjamin Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-5734

First Congregational Church, now First Congregational United Church of Christ (Norfolk), 1870-1970 [some records at History Nebraska Call #RG3221]; 1971 to present (records?); 1102 W. Norfolk Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-371-0701

First Presbyterian Church (Norfolk); 104 S 10th St, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-1635

First United Methodist Church, now United Methodist Church-Westridge (Norfolk); 2000 W Norfolk Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-9630

Friedens (Peace) Evangelical Church [See Note 1, below] (Tilden), Miscellaneous Records 1902-1980 [History Nebraska Call #RG3997]

Glen Park Church of Christ, now Norfolk Church of Christ (Norfolk), 1963 to present; 1501 North 13th Street, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone (402) 371-4332

Grace by Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, now Grace Lutheran Church (Norfolk), 1919 to present; 416 W Park Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone (402) 371-1044

Grace Church (Newman Grove);

Heartland Baptist Church (Norfolk), 1213 E Phillip Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-6372

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (Norfolk) – see St. Mary’s Church (Norfolk)

Immanuel Lutheran Church (Madison), 403 S Main St, Madison, NE 68748; Phone 402-245-2123

Immanuel Lutheran Church* (Tilden), 500 S Center St, Tilden, NE 68781; Phone 402-236-5690

Jehovah's Witnesses (Norfolk), 606 Channel Rd, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-8621

Jehovah's Witnesses (Norfolk), 420 Broadmoor Dr, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-0474

Meadow Grove United Methodist Church (Meadow Grove); 107 Main Ave, Meadow Grove, NE 68752; Phone (402) 634-2156

Methodist Church-Westridge, formerly First United Methodist Church (Norfolk); 2000 W Norfolk Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-9630

Mount Olive Lutheran Church (Norfolk), unknown to present; 1212 S 2nd St, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-0814

Nazarene Church (Newman Grove)

New Hope Church of the Nazarene (Norfolk), 601 E Norfolk Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-1940

Norfolk Assembly of God, now Victory Road Assembly of God (Norfolk), 1934 to present; 200 N Victory Rd, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-6288

Norfolk Baptist Church (Norfolk) 1001 W Norfolk Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-7146

Norfolk Church of Christ, formerly Glen Park Church of Christ (Norfolk), 1963 to present; 1501 North 13th Street, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone (402) 371-4332

Norfolk Restoration Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ

Northern Heights Baptist Church (Norfolk), unknown to present; 708 Georgia Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-6253

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church (Tilden)

Our Savior Lutheran Church (Norfolk), 1961 to present; 2420 W Omaha Ave, Norfolk NE 68701; Phone 402-371-1378

Peace Church (Norfolk), near 84512 560th Ave, Norfolk

Peace United Church of Christ [See Note 1, below] (Tilden), Miscellaneous Records 1902-1980. Microfilm, History Nebraska: [Call #RG3997] Description of records held: https://history.nebraska.gov/collections/peace-united-church-christ-tilden-neb-rg3997am

Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Sacred Heart Parish – Norfolk) 1881 to present; 204 South 5th Street, Norfolk NE 68701; Phone 402-371-2621

Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Church (Battle Creek)

St. John's Lutheran Church* (Battle Creek),unknown to present; 305 S 2nd St, Battle Creek, NE 68715; Phone 402-267-3155

St. John’s Lutheran Church (Madison), 1877 to at least 1937 (60^th anniversary was celebrated); Green Garden Precinct; cemetery *may* be Green Garden Cemetery; see Cemeteries, above.

