Clay County, Iowa Genealogy

United States Iowa  Clay County

Guide to Clay County Iowa ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Courthouse
Clay County Courthouse 215 W 4th Street Spencer, Iowa 51301

(712) 262-1081

Clay County

Parent County
1851--Clay County was created 15 January 1851 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Woodbury County prior to organization 15 October 1858. County seat:  Spencer

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
For a list of record loss in Iowa Counties see: Iowa Counties with Burned Courthouses

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

Neighboring Counties
Buena Vista • Cherokee • Dickinson • Emmet • O'Brien • Osceola • Palo Alto • Pocahontas

Census
Iowa recorded not only the federal census but state census through out the years too. The state census contains very valuable genealogical information. Where the census information can be found, what years it was taken, mortality schedules, census substitutions and much more is discussed in the very informative Iowa Census article.

Local Histories

 * Gillespie, Samuel. History of Clay County, Iowa, from its earliest settlement to 1909 : also biographical sketches of many prominent citizens of the county as well as its illustrious dead. Chicago, Illinois : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1909.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Iowa

Newspapers

 * Spencer Public Library Archives, Clay County (1884-1936)

Societies and Libraries
See also a List of Iowa Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies

Family History Centers

 * Spencer Iowa Family History Center 1701 W 11th St., Spencer, IA 51301 United States Location Map