Clinton County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Clinton County was named for DeWitt Clinton and is located in eastern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Clinton County Courthouse 612 North 2nd Street Clinton, IA 52732 Phone: 563-243-6210 Clinton 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

 * Clinton County Iowa Bibles at USGenWeb Iowa Archives - transcriptions

Biographies

 * The Biographical record of Clinton County, Iowa. 1901. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archve; Hathitrust — index and images; Ancestry.com ($) — index and images.
 * Portrait and biographical album of Clinton County, Iowa : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of Iowa. 1886. Chicago, IL: Chapman Brothers.  Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Clinton 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

 * 1849-1931 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1860-1905 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1861-1870 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1869-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

 * 1869- (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1876 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1883-84 & 1890 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records


 * 1840-1885   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1840-1886   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1864-1920   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1865-1933   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * Portrait and biographical album of Clinton County, Iowa : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of Iowa and of the Presidents of the United States, also containing a history of the county from its earliest settlement up to the present time. Chapman Brothers, Chicago, IL., 1886.  Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * The Biographical record of Clinton County, Iowa. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Ancestry.com ($)
 * Youle, Estelle LePrevost. History of Clinton County, Iowa.  1946. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Wolfe, Patrick B. Wolfe's history of Clinton County, Iowa. B.F. Bowen and Company, Indianapolis, IN., 1911. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Owen, F. E.  The Centennial 1776 to 1876 Gazetteer and directory of Clinton county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and of the cities of Clinton and Lyons... J. C. Hopkins Printer. Lyons, IA, 1876. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * The History of Clinton County, Iowa containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &amp;c., biographical sketches of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of the northwest, history of Iowa, map of Clinton County, constitution of the United States, miscellaneous matters,....Chicago Western Historical, 1879. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internetarchive; Hathitrust

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Clinton County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1874-2007 Clinton County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1868-1936 Fire Insurance Maps for Clinton County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1868 and 1936.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Clinton County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Clinton County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Clinton County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Clinton County at State Library of Iowa.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- 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 Clinton 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 Infantry, Company I
 * - 8th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 16th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 26th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, all companies, A-K
 * - 44th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1855-1955 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — 3 indexes, images
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1861-1870 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1870-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Newspapers

 * 1896-1897 The Clinton Mirror, Clinton, 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 and images ($)
 * 1840-1885   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1841-1930   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1851-1925   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1865-1933   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1869-1938   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1909-1923   at FamilySearch Catalog - 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

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 ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

Family History Centers
To locate the closest family history center or affiliate library, use the link listed above.
 * Clinton Public Library Lyons Branch - an affiliate library

Libraries
Clinton Public Library 306 8th Avenue South Clinton, IA 52732 563-242-8441 E-mail: [mailto:info@clintonpubliclibrary.us info@clintonpubliclibrary.us] Website Facebook Lyons Branch, Clinton Public Library - Local History & Genealogy Center 105 Main Avenue Clinton, IA 52732 563-242-5355 E-mail: [mailto:lyons@clintonpubliclibrary.us lyons@clintonpubliclibrary.us] Website Facebook

Museums
Clinton County Historical Society Museum 601 South 1st Street PO Box 2435 Clinton, IA 52732-2435 563-242-1201 E-mail: [mailto:clintoncomuseum@gmail.com clintoncomuseum@gmail.com] Website Facebook Central Community Historical Society Museum 628 6th Avenue DeWitt, IA 52742 563-659-3686 E-mail: [mailto:centralcommhissoc@hotmail.com centralcommhissoc@hotmail.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Central Community Historical Society 628 6th Avenue DeWitt, IA 52742 563-659-3686 E-mail: [mailto:ahsoenk@gmail.com ahsoenk@gmail.com] Website Clinton County Historical Society Dept IAGW PO Box 2435 Clinton, IA 52732-2435 563-242-1201 E-mail: [mailto:clintoncomuseum@gmail.com clintoncomuseum@gmail.com] Website Facebook
 * Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope if sending a request by mail. A small donation to cover copy and mailing expenses is suggested.

Websites

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