Taylor County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Taylor County was named for Zachary Taylor and is located in southwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Taylor County Courthouse 403 Jefferson Street, Suite 4 Bedford, IA 50833 Phone: 712-523-2095 Tama 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:

Bible Records

 * Taylor County Bible Records at IAGenWeb Project

Biographies

 * History of Taylor County, Iowa, From the Earliest Historic Times to 1910: also biographical sketches. By Frank E. Crosson. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub., 1910. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).


 * Taylor 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

Funeral Homes

 * Armstrong Funeral Home in Clearfield
 * Cummings Family Funeral Home in Bedford
 * Ritchie Funeral Home in Lenox

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * History of Taylor County, Iowa. Des Moines, IA: State Historical, 1881. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * History of Taylor County, Iowa, From the Earliest Historic Times to 1910. By Frank E. Crosson. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub., 1910. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Taylor County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Taylor County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1886-1933 Fire Insurance Maps for Taylor County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1933.
 * IAGenWeb - Taylor County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Taylor County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Taylor County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Taylor 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
 * 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 Taylor 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 K
 * - 10th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company C
 * - 14th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 28th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
 * - 29th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F and K
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company D

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1868-1928 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1852-1934 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1859-1927 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

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
 * 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 ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Osceola Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Shenandoah Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Danish Immigrant Museum - an affiliate library

Libraries
Bedford Public Library 507 Jefferson Street Bedford, IA 50833 Phone: 712-523-2828 Email: [mailto:bedfordlibrary@mchsi.com bedfordlibrary@mchsi.com] Website

Museums
Taylor County Historical Museum 1001 Pollock Boulevard Bedford, IA 50833 Phone: 712-523-2041 Email: [mailto:taylorcomuseum@frontiernet.net taylorcomuseum@frontiernet.net] Website

Societies
Taylor County Genealogical Society Box 8 Gravity, Iowa 50848 Website

Websites

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