Iowa County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Iowa County, Iowa ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Iowa County was named for the Iowa River and it is located in southeastern Iowa.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Iowa County Courthouse
901 Court Ave
Marengo, IA 52301
Phone: 319-642-3914
Iowa County Website
Iowa County, Iowa Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1880 | 1851 | 1880 | 1851 | 1847 | 1848 | 1847 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[8]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Listed below are resources for Bible records specific to Iowa County. To find more resources, go to the Iowa Bible Records page.
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- History of Iowa County, Iowa, and its people. 1915. James C. Dinwiddie. Chicago, IL: The J.S. Clarke Publishing Company. Vol I Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust — index & images; Vol II Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust — index & images; Vol I & II Online at: Ancestry — index & images ($)
- The History of Iowa County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Town &c., Biographical Sketches of Its Citizens. 1881. Des Moines, IA: Union Historical Company, Birdsall, Williams, and Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust — index & images.
- Iowa County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Iowa recorded not only federal, but state censuses for several in-between years as well. For more information, see the very informative Iowa Census article.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 822 | — |
| 1860 | 8,029 | 876.8% |
| 1870 | 16,644 | 107.3% |
| 1880 | 19,221 | 15.5% |
| 1890 | 18,270 | −4.9% |
| 1900 | 19,544 | 7.0% |
| 1910 | 18,409 | −5.8% |
| 1920 | 18,600 | 1.0% |
| 1930 | 17,332 | −6.8% |
| 1940 | 17,016 | −1.8% |
| 1950 | 15,835 | −6.9% |
| 1960 | 16,396 | 3.5% |
| 1970 | 15,419 | −6.0% |
| 1980 | 15,429 | 0.1% |
| 1990 | 14,630 | −5.2% |
| 2000 | 15,671 | 7.1% |
| 2010 | 16,355 | 4.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1885 Iowa State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1895 Iowa State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1905 Iowa State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images (individual cards, not family context)
- 1915 Iowa State Census, 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1925 Iowa State Census, 1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Iowa Church Records.
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1933-1946 Change of name records, 1933-1946(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1869-1887 Circuit Court records, 1869-1887(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1857-1933 District Court Record books, 1857-1933(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1863-1934 Justice's dockets, 1863-1934(*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1877-1932 Miscellaneous records, 1877-1932(*); Court Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1856-1925 Index to Liens, 1856-1925(*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Kloster Funeral Home in Marengo
- Powell Funeral Homes in North English and Williamsburg
- Smith Funeral Home and Crematory in Victor
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. They include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Iowa Land and Property for information about early Iowa land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, transactions were usually recorded and housed at the county courthouse.
Online Land and Property Records
- 1847-1855 Original entries, 1847-1855 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1847-1927 Deeds, 1847-1927 at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Iowa County, which may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Iowa Local Histories.
- Amana today: a History of the Amana Colonies from 1932 to the Present. 1975. Lawrence L. Rettig. South Amana, IA: L.L. Rettig. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- History of Iowa County, Iowa, and its people. 1915. James C. Dinwiddie. Chicago, IL: The J.S. Clarke Publishing Company. Vol I Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust — index & images; Vol II Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust — index & images, Vol I & II Online at: Ancestry — index & images ($)
- The History of Iowa County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Town &c., Biographical Sketches of Its Citizens... 1881. Des Moines, IA: Union Historical Company, Birdsall, Williams, and Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust — index & images.
- Pioneer Recollections: Stories and Pictures Depicting the Early History and Development of Iowa County. 1941. Harley Ransom. Cedar Rapids, IA: Historical Publishing Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Iowa Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
County and state maps, historical and more current, are valuable research tools. For online maps and collections in libraries and societies, see Iowa Maps. Historical maps may be especially useful.
for more resources
- 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Iowa County at Ancestry ($) - index.
- 1874 Atlas of Iowa County, Iowa by Harrison & Warner, 1874(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- 1875-2007 Iowa County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
- 1883-1942 Fire Insurance Maps for Iowa County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1883 and 1942.
- 1917 Atlas of Iowa County, Iowa by Anderson, 1917(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- 1946 The Atlas of Iowa County, Iowa 1946. n.p., n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Atlas of Iowa County, Iowa by Huebinger, c1900(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- Iowa County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
- IAGenWeb - Iowa County.
- Iowa Digital Library, Iowa County at Iowa University Libraries.
- Plat Book, Iowa County, Iowa(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- Plat book of Iowa County, Iowa. 1886. George G. Warner & C.M. Foote. Minneapolis, MN: Warner & Foote. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Iowa County at State Library of Iowa.
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Multiple Wars
- 1835-1998 Iowa, Armed Forces Grave Registrations, ca. 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
- 1862-1910 Iowa, Records of Persons Subject to Military Duty, 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Civil War
- 1861-1949 Iowa, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Civil War service men in Iowa County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed here:
- - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company E
- - 7th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
- - 8th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
- - 11th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
- - 13th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
- - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
- - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
- - 28th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B, G, I
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Please see the Iowa Naturalization and Citizenship page for state-wide information.
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1859-1990 United States, Iowa Naturalization Records, 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1869-1930 Naturalization Records, 1869-1930(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Iowa, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
- 1848-2007 Probate Records, 1848-2007(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1853-1929 Will Records, 1853-1929(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Iowa tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. Iowa's unique Old Age Assistance tax gives names, addresses and birth years. There may be gaps of several years. For more information, see the wiki page Iowa Taxation.
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- 1934-1958 Iowa, Old Age Tax Assistance Records, 1934-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded by civil officials on registers, certificates, and other documents. Copies or extracts may be purchased from the Iowa Department of Public Health or the County Clerk's office. See also Iowa Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1939 Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1850-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1880-1935 Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1921-1942 Iowa, Birth Records, 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1518-1996 Iowa, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1838-1934 Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1990 Iowa Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images; Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1880-1992 Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1904-1951 Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1877-1932 Miscellaneous Records, 1877-1932(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1900-1939 Divorce Records, 1900-1939(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Iowa County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- African American Museum Of Iowa - an affiliate library
- Genealogical Society of Linn County Iowa dba Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy Library - an affiliate library
- Iowa City Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Iowa County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
Marengo Public Library
235 East Hilton Street
Marengo, IA 52301
319-741-3825
E-mail: director@marengo.lib.ia.us
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Amana Heritage Society Museums
705 44th Avenue
Amana, IA 52203
319-622-3567
E-mail: amanaheritage@southslope.net
Website
Pioneer Heritage Museum
PO Box 288
675 East South Street
Marengo, IA 52301
319-642-7018
E-mail: marilynr@netins.net
Website
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Iowa County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.
Iowa County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 207
121 Main St
North English, IA 52316
319-664-3194
E-mail: iacogen@netins.net
Website
Williamsburg Historical Society
PO Box 1091
516 Elm Street
Williamsburg, IA 52361
319-668-1822 or 319-668-1651
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Iowa County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
- Iowa County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
- Iowa County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
- Iowa County at Iowa USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
- State Historical Society of Iowa — select from research collection topics
- State Library of Iowa — electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Iowa County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_County,_Iowa."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Iowa County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_County,_Iowa#Communities, accessed 28 September 2019.