Johnson County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Johnson 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]
Johnson County was named for Richard Mentor Johnson and is located in central Iowa.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Johnson County Courthouse
417 South Clinton Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
Phone: 319-356-6060
Johnson County Website
Johnson 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 |
| 1882 | 1839 | 1880 | 1839 | 1839 | 1839 | 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]
|
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 | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- 1836-1882 History of Johnson County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882, together with biographical sketches of many enterprising farmers, merchants, mechanics, professional and businessman;... at FamilySearch Catalog item 4 - images
- 1893 Portrait and biographical record of Johnson, Poweshiek and Iowa Counties, Iowa : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, also biographies of the presidents of the United States at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images.
- Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history. 1912. By Clarence Ray Aurner. Cedar Rapids, IA: Western Historical Press. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2.
- Johnson 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. | %± |
| 1850 | 4,472 | — |
| 1860 | 17,573 | 293.0% |
| 1870 | 24,898 | 41.7% |
| 1880 | 25,429 | 2.1% |
| 1890 | 23,082 | −9.2% |
| 1900 | 24,817 | 7.5% |
| 1910 | 25,914 | 4.4% |
| 1920 | 26,462 | 2.1% |
| 1930 | 30,276 | 14.4% |
| 1940 | 33,191 | 9.6% |
| 1950 | 45,756 | 37.9% |
| 1960 | 53,663 | 17.3% |
| 1970 | 72,127 | 34.4% |
| 1980 | 81,717 | 13.3% |
| 1990 | 96,119 | 17.6% |
| 2000 | 111,006 | 15.5% |
| 2010 | 130,882 | 17.9% |
| 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, ($)
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
- Iowa City, Iowa Semi-Centennial Directory, 1840-90 at Ancestry ($)
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
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
- 1839-1906 Deeds, 1839-1906; index, 1839-1905 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1840-1853 Assessor's book, 1840-1853 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1840-1859 Original entries, 1840-1859 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1840-1891 Mortgage index, 1840-1891 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1842-1846 Early county officers and land transfers, 1842-1846 at FamilySearch Catalog -images
- 1849-1870 Johnson Co., Iowa, early land entries of the Amish in Sharon and Washington townships, 1849-1870 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1872-1877 Bill of sale record, vol. 5, 1872-1877 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Johnson County, which may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Iowa Local Histories.
- Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history. 1912. By Clarence Ray Aurner. Cedar Rapids, IA: Western Historical Press. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2.
- Sketch of Johnson County, Iowa with a review of its early history and subsequent development, its educational, manufacturing, agricultural, and other interests. 1880. Iowa City, IA: Iowa Board of Trade. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
- Smith's Directory of Iowa City and Johnson County, for 1932. Edgar Smith Publisher, Dorchester, MA. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Constitution and records of the Claim Association of Johnson County, Iowa : with introduction and notes. By Benjamin F. Shambaugh. Iowa City, IA: The State Historical Society. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- The Directory for Johnson County, Iowa for 1878-1879. 1879. By H.W. Fyffe. Burlington, IA: Acres, Blackmar & Company Printers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Reports of Annual Reunion of the Old Settlers' Association yearbooks, 1866-1925, Johnson County, Iowa. 1925. By Aletha B. Redman. Online at:FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Johnson County history, Iowa. 1941. By Jessie M. Parker. Iowa City, IA: Johnson County Superintendent of Schools, The Work Project Administration. Online at: Ancestry.com ($).
- 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
- David Rumsey Map Collection is a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures.
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- 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
Civil War service men in Johnson 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:
- - 1st Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company F
- - 1st Regiment, Iowa Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company B
- - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company H
- - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company I and M
- - 6th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
- - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A, B, F, G, H, I, and K
- - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
- - 28th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
- - 44th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company D
- - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company G
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1859-1990 United States, Iowa Naturalization Records, 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1874-1876 Iowa City Volksfreund. 1874-76. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1891-1906 The Iowa Citizen. 1891-94, 1903, and 1905-06. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1892-1901 The Daily Citizen. 1892-93 and 1901. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1892-1919 The Iowa City Citizen. 1892, 1908-11, and 1916-19 Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1894 State Press. 1894. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1894 Daily State Press. 1894. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1899-1971 Daily Iowa State Press. 1899-1902, 1904, and 1971. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1903 Iowa State Press. 1903. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1904-1915 Iowa City Daily Press. 1904-15 Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1916 Iowa City Daily Citizen. 1916. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1920-1973 Iowa City Press Citizen. 1920-27, 1938-41, 1946-48, 1950-53, 1955, 1960, and 1968-73. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1926 Lone Tree Reporter. 1926. Johnson, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1939-1955 The Daily Iowan. 1939, 1947, and 1955. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- 1948-1955 The Iowa Quest. 1948-55. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
- Daily Iowan Newspaper Collection -- access to digitized versions of The Daily Iowan and its predecessors: the University Reporter (1868-81), the Vidette (1879-81), the Vidette-Reporter (1881-1901) and the University Mirror (1881). The newspaper editions are full text searchable.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Iowa, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
- 1839-1943 Court records, 1839-1943; indexes 1842-1934 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1847-1919 Probate records, 1847-1919 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1851-1914 FHL Collection at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1852-1912 Wills, 1852-1912 at FamilySearch Catalog - 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 ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1990 Iowa Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images
- 1880-1992 Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 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 Johnson 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
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Johnson County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
Iowa City Public Library
123 South Linn Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
319-356-5200
E-mail: https://www.icpl.org/services/ask
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Historical Society Museum
200 E. 9th Street
Suite 101
Coralville, IA 52241
319-569-4502
Website
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Johnson County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.
Iowa City Genealogical Society (Johnson County)
P.O. Box 822
Iowa City, IA 52244-0822
E-mail: cindylee53@aol.com
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Johnson County at IAGenWeb Project
- Johnson County at USGenWeb Archives
- 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
- Johnson County at Cyndi's List.
- Johnson County at Genealogy Trails.
- 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, "Johnson, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_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, "Johnson County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_County,_Iowa, accessed 29 September 2019.
