Cedar County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Cedar County was named for the Cedar River and is located in east-central Iowa.

County Courthouse
Cedar County Courthouse 400 Cedar St Tipton, IA 52772 Phone: 563-886-2230 Cedar 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

 * Cedar 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 ($)

Methodist
 * 1860-1878 at FamilySearch Catalog — West Branch circuit Church Records

Court Records

 * 1839-1955 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1847-1858 (*); Sheriff at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1850-1980 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1856-1865 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1859-1866 (*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1868-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images

Directories

 * 1901 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Bentley Funeral Homes in Durant
 * Chapman Funeral Home in Clarence
 * Fry Funeral Home Inc. in Tipton
 * Henderson-Barker Funeral Homes in West Branch

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records


 * 1839-1957   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1841-1974   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1857-1954   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1871-1910   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes

Local Histories

 * An Historical Sketch of Gower Township, Cedar County, Iowa. By A.W. Jackson. n.p. n.p., 1901. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * The History of Cedar County with a History of Iowa. Chicago, Illinois Historical Pub. Co., 1901. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library, Vol. 2 -  FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * The History of Cedar County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Company, 1878.  Online at: FamilySearch, Internet Archive; . Subject and personal name index at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * A Topical History of Cedar County, Iowa. By C.A. Aurner. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1910. Online at:  Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive;.
 * Iowa Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Cedar County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Cedar County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1883-1949 Fire Insurance Maps for Cedar County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1883 and 1949.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Cedar County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Cedar County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Cedar County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Township Map of 1875 Cedar County, Iowa at My Genealogy Hound - with enlarged views of each township.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Cedar County at State Library of Iowa.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Cedar County for European settlers included:
 * Mormon Trail 1846 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

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 Cedar 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:
 * - 5th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 11th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Companies B, C, and D
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1860-1929 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Obituaries
Online Obituaries and Indexes
 * Cedar County Obituaries at Genealogy Trails

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 1835-1975 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1897-1939 (*); County Assessor 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry ($) — 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 ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Cedar Rapids Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Davenport Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Iowa City Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * African American Museum Of Iowa - an affiliate library
 * Cook Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * Genealogical Society of Linn County, Iowa - an affiliate library
 * Iowa City Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
West Branch Public Library 300 N Downey St P.O. Box 460 West Branch, IA 52358 Phone: 319-643-2633 Email: [mailto:staff@wbpl.org staff@wbpl.org] Website Tipton Public Library 206 Cedar St Tipton, IA 52772 Phone: 563-886-6266 Website

Museums
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum 210 Parkside Dr P.O. Box 488 West Branch, IA 52358 Phone: 319-643-5301 Email: [mailto:hoover.library@nara.gov hoover.library@nara.gov] Website Cedar County Historical Society Museum 1094 Hwy 38 P.O. Box 254 Tipton, IA 52772 Phone: 563-886-2899 Email: [mailto:cchsmus@netins.net cchsmus@netins.net] Website

Societies
Cedar County Genealogical Society Box 52 Tipton, IA 52772-0052 Website Cedar County Historical Society & Museum 1094 Hwy 38 Tipton, IA 52772 Phone: 563-886-2899 Email: [mailto:cchsmus@netins.net cchsmus@netins.net] Website Lowden Historical Society Museum and Library 503 Main St PO Box 15 Lowden IA 52255 Phone: 563-944-7700 Website

Websites

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