Iowa, Armed Forces Grave Registrations - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1776-1998.

Index and images of grave registrations from the Soldiers Relief Commission (Polk County, Iowa). The collection is arranged alphabetically. These records were acquired from the Iowa State Historical Society in Des Moines.

Record Content
Grave registrations may contain the following information:
 * Name of deceased
 * Date of death
 * Date of burial
 * Birth date
 * Name of a relative

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Your ancestor’s name
 * Date of death or burial
 * Family members

Search the Collection
To search by index: Fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

To browse by image: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the "Surname Range" category which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the soldier's death record to obtain a copy of the original death certificate from the county.
 * Use the location of burial to begin search for family in census records nearby.
 * Use the name of person applying for burial to identify possible relative.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.

General Information about These Records

 * Physical description or format of the original material
 * History of the record
 * Why the record was created
 * Reliability of the information in the record
 * Percentage of the population covered in the record
 * Preservation quality of the record

Related Websites

 * Iowa Veterans Cemetery
 * VA National Cemetery Administration

Related Wiki Articles

 * Iowa Genealogy
 * Iowa Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * United States, Burial Registers for Military Posts, Camps, and Stations (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * United States, Military Burial Records from the National Archives (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Iowa Vital Records
 * How to Find Iowa Death Records
 * Iowa Obituaries
 * Iowa Cemeteries

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image Citation: