Wapello County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Wapello County was named for Chief Wapello of the Musquakee tribe and is located in southeastern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Wapello County Courthouse 101 West 4th Street Ottumwa, IA 52501 Phone: 641-683-0060 Wapello 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

 * Wapello County Bible Records at USGenWeb Iowa Archives

Biographies

 * A History of Wapello County, Iowa Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c., Including a Biographical Directory. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Publishing, 1878. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * Portrait and Biographical Album of Wapello County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Chapman Brothers, 1887. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($)


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

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

 * FamilySearch Places

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

Court Records

 * 1844-1866 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1844-1934 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1856-1863 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1874-1887 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 *  1879-1897 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Cranston Family Funeral Home in Eldon
 * Eddyville Funeral Chapel in Eddyville
 * Reece Funeral Home in Ottumwa
 * Sinnott Funeral Home in Ottumwa

Local Histories

 * A History of Wapello County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Publishing, 1878. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * History of Wapello County, Iowa. By Harrison L. Waterman. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1914. Online at: Vol. I - Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vols. I & II - Ancestry ($).
 * History of Wapello County, Iowa, and representative citizens. By S.B. Evans. Chicago, IL: Chicago Biographical Publication, 1901. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.


 * Iowa Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Wapello County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Wapello County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1885-1931 Fire Insurance Maps for Wapello County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1885 and 1931.
 * General Highway and Transportation Map, Wapello County, Iowa at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * IAGenWeb - Wapello County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Wapello County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Wapello County at State Library of Iowa.
 * Wapello 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
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Civil War service men in Wapello 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:
 * - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
 * - 7th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F, I, and K
 * - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D and K
 * - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D and E
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 36th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B, D, E, and H
 * - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company C and K
 * - 1st Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company I

 World War I 
 * compiled and edited by Voight and Dunaway, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Honor roll of Wapello County, Iowa : an illustrated historical biography compiled from private authentic records. Cedar Rapids, Iowa : Voight and Dunaway, between 1919 and 1939

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1871-1906, 1915 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1879-1897 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Newspapers

 * 1903 — Ottumwa Daily Courier at Ancestry.com ($) — Ottumwa, IA, USA

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1844-1850 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1844-1864 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1844-1924 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1844-1934 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1856-1906 (*);District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1862-1900 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1876-1941 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * (*); 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 and images, ($)

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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

 * 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 and images, ($)

Divorce

 * 1906-1951 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Fairfield Iowa Family History Center
 * Oskaloosa Iowa Family History Center
 * Ottumwa Iowa Family History Center
 * Red Rock Iowa Family History Center

Libraries
Blakesburg Public Library 407 S Wilson Street PO Box 87 Blakesburg, IA 52536-0087 Phone: 641-938-2834 or 641-777-0048 Email: [mailto:library@blakesburg.lib.ia.us library@blakesburg.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook Eddyville Public Library 202 S 2nd Street PO Box 399 Eddyville, IA 52553-0399 Phone: 641-969-4815 Email: [mailto:friendsoftheddyvilleelibrary@gmail.com friendsoftheddyvilleelibrary@gmail.com] Website Facebook  Keck Memorial Library 119 N 2nd Street Wapello, IA 52653 Phone: 319-523-5261 Email: [mailto:webmaster@wapello.lib.ia.us webmaster@wapello.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook Ottumwa Public Library 102 W 4th Street Ottumwa, IA 52501 Phone: 641-682-7563 Email:[mailto:ref@ottumwapubliclibrary.org ref@ottumwapubliclibrary.org] Website Facebook

Museums
Iowa Heartland History Connection 700 Farm Credit Drive Ottumwa, IA 52501 Phone: 641-682-8676 Email: [mailto:director@iaheartland.org director@iaheartland.org] Website

Societies
Wapello County Genealogical Society 102 E Main Street PO Box 163 Ottumwa, IA 52501-0163 Email: [mailto:info@wapellocountygs.com info@wapellocountygs.com] Website Wapello County Historical Society Iowa Heartland History Connection 700 Farm Credit Drive Ottumwa, IA 52501 Phone: 641-682-8676 Email: [mailto:research@iaheartland.org research@iaheartland.org] Website

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