Osceola County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the chief of the Seminole. The County has Sibley as its seat and the County was created 1871. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

Parent County
1851--Osceola County was created 15 January 1851 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Woodbury County prior to organization 1 January 1872. County seat: Sibley

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Iowa County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Iowa County Boundary Maps" (1816-1872) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this 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:

Neighboring Counties
Clay • Dickinson •  Lyon •  O'Brien •  Sioux •  Jackson County, Minnesota •  Nobles County, Minnesota

Census
State Census
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1915 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1925 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Local Histories

 * History of Osceola County, Iowa: From its Organization to the Present Time. By D.A.W. Perkins. Sioux Falls, S. D. : Brown &amp; Saenger, 1892. Online at: Google Books


 * Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties. By J. L. E. Peck, O.H. Montzheimer, and William J. Miller. Indianapolis, Indiana : B.F. Bowen, 1914. Online at: Vol. 1, Vol. 2 , Vol. 1 and 2 Internet Archive, HathiTrust;.


 * Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties, Iowa at Ancestry.com ($)

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa

Military

 * 1835-1998 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1949 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1862-1910 - at FamilySearch — index

Newspapers
NewspaperArchive.com ($) has a large collection of digitized Iowa newspapers online. This database is sometimes free at libraries.


 * The Osceola Sentinel. 1951 and 1959. Osceola, IA, USA.Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1758 - 1997 Iowa Wills and Probate Records 1758-1997 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Taxation

 * 1934-1958 - at FamilySearch — index

Births

 * 1850-1939 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1921-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriages

 * 1518-1996 - Iowa, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1838-1934 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Deaths

 * 1850-1990 - at FamilySearch - index
 * 1880-1992 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1904-1951 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries
See also a List of Iowa Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Family History Centers

 * Osceola Iowa Family History Center Highway 34 East Osceola IA 50213

United States