Pottawattamie County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Pottawattamie 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]
Pottawattamie County was named for the Potawatomi tribe and is located in southwestern Iowa.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Pottawattamie County Courthouse
227 South 6th Street / P.O. Box 476
Council Bluffs, IA 51502
Phone: 712-328-5604
Pottawattamie County Website
Pottawattamie 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 | 1840 | 1880 | 1876 | 1849 | 1846 | 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 | ||
| 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 Pottawattamie County. To find more resources, go to the Iowa Bible Records page.
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa: containing ... Biographies and Engravings of Prominent Citizens of Pottawattamie County. 1891, Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Company. Online at: FamiySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust — index & images, Google Books.
- History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, From the Earliest Historic Times to 1907. 1907. By Joseph Rea Reed and Homer H. Field. Chicago, IL: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Vol I Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Vol II Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Google Books.
- History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa: Containing a History From the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time... Biographical Sketches. 1883. Chicago, IL: O.L. Baskin & Co. Historical Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust — index & images, Google Books.
- Pottawattamie County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
- IAGenWeb Biographies
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 | 7,828 | — |
| 1860 | 4,968 | −36.5% |
| 1870 | 16,893 | 240.0% |
| 1880 | 39,850 | 135.9% |
| 1890 | 47,430 | 19.0% |
| 1900 | 54,336 | 14.6% |
| 1910 | 55,832 | 2.8% |
| 1920 | 61,550 | 10.2% |
| 1930 | 69,888 | 13.5% |
| 1940 | 66,756 | −4.5% |
| 1950 | 69,682 | 4.4% |
| 1960 | 83,102 | 19.3% |
| 1970 | 86,991 | 4.7% |
| 1980 | 86,561 | −0.5% |
| 1990 | 82,628 | −4.5% |
| 2000 | 87,704 | 6.1% |
| 2010 | 93,158 | 6.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1850 Iowa, U.S., Pottawattamie County, Annotated Record of US Census, 1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1885 Iowa State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1895 Iowa State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1905 Iowa State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images (individual cards, not family context)
- 1915 Iowa State Census, 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1925 Iowa State Census, 1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Iowa Church Records.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Council Bluffs
- Council Bluffs Dist
- Council Point
- Lake
- Pottawatomie
- Shirtses
- Union
Lutheran
- 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1880-1881 Hawley & Co.'s. City and County Directory of Pottawattami County(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1892 Council Bluffs City and Pottawattamie County Directory(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Cutler-O'Neill Funeral Home in Council Bluffs
- Henry Livingston Funeral Home in Council Bluffs
- Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home in Council Bluffs
- Loess Hills Funeral Home in Carson
- Maher Funeral Home in Council Bluffs
- Rieken Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland, IA
- Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca
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
- 1853-1905 Deed indexes, 1853-1905; deed records, 1849-1977 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1855-1901 Sale book, 1855-1901 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1863-1875 Iowa, Pottawattamie County, homestead records, 1863-1875 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1865-1905 Town lot deeds, 1865-1905 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1866-1937 Land transfers, 1866-1937 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1866-1977 Town lot deed transfers, 1866-1977 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1897-1924 Miscellaneous records, 1897-1924 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Pottawattamie County, which may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Iowa Local Histories.
- 1846-1852 The Sojourn of the Mormons at Kanesville, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, 1846-1852. 1936. By Belle Palmer. Greeley, CO: Colorado State College of Education. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa: containing ... Biographies and Engravings of Prominent Citizens of Pottawattamie County. 1891, Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Company. Online at: FamiySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust — index & images, Google Books.
- Early Days at Council Bluffs. 1916. by Charles H Babbitt. Washington, D.C.: Press of Byron S Adams. Online at: HathiTrust — index & images.
- History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, From the Earliest Historic Times to 1907. 1907. By Joseph Rea Reed and Homer H. Field. Chicago, IL: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Vol I Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Vol II Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Google Books.
- History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa: Containing a History From the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time... Biographical Sketches. 1883. Chicago, IL: O.L. Baskin & Co. Historical Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust — index & images, Google Books.
- 1850 census, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. 1987, By Beverly Boileau. Henderson, IA. 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, Pottawattamie County at Ancestry ($) - index.
- 1875-2007 Pottawattamie County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
- 1883-1920 Fire Insurance Maps for Pottawattamie County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1883 and 1920.
- Atlas of Douglas, Sarpy and Washington Counties, Nebraska; and Mills and Pottawattamie Counties, Iowa at FamilySearch Digital Library.
- City and Village Plats(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- General Highway and Transportation Map, Pottawattamie County, Iowa at FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Pottawattamie County Township and Town Histories at IAGenWeb.
- Iowa Digital Library, Pottawattamie County at Iowa University Libraries.
- Pottawattamie County, Iowa at FamilySearch Digital Library.
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Pottawattamie 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]
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Early migration routes to and from Pottawattamie County for European and African American settlers included:
- Missouri River
- Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon[9]
- California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California[10]
- Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah[11]
- Mormon Pioneer Trail - Council Bluffs
- Individuals in Mormon pioneer Overland travel
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
Civil War
- 1861-1949 Iowa, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1862-1910 Iowa, Records of Persons Subject to Military Duty, 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Civil War service men in Pottawattamie 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:
- - 4th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
- - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
- - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
- - 23rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
- - 29th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
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
- 1868-1929 Naturalization Records, 1868-1929(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — 1 index, images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1936, 1943-50, 1952-1956 Council Bluffs Nonpareil. Council Bluffs, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Obituariess at IAGenWeb
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, ($)
- 1846-1926 Probate Case Files and Indexes, 1846-1926(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1846-1975 Probate Records, 1852-1951; Indexes, 1846-1975(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
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]
- 1906-1956 Divorce Records, 1906-1956(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Pottawattamie 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
- Omaha Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Pottawattamie County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
Council Bluffs Public Library
400 Willow Avenue
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
712-323-7553 Ext. 5425
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Western Historic Trails Center
3434 Richard Downing Avenue
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
712-366-4900
Website
Walnut Creek Historical Society and Museum
304 Antique City Drive
Walnut, IA 51577
402-960-5771
Website
Nishna Heritage Museum
117 N. Main Street
Oakland, Iowa
712-482-6802 or 712-482-3075
Website
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Pottawattamie County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.
Botna Valley Genealogical Society (East Pottawattamie)
P.O. Box 693
Oakland, IA 51560-0693
E-mail: botnavalleygenealogy@yahoo.com
Website
Pottawattamie County Genealogical Society
Frontier Heritage Library
622 Fourth Street
P.O. Box 394
Council Bluffs, IA 51502-0394
712-325-9368
E-mail:pcgs@pcgs.omhcoxmail.com
Website
Walnut Genealogy Society
Walnut Public Library Genealogy Room
224 Antique City Drive
P.O. Box 493
Walnut, Iowa 51577-0493
712-784-3533
E-mail:wgs@walnutel.net
Website
Historical Society of Pottawattamie County
Post office box 2
Council Bluffs, Iowa 51502
712-323-2509
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Pottawattamie County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
- Pottawattamie County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
- Pottawattamie County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
- Pottawattamie 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, "Potawatomi, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottawattamie_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, "Pottawattamie County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottawattamie_County%2C_Iowa, accessed 22 October 2019.
- ↑ Jim Tompkins, "The Oregon Trail 1841-1848 Map I" in Oregon Trail Landmarks at
(accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ "Oregon California Trails Association" at http://octatrails.micromaps.com/ (accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ "The Pioneer Story: The Mormon Pioneer Trail" in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/pioneer-trek (accessed 18 July 2011).
