Warren County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Warren County was named for Gen. Joseph Warren and is located in south-central Iowa.

County Courthouse
Warren County Courthouse 2205 West 2nd Avenue Indianola, IA 50125 Phone: 515-961-1033 Warren 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

 * Index of Warren County Transcribed Bible Records at IAGenWeb Project — transcriptions

Biographies

 * The History of Warren County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c., a Biographical Directory of its Citizens. Des Moines: Union Historical Company, 1879. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust, My Genealogy Hound — transcriptions.
 * History of Warren County, Iowa: From Its Earliest Settlement to 1908... With Biographical Sketches of Some Prominent citizens of the county By W.C. Martin, D.D. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1908. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust.


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

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * Iowa, State Employees at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

Census Records

 * 1850 Warren County, Iowa Transcriptions US GenWeb
 * 1853 Warren County Transcriptions, Iowa State Census IA GenWeb

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
 * 1860 Warren County, Iowa link to index pages and transcriptions
 * Census of part of Warren County, Iowa, 1853
 * Mrs. Ethel McGlothlen, Special Iowa census part of Warren County, Iowa, 1853

Church Records

 * 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records


 * FamilySearch Places

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

Court Records

 * 1849-1861 (*); Clerk of District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1875-1941 (*); Clerk of District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

 * 1879 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images


 * 1896- (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Iles Arrangement Center in Des Moines and West Des Moines
 * O'Leary Funeral and Cremation Services in Norwalk
 * Overton Funeral Home in Indianola
 * Peterson Funeral Services in Carlisle and Indianola
 * Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Lacona and Milo

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

 * History of Warren County, Iowa. By Gerard Schultz and Don L. Berry. Indianola, IA: The Record and Tribune Co., 1953. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * The History of Warren County, Iowa. Des Moines: Union Historical Company, 1879. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * History of Warren County, Iowa: From Its Earliest Settlement to 1908. By W.C. Martin, D.D. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1908. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Warren County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Warren County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1886-1918 Fire Insurance Maps for Warren County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1918.
 * 1899 1899 Map of the City of Indianola, Library of Congress.
 * 1902-1903 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * IAGenWeb - Warren County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Warren County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Warren County at State Library of Iowa.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Warren County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.

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
 * 1861-1864 IAGenWeb Civil War Soldiers Enlistment Records (1861-1864)
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * IAGenWeb List of Warren County Pensioners on the Roll Jan 1, 1883
 * IAGenWeb Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Card File for Union Soldiers in the Civil War

Civil War service men in Warren 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 D
 * - 3rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 10th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B and G
 * - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
 * - 48th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company A

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1865-1925 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index, images

Newspapers

 * IA GenWeb Warren County Newspapers 1855-1896
 * Newspaper Archive Altoona Public Library Archives, Polk County (1876-2000)
 * Newspaper Archive Johnston Historical Society Archive, Polk County (1970-2007)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1830-1964 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1856-1927 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1865-1902 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1868-1932 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1877-1899 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1886-1960 (*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * IA GenWeb Warren County, Iowa Probate Index

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 & images ($)
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1849, 1855, 1865, 1876, 1935, 1936 Warren County, Iowa Tax Lists from IAGenWeb
 * 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 ($)
 * 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1849-1899 Index of Warren County Marriages (1849-1899) provided by the Warren County Historical Society
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

 * 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
 * 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 & images ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Des Moines Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Indianola Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Red Rock Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Iowa Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Des Moines Central Public Library 1000 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309 Phone: 515-283-4152 Email: [mailto:JTHobbs@dmpl.org JTHobbs@dmpl.org] Website Facebook

Museums
Altoona Area Historical Society Community Museum 104 2nd Street Altoona, IA 50009 Phone: 515-957-1352 Facebook Warren County Historical Society Museum 1300 W 2nd Street PO Box 256 Indianola, IA 50125-0256 Phone: 515-961-8085 Email: [mailto:contact@warrencountyhistory.org contact@warrencountyhistory.org] Website

Societies
Altoona Area Historical Society 104 2nd Street Altoona, IA 50009 Phone: 515-957-1352 Facebook Carlisle Area Historical Society 245 Pennsylvania Street PO Box 137 Carlisle, IA 50047-0137 Phone: 515-989-0403 Website Warren County Genealogical Society PO Box 151 Indianola, Iowa 50125-0151 Email: [mailto:wcgs@warrencountygenes.org wcgs@warrencountygenes.org] Website Warren County Historical Society 1300 W 2nd Street PO Box 256 Indianola, IA 50125-0256 Phone: 515-961-8085 Email: [mailto:contact@warrencountyhistory.org contact@warrencountyhistory.org] Website Facebook

Websites

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