Monona County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Monona County was named for the Indian word meaning "beautiful valley" and is located in western Iowa.

County Courthouse
Monona County Courthouse 610 Iowa Avenue Onawa, IA 51040 Phone: 712-423-2491 Monona 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:

Biographies

 * History of Monona County, Iowa: Containing Full-page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens. Chicago, IL: National Publishing Company, 1890. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * Monona 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

 * 1861-1878 (*); Clerk of the Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1869-ca.1887 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images

Funeral Homes

 * Armstrong - Van Houten Funeral Homes in Mapleton and Ute
 * Goslar Funeral Home and Monuments in Onawa

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1854-1870   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1854-1927   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1856-1927   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1866-1975   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1867-1940   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1895-1986   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * History of Monona County, Iowa: Containing Full-page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens. Chicago, IL: National Publishing Company, 1890. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Monona County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1863-2007 Monona County 1863-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1893-1942 Fire Insurance Maps for Monona County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1893 and 1942.
 * IAGenWeb - Monona County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Monona County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Monona County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Monona 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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 *  1861-1878 (*); Clerk of the Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1869-1882 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index, images
 * 1879-1938 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog —index, images
 * 1901-1903 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1903-1906 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1858-1954 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1867-1929 (*); Recorder 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 ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Logan Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Sioux City Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Danish Immigrant Museum - an affiliate library

Libraries
Fisher Whiting Memorial Library 609 Courtright Street Mapleton, IA 51034 Phone: 712-881-1312 Email: [mailto:staff@mapleton.lib.ai.us staff@mapleton.lib.ai.us] Website Facebook Onawa Public Library 707 Iowa Avenue Onawa, IA 51040 Phone: 712-423-1733 Email: [mailto:webmaster@onawa.lib.ia.us webmaster@onawa.lib.ia.us] Website

Societies
Monona County Genealogical Society Box 91 Smithland, IA 51056 Website Monona County Historical Museum/Loess Hills Historical Society 101 12th Street PO Box 382 Onawa, IA 51040-0382 Phone: 712-423-3452 Facebook

Websites

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