Jim, thanks for all this information that I didn't know was available. Where at the MHS are these records located? Ruth A. (Sconza Testa) Nerud [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Sazevich" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, April 21, 2006 1:08 PM Subject: [mnramsey] ST. PETER STATE HOSPITAL RECORD > Dear List Members, > > Yes, the Minnesota Historical Society has many of the St. > Peter State Hospital (and other state hospitals as well) > patient/resident records, dating from the 1860s. The > records, for the most part are quite detailed, and contain > lots of genealogical data, including birthplace, birth > dates, names of spouses and children, and sometime other > relatives and friends of the patient. Usually the case > files give detailed accounts of the reason for > hospitalization /confinement. > In some cases there are even photographs of the individuals. > > As you can expect, privacy laws protect access to files for > at least 75 years, but if your ancestor was hospitalized > before that time, you should likely be able to access the > records, and find some interesting data. > > Last year, in the St. Peter records, (which are in original > format, not microfilmed) I read about a distant relative who > had been confined at St. Peter Hospital in the early 1870s. > The data was very enlightening, and filled with wonderful > detail about the weeks and months before his > hospitalization. > > By the way, everyone should also know that in the past, it > did not take actual mental illness to be admitted to a State > Hospital. Senility (Alzheimer's), Spendthrifts, Alcoholism, > etc. were all reasons someone could be confined in a State > operated hospital. Most of the commitments were handled by > the Probate Court (District Court) in the various counties, > and that is where to find the indexes in most cases. > > Do you think no one in your family spent time in a state > hospital? My "fairly sane", middle class family, living in > Ramsey County from the 1880s, had more than a dozen > commitments to State institutions during the last 125 > years. They are records worth pursuing for everyone doing > genealogical research. If you ignore them, its your loss. > > Hope this helps. > > Best regards, > > Jim Sazevich, Historian > St. Paul, Minnesota > > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >