Jackson County, Iowa Genealogy

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



Description
Jackson County was named for Andrew Jackson and it is located in eastern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Jackson County Courthouse 201 W Platt Street Maquoketa, IA 52060 Phone: 563-652-3181 Jackson County Iowa

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:

Biographies

 * Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa, Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County. Chicago, IL: Chapman Brothers Publishing, 1889. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($).


 * Jackson 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
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

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

 * 1851-1860 (*); County Judge at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1860-1932 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1867-1932 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1868-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1895-1937 (*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1907-1926 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

 * 1878 Owen's Gazeteer and Directory of Jackson County, Iowa: Complete Alphabetical Directory. 1878. Davenport, IA: Owen Publishing Co., (reprint: Marceline, MO: Walworth). Online at: — images (*), Internet Archive.
 * 1907 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa
 * Dawson Funeral Services in Maquoketa
 * Hachmann-Mier Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Bellevue
 * Kingery Funeral Home in Bellevue
 * Law Jones Funeral Home in Preston

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1832-1884   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1836-1916   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1841-1857   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1855-1944   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1859-1958   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1861-1934   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1866-1916   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1867-1932   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * Annals of Jackson County Iowa. Number One, Vol 1-7. Maquoketa, IA: Jackson County Historical Society, 1905. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * Andrew: the Way It Was and Is, Andrew's Bicentennial. By Patricia B. Cornelius & Olga Cornelius Lutz. Maquoketa, IA: Tri-States Publications, 1977. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * History of Jackson County, Iowa. James Whitcomb Ellis. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1910. Online at:  Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II -  FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * The History of Jackson County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, its Cities, Towns, &c. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Company, 1879. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Jackson County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Jackson County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1885-1918 Fire Insurance Maps for Jackson County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1885 and 1918.
 * IAGenWeb - Jackson County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Jackson County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Jackson County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Jackson County at State Library of Iowa.
 * 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
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War service men in Jackson 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 B
 * - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company L and M
 * - 5th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 9th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 12th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A, I, and K
 * - 44th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1857-1941 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * 1954-1959 The Jackson Sentinel. 1954-55, and 1959. Maquoketa, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1954 Jackson Sentinel. 1954. Hackson, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1838-1938 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1838-1985 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1907-1926 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images

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
 * 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 ($)
 * 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 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 ($)

Divorce

 * 1848-1865, 1906-1984  (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Cedar Rapids Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Dubuque Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Sterling Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * African American Museum Of Iowa - an affiliate library
 * Genealogical Society of Linn County Iowa dba Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy Library - an affiliate library
 * Clinton Public Library - Lyons Branch - an affiliate library

Libraries
Maquoketa Public Library 126 S 2nd Street Maquoketa, IA 52060 Phone: 563-652-3874 Email: [mailto:staff@maquoketa.lib.ia.us staff@maquoketa.lib.ia.us] Website

Museums
Jackson County Museum 1212 E. Quarry Street Maquoketa, IA 52060 Phone: 563-652-5020 Website

Societies
Jackson County Genealogical Chapter PO Box 1065 Maquoketa, IA 52060 Phone: 563-652-5020 Email: [mailto:jcgeniesia@yahoo.com jcgeniesia@yahoo.com] Website Jackson County Historical Society PO Box 1245 Maquoketa, IA 52060 Phone: 563-652-5020 Email: [mailto:museum@jciahs.com museum@jciahs.com] Website

Websites

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