Calhoun County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Calhoun County was named for John C. Calhoun and is located in the west-central area of Iowa.

County Courthouse
Calhoun County Courthouse 416 4th Street PO Box 273 Rockwell City, IA 50579-0273 Phone: 712-297-8122 Calhoun 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:

History Timeline

 * 1853 Calhoun County was formerly Fox County, until the name changed 22 January 1853.
 * Attached to Green and Boone Counties prior to organization. ''

Bible Records

 * Calhoun County Bible Records at USGenWeb Iowa Archives

Biographies

 * A Biographical Record of Calhoun County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,  1902. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Past and Present of Calhoun County, Iowa. By Beaumont Stonebraker. Chicago, IL: Pioneer Pub. Co., 1915. Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * Calhoun County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
 * Calhoun County Bios, IAGenWeb Project

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
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places
 * Calhoun County Churches, at IAGenWeb

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

Court Records

 * 1907-1922 (*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories
Calhoun County Directories, at IAGenWeb

Funeral Homes

 * Brown Funeral Home in Lohrville
 * Larson-Weishaar Funeral Home in Manson
 * Palmer and Swank Funeral Homes in Rockwell City
 * Powers Funeral Home, Lampe and Powers Funeral Home in Lake City and Pomeroy

Local Histories

 * Calhoun County Pioneer History. By Murl O. Black. Lohrville, Iowa: M.O. Black, 1995. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * Past and Present of Calhoun County, Iowa. By Beaumont Stonebraker. Chicago, IL: Pioneer Pub. Co., 1915. Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vols. I & II - HathiTrust;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Calhoun County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1904-2007 Calhoun County 1904-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1909-1932 Fire Insurance Maps for Calhoun County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1909 and 1932.
 * Calhoun County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * Calhoun County Maps, at IAGenWeb
 * Iowa Digital Library, Calhoun County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Calhoun 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 Record; index
 * 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Record; index
 * Calhoun County Military, at IAGenWeb

Civil War
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Record; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Record; index and images
 * 1873-1906 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1907-1929 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Newspapers
Online Newspapers Records and Indexes
 * 1956, 1975 Lake City Graphic. Lake City, IA, USA at Ancestry ($)
 * 1938 Jewell Record. Jewell, IA, USA at Ancestry ($)

Obituaries
Calhoun County Obits, an IAGenWeb Project

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa Wills and Probate Records 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 1873-1924  (*); County Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1885-1928 (*); County Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

School Records
Calhoun County Schools, at IAGenWeb

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

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
 * 1883-1921 Calhoun County Births, at IAGenWeb

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
 * 1857-1900 Calhoun County Marriages, at IAGenWeb
 * 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 ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 1880-1900 Calhoun County Deaths, at IAGenWeb

Family History Centers

 * Ames Iowa Family History Center
 * Fort Dodge Iowa Family History Center
 * Storm Lake Iowa Family History Center

Libraries
Rockwell City Public Library 424 Main St Rockwell City, IA 50579 Phone: 712-297-8422 Email: [mailto:director@rockwellcity.lib.ia.us director@rockwellcity.lib.ia.us] Website

Museums
The Calhoun County Historical Museum 150 High St P.O. Box 162 Rockwell City, IA 50579 Phone: 712-297-8139 Email: [mailto:calhouncountyiowahistory@gmail.com calhouncountyiowahistory@gmail.com] Website

Websites

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