St. John's Lutheran Church (Norfolk), 1902 to present; 1300 W Benjamin Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-1985

St. Leonard's Rectory* (Madison), 504 S Nebraska St, Madison, NE 68748; Phone 402-245-3529

St. Matthew's Mission (Norfolk), 1881-1980 [RG4035]

St Matthew's Lutheran Church* (Meadow Grove), Hwy US-275, Meadow Grove, NE 68752; Phone 402-263-2933

St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Battle Creek), 107 N 3rd St, Battle Creek, NE 68715; Phone 402-267-2485

St. Mary’s Catholic Church, also known as Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (Sacred Heart Parish – Norfolk), 1966 to present; 2300 W Madison Avenue, Norfolk NE 68701; (402) 371-2621

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church* and School (Norfolk), 1867-Present; 1100 Georgia Ave., Norfolk, 68701; (402) 371-1233; records kept locally.

Seventh Day Adventist Church (Norfolk) 204 N 8th St, Norfolk NE 68701; Phone 402-371-6504

Shell Creek Lutheran Church* (Closter, near Newman Grove)

Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church (Norfolk), unknown to present; 500 N 37th St, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-1846; records kept locally.

Tilden Christian Church (Tilden)

Trinity Episcopal Church (Norfolk), 1881-1980 [History Nebraska Call #RG4035]

Trinity Episcopal Church* (Norfolk), unknown to present; 111 S 9th St, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-3080

Trinity Lutheran Church (Madison), 508 S Jackson St, Madison, NE 68748; Phone 402-245-3532

Trinity Lutheran Church* (Newman Grove) unknown to present; 804 Hale Ave, Newman Grove, NE 68758; Phone 402-244-2332

Trinity Mission (Norfolk), 1881-1980 [History Nebraska Call #RG4035]

Trinity United Methodist Church (Madison), 108 E 6th St, Madison, NE 68748; Phone 402-245-9980

United Methodist Church (Meadow Grove), Hwy US-275, Meadow Grove, NE 68752; Phone 402-263-2156

United Methodist Church (Newman Grove), 190 N 4th St, Newman Grove, NE 68758; Phone 402-244-6494

Victory Road Assembly of God, formerly Norfolk Assembly of God (Norfolk), 1934 to present; 200 N Victory Rd, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-6288

Victory Road Evangelical Free Church (Norfolk), 1975 to present; 1201 N Victory Rd, Norfolk, NE 68701; Phone 402-237-1338

Zion Evangelical Church (Madison),

Zion Lutheran Church* (Newman Grove), 1880-1949 [History Nebraska Call #RG2677]

NOTES:

Note 1: Per History Nebraska, The Friedans/Peace Evangelical Church became the Peace Evangelical and Reformed Church in the 1930s. In the 1960s, it joined the Congregational Church and adopted its present-day name as the Peace United Church of Christ.

Records for churches not listed may be available at History Nebraska (HN):

https://history.nebraska.gov/collections/church-records

FUNERAL HOMES

INCOMPLETE past and present with contact information and years of records available if known

Steffen Mortuary

110 West Main Street

Battle Creek, NE 68715

Brockhaus-Harlan Funeral Home

303 E Second Street

Tilden, NE 68781

Home for Funerals

1203 West Norfolk Avenue

Norfolk, NE 68701

Brockhaus-Howser-Fillmer Funeral Home

901 N 13Th Street

Norfolk, NE 68701

Johnson-Stonacek Funeral Chapel

1200 N. 13th St.

Norfolk, NE 68701

Midwest Mortuary Sales & Services Inc

500 Hale Avenue

Newman Grove, NE 68758

Newman Grove Memorial Funeral Home

206 N Third Street

Newman Grove, NE 68758

Ressequie Funeral Home

108 West Fifth Street

Madison, NE 68748

LIBRARIES

INCOMPLETE List of libraries in the county with location and contact information and possible holdings like county histories (if known)

Battle Creek Public Library http://libraries.ne.gov/battlecreek/

Madison Public Library https://www.madisonlibrary.net/

Meadow Grove Public Library https://libraries.ne.gov/meadowgrove/

Newman Grove Public Library http://libraries.ne.gov/newmangrove/

Norfolk Public Library https://norfolkne.gov/government/departments/library/

Tilden Public Library http://libraries.ne.gov/tilden/

MUSEUMS

Elkhorn Valley Museum
515 Queen City Blvd
Norfolk, NE 68701
402-371-3886

Email ljam.evm@gmail.com

https://elkhornvalleymuseum.org/

Madison County Museum

210 W 3rd St

Madison, NE 68748

402-454-2313

http://www.madisoncountyhistory.org

NEWSPAPERS

In progress

List of Nebraska Papers at GenealogyBank.com - https://www.genealogybank.com/newspapers/sourcelist/ne

