Cass County, Iowa Genealogy

Guide to Cass County, Iowa ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Cass County was named for Lewis Cass and is located in southwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Cass County Courthouse 5 West 7th Street Atlantic, IA 50022 712-243-2105 Cass County Website

Populated Places
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:

Bible Records

 * Cass County Bible Records at IAGenWeb Project

Biographies

 * History of Cass County, Iowa: together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, portraits of prominent persons and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. 1884. Springfield, IL: Continental Historical Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archive; Hathitrust.
 * Cass County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories

Census Records
State Census
 * 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images (individual cards, not family context)
 * 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records
Church Records and Indexes
 * FamilySearch Places

Lutheran
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($)

Court Records

 * 1873-1930 (*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1875-1901 (*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1888-1973 (*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Johnson Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Anita
 * Schmidt Family Funeral Homes - Anita in Anita
 * Schmidt Family Funeral Homes in Atlantic
 * Steen Funeral Homes in Massena

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records


 * 1853-1929   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1854-1904   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1879-1950   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * Compendium of history and biography of Cass County, Iowa pioneer history and formation of present county system, patriotic war record, detailed township history, with sketches of towns, biographies of old settlers, and others who have made Cass County what it is. Chicago, Illinois Henry Taylor, 1906. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * History of Cass County, Iowa together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, portraits of prominent persons and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens; history of Iowa. Springfield, Illinois Continental Historical Co., 1884. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Beard, J. C. Cass County in the World War, 1917-1918-1919. Atlantic, Iowa J.C. Beard, 1919. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Chase, Charles F. Exposition souvenir album. Atlantic, Iowa Democrat Pub. Co., 1904. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Cass County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Cass County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1883-1948 Fire Insurance Maps for Cass County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1883 and 1948.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Cass County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Cass County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Cass County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Cass County at State Library of Iowa.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Cass County for European settlers included:
 * Mormon Trail 1846 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Military Records
Multiple Wars


 * 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
 * 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War service men in Cass 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:
 * - 23rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1870-1928 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1877-1929 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1864-1948   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1873-1931   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1934-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Birth

 * 1850-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

Death

 * 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images; Also at: MyHeritage($)


 * 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

Family History Centers
To locate the closest family history center or affiliate library, use the link listed above.

Libraries
Atlantic Public Library 507 Poplar St Atlantic, IA 50022 712-243-5466 E-mail: [mailto:atlanticpubliclibrary@gmail.com atlanticpubliclibrary@gmail.com] Website Cumberland Public Library 119 Main St Cumberland, IA 50843-0150 712-774-5334 Website

Museums
Cass County Historical Museum 408 Main St Griswold, IA 51535 712-778-5040 E-mail: [mailto:casshistory@netins.net casshistory@netins.net] Facebook

Societies
Cass County Genealogical Society 507 Poplar St Atlantic, Iowa 50022-1241 712-243-5466 E-mail: [mailto:casscgs@gmail.com casscgs@gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * Cass County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Cass County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Cass County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Cass 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
 * – 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.