Cherokee County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the Cherokee people. The County has Cherokee as its seat and the County was created 1851. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Cherokee County Courthouse 520 West Main Cherokee, IA 51012

(712) 225-6735

Cherokee County

Parent County
1851--Cherokee County was created 15 January 1851 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Woodbury County prior to organization 2 October 1858. County seat: Cherokee

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Iowa County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Iowa County Boundary Maps" (1816-1872) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

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:

Neighboring Counties
Buena Vista • Clay •  Ida •  O'Brien •  Plymouth •  Sac •  Sioux •  Woodbury

Biographical

 * Cherokee County, Iowa Biographical History, 1889 at Ancestry.com ($)

Census
Iowa recorded not only the federal census but state census through out the years too. The state census contains very valuable genealogical information. Where the census information can be found, what years it was taken, mortality schedules, census substitutions and much more is discussed in the very informative Iowa Census article.

State Census
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1915 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1925 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Local Histories

 * McCulla, Thomas. History of Cherokee County, Iowa. Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub., 1914.
 * Vol 1 Online at FamilySearch (Free) and at Googlebooks (Free)
 * Vol 2 Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Cherokee County, Iowa at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Biographical History of Cherokee County, Iowa. Chicago, IL, USA: W.S. Dunbar, 1889. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa

Military

 * 1835-1998 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1949 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1862-1910 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Aurelia Public Library Archives, Cherokee County (1886-1999)
 * Cherokee Daily Times. 1956 Cherokee, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1758 - 1997 Iowa Wills and Probate Records 1758-1997 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Taxation

 * 1934-1958 - at FamilySearch — index

Births

 * 1850-1939 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1921-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriages

 * 1518-1996 - Iowa, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1838-1934 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Deaths

 * 1850-1990 - at FamilySearch - index
 * 1880-1992 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1904-1951 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries
Cherokee County Treestumpers (now run by a single volunteer) 4820 M Avenue Meriden, IA 51037

Marcus Historical Society Genealogy Dept Box 321 Marcus, IA 51035 Arlene Telephone:503-577-068 or Linda Telephone:712-225-3681 E-mail: [mailto:gennote@hotmail.com gennote@hotmail.com] Website