Ringgold County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Ringgold County was named for Samuel Ringgold and is located in southwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Ringgold County Courthouse 109 West Madison, Suite 203 Mount Ayr, IA 50854 Phone: 641-464-3234 Ringgold 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

 * Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Company, 1887. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Company, 1887. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Early History of Ringgold County, 1844-1937. By Mary McClaren Lesan. c1937. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Ringgold County Honor Roll of Distinguished Citizens 1976. By Ringgold County Bicentennial Committee. Mount Ayr, IA: Mount Ayr Records News Print, 1976. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.


 * Ringgold 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

Directories

 * 1837-1989 (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index


 * 1896 Directory, Ringgold County, Iowa, 1896. 1896, Mount Ayr, IA: Twice-A-Week-News. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.


 * 1899 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images


 * 1907, 1922 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Armstrong Funeral Homes in Mount Ayr

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records


 * 1854-1882   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1855-1927   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1856-1990   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1865-1939   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Company, 1887. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Company, 1887. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Early History of Ringgold County, 1844-1937. By Mary McClaren Lesan. c1937. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Ringgold County History, Iowa. By the Iowa Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration, 1942. Online at:, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Ringgold County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Ringgold County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1886-1936 Fire Insurance Maps for Ringgold County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1936.
 * IAGenWeb - Ringgold County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Ringgold County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Ringgold County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Ringgold 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 Civil War
 * 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Ringgold County Military Links

Civil War service men in Ringgold 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:
 * - 4th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 29th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company E

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1868-1957 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Newspapers

 * 1888-1897 Mt Ayr Journal. Mount Ayr, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Obituaries

 * Ringgold County, Iowa Obituary Collection at GenealogyBuff.com - Various Funeral Homes in the Mount Ayr and Ringgold County area.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1855-1929 (*) Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1858-1880 (*) Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1864-1924 (*) District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1864-1957 (*) District Court 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 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 and images ($)

Divorce

 * 1893-1911 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1906-1926 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Des Moines Iowa Family History Center
 * Indianola Iowa Family History Center
 * Osceola Iowa Family History Center
 * Iowa Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Mt Ayr Public Library 121 W Monroe Street Mt Ayr, IA 50854 Phone: 641-464-2159 Email: [mailto:mlibrary@mchsi.com mlibrary@mchsi.com] Website

Societies
Ringgold County Chapter Iowa Genealogical Society 204 W. Jefferson Mount Ayr, IA 50854 Website Ringgold County Historical Society, Inc. Mount Ayr, IA 50854 Phone: 515-464-2615 Website

Websites

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