Decatur County, Iowa Genealogy

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



Description
Decatur County was named for Stephen Decatur Jr and is located in southern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Decatur County Courthouse 207 N Main Street Leon, IA 50144-1647 Phone: 515-446-4331 Decatur 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 Co., 1887. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * History of Decatur County, Iowa, and its People. 2 volumes. By J.M. Howell and C Smith Heman. Chicago, IL: J. S. Clarke Publishing Co., 1915. Online at: Vol. I -  FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vols. I & II - HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * Decatur County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * Iowa, State Employees at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints LDS Ward and Branch Records
 * Garden Grove

Lutheran
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($)

Court Records

 * 1871-1922 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1873-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1886-1904 (*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1893-1903 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1925-1976 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images

Funeral Homes

 * Slade-O'Donnell Funeral Home in Leon

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1856-1866   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1872-1945   at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1881-1874   at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * 1886-1902   at FamilySearch Catalog - index and images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust;.
 * History of Decatur County, Iowa, and its People. 2 volumes. By J.M. Howell and C Smith Heman. Chicago, IL: J. S. Clarke Publishing Co., 1915. Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vols. I & II - HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Decatur County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Decatur County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1886-1916 Fire Insurance Maps for Decatur County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1916.
 * Decatur County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Decatur County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Decatur County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Decatur 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 Decatur 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 Civil War service men in Decatur 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 D
 * - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 48th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company C

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1876-1928 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog —index, images
 * 1930-1936 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog —images

Newspapers

 * 1938 Leon Journal Record. 1938 Leon, 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 & images ($)
 * 1871-1952 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & 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 & images ($)
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1926 Assessor's book 1926 New Buda Township, Decatur County, Iowa. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.


 * 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 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 ($)

Divorce

 * 1891-1991 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Indianola Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Osceola Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Oskaloosa Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Red Rock Iowa FamilySearch Center

Libraries
Lamoni Public Library 301 W Main Street Lamoni, IA 50140 Phone: 641-784-6686 Email: [mailto:lamonipl@grm.net lamonipl@grm.net] Website Facebook Leon Public Library 200 W 1st Street Leon, IA 50144 Phone: 641-446-6332 Email: [mailto:john@leon.lib.ia.us john@leon.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook

Museums
Liberty Hall 1138 W Main Street Lamoni, IA 50140 Phone: 641-784-6133 Email: [mailto:libhall@grm.net libhall@grm.net] Website Facebook '''

Societies
Decatur County Genealogical Society Lamoni Public Library 301 West Main Lamoni, IA 50140 Phone: 641-784-6686 Email: [mailto:lamonipl@grm.net lamonipl@grm.net] Facebook Decatur County Historical Society 100 Block of North Main Leon, IA 50140 Email: [mailto:rjbixby@grm.net rjbixby@grm.net] Website Facebook

Websites

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