North Dakota Biography Index Reaches Over 219,000 Records
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The NDSU Institute for Regional Studies has again expanded the North Dakota Biography Index on-line database, as of Aug. 20, 2007. Over 3,000 new names have been added, taken from 23 North Dakota publications. This brings the total entries in the database to over 219,000 names. This unique resource has become the quickest and easiest way to locate biographical information on North Dakotans, both deceased and living. Currently 762 publications are represented in the index.

This indexing was done through the efforts of volunteers Jane Skjei and Robert Hutchings. Our thank you to Jane and Robert for the many hours they spent going through these books, page by page, locating biographical sketches and entering the data. Their tireless work will help current and future researchers track down historical information about the residents of North Dakota.

Some of the community histories indexed and in the database for the first time include Bottineau County (1984), Max (2006), Moffit (1985), Bowdon (1999), Alfred (2004), Page (2007).

Other books indexed include 50 years in the Saddle, vol. 3 & 4, Atlases published by Midland and Western Mapping Companies for the counties of Adams, Hettinger, Bowman, Slope, McKenzie, Ward, Stutsman, Stark, Dunn, Grand Forks and Burke.

Indexing continues on additional community histories, working methodically through published community histories. Work also continues on adding page numbers and life dates for earlier indexed books.

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