Palo Alto County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Palo Alto County, Iowa ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Palo Alto County was created in 1851 and was named for the Battle of Palo Alto. It is located in northwestern Iowa.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Palo Alto County Courthouse
1010 Broadway
Emmetsburg, IA 50536
Phone: 712-852-3603
Palo Alto County Website
Palo Alto 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 | 1880 | 1880 | 1870 | 1858 | 1864 | 1847 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
|
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 | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Listed below are resources for Bible records specific to Palo Alto County. To find more resources, go to the Iowa Bible Records page.
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- History of Palo Alto County, Iowa. 1910. By Dwight Gaylord McCarty. Rapid City, IA: The Torch Press. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust — index & images, Ancestry — index & images ($).
- Palo Alto County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Iowa recorded not only federal, but state censuses for several in-between years as well. For more information, see the very informative Iowa Census article.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 132 | — |
| 1870 | 1,336 | 912.1% |
| 1880 | 4,131 | 209.2% |
| 1890 | 9,618 | 132.8% |
| 1900 | 14,354 | 49.2% |
| 1910 | 13,845 | −3.5% |
| 1920 | 15,486 | 11.9% |
| 1930 | 15,398 | −0.6% |
| 1940 | 16,170 | 5.0% |
| 1950 | 15,891 | −1.7% |
| 1960 | 14,736 | −7.3% |
| 1970 | 13,289 | −9.8% |
| 1980 | 12,721 | −4.3% |
| 1990 | 10,669 | −16.1% |
| 2000 | 10,147 | −4.9% |
| 2010 | 9,421 | −7.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1885 Iowa State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1895 Iowa State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1905 Iowa State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images (individual cards, not family context)
- 1915 Iowa State Census, 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1925 Iowa State Census, 1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Iowa Church Records.
Lutheran
- 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Henry Olson Fuhrman Funeral in Graettinger
- Lentz Funeral Home in Mallard and West Bend
- Martin-Mattice Funeral Home in Emmetsburg and Ruthven
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
- 1857-1900 Copies of original entries, 1857-1900 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1859-1926 Deed records, 1859-1926; general index, 1859-1908 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1869-1958 Transfer of lands, ca. 1869-ca. 1913; town lots, ca. 1875-ca. 1958; index, ca. 1869-ca.1958 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1871-1902 Town lot deed record, 1871-1902; index, 1871-1912 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1872-1931 Miscellaneous record, 1872-1931; index, 1872-1931 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1883-1966 Homestead record, 1883-1966 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1907-1936 Affidavit record, 1907-1936; general index, 1907-1932 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Palo Alto County, which may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Iowa Local Histories.
- History of Palo Alto County, Iowa. 1910. By Dwight Gaylord McCarty. Rapid City, IA: The Torch Press. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust — index & images, Ancestry — index & images ($).
- Official Souvenir Program of the Semi-centennial of Palo Alto County, Iowa: at Emmetsburg, Iowa July 4th, 5th, and 6th, 1906. 1906. By Palo Alto County, Iowa Old Settlers Committee. Emmetsburg, IA: Tribune Publishing Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
County and state maps, historical and more current, are valuable research tools. For online maps and collections in libraries and societies, see Iowa Maps. Historical maps may be especially useful.
for more resources
- 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Palo Alto County at Ancestry ($) - index.
- 1885-1934 Fire Insurance Maps for Palo Alto County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1885 and 1934.
- 1904-2007 Palo Alto County 1904-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
- IAGenWeb - Palo Alto County.
- Iowa Digital Library, Palo Alto County at Iowa University Libraries.
- Palo Alto County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
- Standard Atlas of Palo Alto County, Iowa(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Palo Alto 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
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
- 1870-1931 Naturalization Records, 1870-1931; Calendar, 1897-1906(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1917-1944 The Ruthven Free Press. 1917-32 and 1934-44. Ruthven, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1956 West Bend Journal. 1956. West Bend, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
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, ($)
- 1864-1940 Probate Record, 1864-1940; General Index, 1864-1940(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
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]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Palo Alto 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
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Palo Alto County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
Ruthven Public LIbrary
1301 Gowrie Street
P.O. Box 280
Ruthven, IA 51358
712-837-4820
E-mail: info@ruthven.lib.ia.us
Website
West Bend Public Library
316 S Broadway Avenue
P.O. Box 46
West Bend, IA 50597
515-887-6411
Email: wbplib@ncn.net
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Palo Alto County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.
Palo Alto County Genealogical Society
Emmetsburg Public Library
707 N Superior Street
Emmetsburg, IA 50536
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Palo Alto County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
- Palo Alto County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
- Palo Alto County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
- Palo Alto 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, "Page, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Page_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, "Palo Alto County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Alto_County,_Iowa, accessed 21 October 2019.