The Madison Review (first county newspaper), by T.M. Blakely, 1874-unknown

Norfolk Daily News (May 1, 1887 to present; daily; current in hardcopy and online) –
               Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorfolkDaily/
               Internet: http://norfolkdailynews.com/
               Film: As of June 2019, microfilm available only at Norfolk Public Library; some records may be at
                        Elkhorn Valley Museum, Norfolk (to be updated)

SCHOOL RECORDS

In progress but major info complete for high schools

Battle Creek Public Schools, 605 W Martin Street, Battle Creek, NE 68715, Phone (402) 675-6905

Christ Lutheran School (PK-8), Norfolk

Elkhorn Valley Schools, 601 S Madison, Tilden, NE 68781, Phone (402) 368-5301

Lutheran High Northeast, 2010 N. 37th Street, Norfolk, NE 68701, Phone (402) 379-3040 (Founded 1997)

Madison Public Schools, 700 S Kent, Madison, NE 68748, Phone (402) 454-3336

Newman Grove Public Schools, 101 S 8th Street, Newman Grove, NE 68758, Phone (402) 447-2721

Norfolk Business College – One folder in Vertical File Collection; unknown contents; History Nebraska [Call #RG5000.AM]. https://history.nebraska.gov/collections/vertical-files-rg5000am

Norfolk Catholic School (PK-12), 2300 Madison Avenue, Norfolk, NE 68701, Phone (402) 371-2621 (Founded in 1926)

Norfolk Public Schools, 512 West Philip Avenue, PO Box 139 Norfolk, NE 68701, Phone (402) 644-2500

St. Paul’s Lutheran School (PK-8), Norfolk

SOCIETIES

(INCOMPLETE) Historical or Genealogical societies with address, email address, phone number

Elkhorn Valley Historical Society (and Museum), Norfolk, founded in 1958; includes info from the 22 counties of Northeast Nebraska; 515 Queen City Blvd, Norfolk, NE 68701, Phone 402-371-3886; elkhornvalleymuseum.org

Madison County Historical Society – Disbanded in 2019; records transferred to History Nebraska

WEB SITES

(INCOMPLETE)

GenWeb: http://negenweb.net/NEMadison/

Family Search Wiki Madison County - https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Madison_County,_Nebraska_Genealogy

Cyndi's List Madison County - https://www.cyndislist.com/us/ne/counties/madison/

OTHER HINTS For Researching the County

Madison County Poor Farm(s): (in progress)

In October of 1920, Madison County had two male and three female indigents. It had a 160-acre poor farm, valued at $25,000 at that time. This info was reprinted from Omaha World Herald, October, 1920), in the online compilation at http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/resources/poorhouse/index.html

Known photography studios during county’s history:

Macy & Doughty – Norfolk

Gillette Studio – Norfolk (1960s-1980s)

Miscellaneous Businesses:

Hall Brothers/Norfolk Postcard Company (Norfolk) – Some records at History Nebraska

Norfolk Feed Mills Company (Norfolk) – Miscellaneous Records; unindexed; History Nebraska https://history.nebraska.gov/collections/business-records

Norfolk Postcard Company – see “Hall Brothers/Norfolk Postcard Company”, above.

Farmers' Union Co-Operative Association (Newman Grove) – Miscellaneous Manuscripts 1914-1951; History Nebraska [Call #RG4115.AM]. Description of Manuscripts: https://history.nebraska.gov/collections/farmers-union-co-operative-association-newman-grove-neb-rg4115am