Adams County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Adams County was named for John Adams and is located in southwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Adams County Courthouse 500 9th Street Corning, IA 50841 Phone: 641-322-4711 Adams 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

 * Adams County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb
 * Biographical History of Montgomery and Adams Counties, Iowa. 1892. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, IAGenWeb Project.

Cemeteries

 * Adams County, Iowa Cemeteries. 1986. By Adams County Genealogical Society (Prescott, Iowa). Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

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
List of Churches and Church Parishes Lutheran
 * FamilySearch Places
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($)

Court Records

 * 1907-1943 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1919 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Coen-Beaty-Pearson Family Funeral in Lenox
 * Pearson Family Funeral Service & Cremation Center in Corning
 * Ritchie Funeral Home - Lenox in Lenox
 * Roland Ritchie Funeral Home in Corning

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1855-1901 and 1854-1924  at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1857-1901 and 1867-1912  at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * 1857-1895 at FamilySearch - images.
 * Biographical History of Montgomery and Adams Counties, Iowa. 1892. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, IAGenWeb Project.
 * A Brief history of Corning and Adams County, Iowa, on the occasion of observing Corning's first 100 years. 1957. Corning, Iowa: Free Press Publishing Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * History of Adams County, Iowa. 1984. Corning, Iowa: Adams County History Book Committee. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1886-1907 Fire Insurance Maps for Adams County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1907.
 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Adams County at Ancestry ($) - index
 * 1875-2007 Adams County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * Adams County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog
 * Iowa Digital Library, Adams County at Iowa University Libraries
 * Maps at IAGenWeb
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Adams 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 Civil War service men in Adams 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:
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * - 4th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
 * - 29th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records


 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * Historical Iowa Newspapers at NewspaperArchive ($)
 * Adams County Free Press (Corning, Iowa) at Ancestry ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1858-1934  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 ($)
 * 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

Death

 * 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

Divorce

 * 1905-1943 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Family History Centers
To locate the closest family history center or affiliate library, use the link listed above.

Libraries
Corning Public Library 603 9th Street Corning, IA 50841 641-322-3866 Email: [mailto:cornpl@mchsi.com cornpl@mchsi.com] Website Prescott Public Library 607 2nd Street Prescott, IA 50859 641-335-2238 Email: [mailto:prescottlibrary@windstream.net prescottlibrary@windstream.net] Website

Museums
French Icarian Colony Foundation 710 Davis Ave Suite 1 Corning, IA 50841 641-322-4717 Email: [mailto:icaria@frontiernet.net icaria@frontiernet.net] Website

Societies
Adams County Genealogical Society Public Library 603 9th Street Corning, IA 50841-1034 Email: [mailto:rgcox2@gmail.com rgcox2@gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * State Historical Society of Iowa — Select from research collection topics
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural insitutions
 * State Library of Iowa — electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies
 * IAGenWeb Project Adams County
 * USGenWeb Archives — Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * Adams County at Cyndi's List.
 * Genealogy Trails
 * – 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.