Benton County, Iowa Genealogy

Guide to Benton 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 Thomas Hart Benton. The County has Vinton as its seat and the County was created 1837. The County is located in the east central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Benton County Courthouse 111 E. 4th St. P. O. Box 719 Vinton, IA 52349-1771

(319) 833-3012

Benton County

Parent County
1837--Benton County was created 21 December 1837 from Dubuque County. Benton County was attached to Jackson and Linn Counties prior to organization 1 March 1846. County seat: Vinton

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.

Records Loss
1853 Courthouse burned but there was no record loss.

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog



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
Black Hawk • Buchanan •  Iowa  •  Johnson •  Linn •  Poweshiek •  Tama

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

Lutheran

 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, El Dorado, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Local Histories

 * The history of Benton County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &amp;c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of the Northwest, history of Iowa, map of Benton County, Constitution of the United States, miscellaneous matters &amp;c. Chicago, Illinois : Western Historical Co., 1878.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Jones, Tracy. Notes from the 1878 "History of Benton County". Published by the Chicago Western Historical Company.
 * Online at IAGenweb (Free)

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

Civil War

 * - 5th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 8th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
 * - 13th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 16th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
 * - 28th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Companies A and D
 * - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company C

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online including Cedar Rapids newspapers and Waterloo newspapers that may have included Benton County residents. This database is free at some libraries.
 * Digital Archives of The Belle Plaine Community Library's Link website has historical newspapers of Belle Plaine, Benton, Iowa. Publication tiles found: The Belle Plaine Union, Every Other Daily Union, South Benton Star Press, Star Press Union, The Belle Plaine Union and Herald, Lever, Independent, Fontanelie Observer, Preston Times, The Bedford Times Press. Years covered: 1883 - 2012. Link
 * The Benton County Historical Society's Link website has historical newspapers of Venton, Benton, Iowa. Publication tiles found: The Vinton Eagle, Vinton Semi-Weekly Eagle, The Semi-Weekly Vinton Eagle. Years covered: 1855 - 1926. Link
 * Vinton Review Newspaper - Nov 2014 Historical Board have approved to have it scanned and place online. It covers Jan 7, 1898 to Dec 27, 1917. The printing of it is so clear it looks like is ws published yesterday. It should be avilable in a month. Infomation from Matha Long

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
Benton County Genealogical Society 1808 9th Avenue Belle Plaine, IA 52208 Website

Benton County Historical Society PO Box 22 Vinton, IA 52349 Telephone:319- 472-4325 Website

Family History Centers
Belle Plaine Iowa Family History Center 1st Ave &amp; 16th Belle Plaine IA 52208 United States Location Map