Fayette County, Iowa Genealogy

Guide to Fayette 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 Marquis de Lafayette. The County has West Union as its seat and the County was created 1837. The County is located in the north east area of the state.

Parent County
1837--Fayette County was created 21 December 1837 from Dubuque County. it was attached to Clayton County prior to organiztoin 7 February 1859. County seat:  West Union

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.

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
Allamakee • Black Hawk •  Bremer •  Buchanan •  Chickasaw •  Clayton •  Delaware •  Winnishiek

Record Loss
1872 Courthouse was burned.

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

Lutheran
Clermont


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

Hope Lutheran Church, Westgate


 * Records of the Hope Lutheran Church, Westgate, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Richfield


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

West Union


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

History

 * Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Fayette County Historical Society. Heritage of Fayette County, Iowa, 1996. West Union, Iowa] : Fayette County, IA Heritage Book Committee, c1996.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Peterman, Thomas Draper. Historical sketches of Fayette County, Iowa, in the 40's and 50's. [S.l. : s.n., 19--?].
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * The History of Fayette County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &amp;c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers, history of the northwest, history of Iowa, map of Fayette County. Chicago : Western Historical Co., 1878.
 * Online at Internetarchive (Free)
 * Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa : illustrated. Marceline, Mo. : Walsworth, [197-?].
 * Vol 1 Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Vol 2 Online at FamilySearch (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

 * - 3rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company C
 * - 9th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
 * - 12th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company C
 * - 15th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company H
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company D

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online including Waterloo newspapers that may have included Fayette County residents. This database is free at some libraries.
 * The Oelwein Daily Register. 1841-1848 Oelwein, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Records


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

Fayette County probate case files are scheduled to become available for free online at FamilySearch as images become available. For more information, click here.

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

Iowa, Fayette County Probate Case Files (FamilySearch Historical Records)


 * 1851-1928 — Fayette County Probate Records at FamilySearch.org — browsable images only;

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

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

Courthouses
Fayette County Courthouse 114 North Vine Street P.O. Box 226 West Union, IA 52175 (563) 422-3687   Fayette County

Family History Centers



 * Cedar Falls/Waterloo Iowa Family History Center 3006 Pleasant Drive, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 United States; Phone: 319-266-6374; Location Map

Societies
Fayette County Historical &amp; Genealogical Society 100 North Walnut Street West Union, Iowa 52175 Telephone:563-422-5797 E-mail: [mailto:fayettehistorical@gmail.com fayettehistorical@gmail.com] Website

Oelwein Area Genealogical Society P.O. Box 389 Oelwein, IA 50662-0389 E-mail: [mailto:Oelwein_Area_Genealogical_Society@hotmail.com Oelwein_Area_Genealogical_Society@hotmail.com] Website

Places
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog