User:Denisepoulsen/Sandbox/TempOH2

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

Description
The County was named for the Daniel S Dickinson. The County has Spirit Lake as its seat and the County was created 1857. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Dickinson County Courthouse 1802 Hill Ave Spirit Lake, IA 51360 Phone:(712) 336-1495 County Website Dickinson County Courthouse 1802 Hill Ave Spirit Lake, IA 51360 (712) 336-1495 Dickinson County

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:

Biographies

 * Dickinson County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories

Cemeteries

 * Cemeteries, IAGenWeb Dickinson County, Iowa
 * The Spirit Lake Public Library website has very through listings of cemetery burials in Dickinson county. On the main page of their website you can click the Do Research tab, and then select Local Cemetery Listings.
 * The direct link to that is www.spiritlake.lib.ia.us/do-research/cemeteryrecords
 * WPA 1930's Graves Registration Survey

Census Records
Iowa recorded not only the federal census but state census through out the years too. The state census contains very valuable genealogical information. Where the census information can be found, what years it was taken, mortality schedules, census substitutions and much more is discussed in the very informative Iowa Census article.

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

 * FamilySearch Places

Directories

 * The lake region blue book and club directory of Spirit Lake and vicinity. By Henrietta Comstock Wright. Spirit Lake, Iowa?: unknown, 1906. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Local Histories

 * Smith, R. A. A history of Dickinson County, Iowa together with an account of the Spirit Lake massacre, and the indian troubles on the northwestern frontier. Des Moines [Iowa] Kenyon Print. &amp; Mfg., 1902.
 * *Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Wright, Henrietta Comstock. The lake region blue book and club directory of Spirit Lake and vicinity. [Spirit Lake? La. s.n.], 1906.
 * *Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Minnewaukon (Spirit Lake) and its legend or an illustrated story of Okoboji and Spirit Lakes. [Des Moines The Kenyon Company, 1910].
 * *Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Green, H. O. Terrace Park [on Lake Okoboji]. [S.l. s.n,] 1905.
 * *Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * History of Emmet County and Dickinson County, Iowa a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement.. Chicago, Ill.: Pioneer Pub. Co., 1917. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Dickinson County maps at David Rumsey Map Collection — if needed, click magnifying glass (upper right)

Military Records

 * 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers
NewspaperArchive.com ($) has a large collection of digitized Iowa newspapers online. This database is sometimes free at libraries. Ancestry.com has most of the Spirit Lake Beacon from 1870 to 1977 in searchable form. From ancestry's home page, select Card Catalog under the Search tab. Search for Spirit Lake and select the Spirit Lake Beacon on the right. If the name you are searching for is common, use the keyword field and type the name in quotation marks like this: "John Sears." You will have to do an additional search for names with initials such as "John C. Sears" but that's still easier than reading all the ads for Sears stores, or whatever your name might be confused with.
 * Spirit Lake Beacon. 1870- 1889 Spirit Lake, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Milford Mail. 1937-1941, 1943-1957 Milford, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Lake Park News. 1958-1977 Lake Park, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Terril Record. 1935-1956 Terril, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Dickinson County Newspapers etc

Probate Records

 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

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

Tax Records

 * 1934-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Birth
Iowa began keeping vital records in 1880. Look in the Library catalog to find what is available for Dickinson county.
 * 1850-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1935 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
 * 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

Libraries
Dickinson County Historical Society 1708 Keokuk Street Spirit Lake IA 51360-1020 Spirit Lake Public Library 702 16th Street Spirit Lake IA 51360 Telephone:712-336-2667 Website

Websites
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 * State Historical Society of Iowa — Select from research collection topics
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions
 * State Library of Iowa — electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies
 * IAGenWeb Project — Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives — Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * genealogytrails.com -Dickinson County page — Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * genealogytrails.com -Dickinson County page — Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions


 * – 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.