Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy

Guide to Mahaska 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 Mahaska. The County has Oskaloosa as its seat and the County was created 1843. The County is located in the south central area of the state.

History

 * The History of Mahaska County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &amp;c., a biographical directory of c at Ancestry.com ($)


 * Mahaska County Genealogy at BeforeTime.net (Free)
 * maps, biographies, personal references etc from sources prior to 1930
 * links to digital images of short histories, books, and maps

Parent County
1843--Mahaska County was created 17 February 1843 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Washington County prior to organization 1 March 1844. County seat: Oskaloosa

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.

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
Jasper • Keokuk •  Marion •  Monroe •  Poweshiek •  Wapello

Biographical

 * The History of Mahaska County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &amp;c., a biographical directory of c at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Mahaska County, Iowa Biographical Dictionary, 1887 at Ancestry.com ($)

Cemeteries

 * Iowa WPA Graves Registration Mahaska County
 * Iowa Gravestone Photo Project Mahaska County
 * Cemeteries in Mahaska County

Census

 * Population: 22,335 (2000); 21,522 (1990)

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

 * A Short History of Mahaska County, Iowa from A. T. Andreas' Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa. 1875
 * Roustabout History of Mahaska County, Iowa
 * The History of Mahaska County, Iowa 1878
 * 200+ Biographies from "Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa" by Manoah Hedge 1906
 * 500 Biographies from "Portrait &amp; Biographical Album of of Mahaska County, Iowa" copyright 1887
 * History of Scott Township, Mahaska County, Iowa by Robert I. Garden, c. Aug1907. Contains personal experiences in Scott TWP and in Civil War
 * Past and present of Mahaska County, Iowa at Ancestry.com ($)


 * The History of Mahaska County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &amp;c.,.Des Moines : Union Hist., 1878. Online at:, Internet Archive;
 * Proud Mahaska, 1843-1900. By Semira A. Phillips. Oskaloosa, Iowa : Herald Print, 1900., Internet Archive.
 * History of Mahaska, County (Iowa). By Manoah Hedge. Oskaloosa, Iowa, [1905?]. Online at:.
 * Portrait and Biographical Album of Mahaska County, Iowa. Chicago, IL, USA: Chapman Brothers, 1887. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa
 * 1875 Plat Maps this collection contains plat maps for the Townships of Adams, Black Oak, Cedar, Des Moines, Harrison, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Oskaloosa, Pleasant Grove, Prairie, Richland, Scott, Union, and White Oak.
 * 1895 Plat Map: Monroe Township
 * 1905 Plat Maps this collection contains plat maps for the Townships of Adams, Beacon and Oskaloosa, Black Oak, Cedar, Des Moines, Garfield and Lincoln, Harrison, Madison, Monroe, Pleasant Grove, Prairie, Richland, Scott, Spring Creek, Union, and White Oak.
 * 1913 Plat Maps this collection contains plat maps for most Townships.
 * 1914 Plat Maps this collection contains plat maps for most Townships.
 * 1920 Plat Maps this collection contains plat maps for most Townships.

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 H
 * - 7th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company C
 * - 8th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
 * - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company C
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
 * - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Oskaloosa Daily Herald. 1950, 1957, 1960, and 1965. Oskaloosa, 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 $

Keo-Mah Genealogical Society. Mahaska County, Iowas, Probates and Guardianships, 1844-1881. Des Moines: Iowa Genealogical Society, 1992.

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
KEO-MAH Genealogical Society 209 A Ave East Oskaloosa, IA 52577-2807 Telephone:641-673-9373 Website

Family History Centers
Oskaloosa Iowa Family History Center 1714 Pella Ave, Oskaloosa, IA 52577

United States Location Map