Hello,

My great-great grandparents, Nicholas and Elizabeth (Koppes) Traufler (Luxembourg immigrants), lived in Stearns and Wadena counties from around 1866 to around 1910.

I'm looking for somebody (whom I would pay a reasonable fee) who can get to the courthouse land records in Stearns County to search for land transactions. The family moved from near Hancock, Houghton, Michigan between 1866 and 1870. The 1870 federal census shows them at St. Augusta Township, where they remained until at least 1885 when they are again listed in St. Augusta.

Therefore, they must have BOUGHT their St. Augusta farm from 1866-1870. [It is worth noting that Elizabeth declared her intention for naturalization (first papers) on 6 Apr 1876...perhaps there are land records in her name, as well as husband Nick's name.] And they must have SOLD the St. Augusta farm from 1885-1895, as discussed next.

The 1890 federal census was destroyed...but by the 1895 state census they had moved to Aldrich, Wadena County, MN. In the 1900 federal census, they are with son Michael Traufler at Aldrich. Nicholas and Elizabeth were alone at Aldrich when the 1905 state census was conducted. By the 1910 federal census date, the Trauflers had moved to East Grand Forks to live with son Michael (and next door to their widowed daughter, my great-grandmother Elizabeth (Traufler) Mongoven.

Therefore, they must have BOUGHT the Aldrich property from 1885-1895, and SOLD it from 1905-1910.

I'm hoping that the person I hire to do this can get to Wadena County to check the land records there, too. I plan to place this announcement in the Wadena County message boards as well. The fairly narrow dates means the search should not take too long...of course, driving there in the Minnesota winter is another matter! Please let me know if you are interested.

Sincerely,
Jan