Clay County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Clay County was named for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Clay_Jr. Henry Clay Jr.] and is located in northwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Clay County Courthouse 215 West 4th Street Spencer, IA 51301 Phone: 712-262-1569 Clay 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

 * History of Clay County, Iowa, From its Earliest Settlement to 1909 : also biographical sketches of many prominent citizens. By Samuel Gillespie and James Steele. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke, 1909. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Hathitrust.
 * Clay 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

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

Court Records

 * 1870-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1906-1948 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Warner Funeral Homes and Crematory in Everly, Peterson and Spencer

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1857-1867  at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1857-1931   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * History of Clay County, Iowa, From its Earliest Settlement to 1909. By Samuel Gillespie and James Steele. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke, 1909. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust;.
 * Northwestern Iowa, its History and Traditions, Comprising the Counties of ...Clay. By Arthur Francis Allen. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1927. Online at: HathiTrust, Ancestry ($);.
 * Iowa Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Clay County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1904-2007 Clay County 1904-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1893-1946 Fire Insurance Maps for Clay County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1893 and 1946.
 * Clay County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Clay County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Clay County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Clay 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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1866-1932 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1884-1906 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Newspapers

 * 1884-1936 Spencer Public Library Archives, Clay County at Spencer Public Library
 * 1951-1959 The Spencer Daily Reporter, Spencer, 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 ($)
 * 1870-1970 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1871-1911 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1894-1986 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1896-1903 (*); 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 and 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 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 ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Fort Dodge Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Sioux City Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Spencer Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Storm Lake Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Waseca County History Center - an affiliate library

Libraries
Kirchner-French Memorial Library 101 Main Street P.O. Box 203 Peterson, IA 51047-0203 Phone: 712-295-6705 Email: [mailto:kirchner@iowatelecom.net kirchner@iowatelecom.net] Website Facebook Ruthven Public Library 1301 Gowrie Street P.O. Box 280 Ruthven, IA 51358-0280 Phone: 712-837-4820 Email: [mailto:info@ruthven.lib.ia.us info@ruthven.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook Sioux Rapids Memorial Library 215 2nd Street P.O. Box 445 Sioux Rapids, IA 50585-0445 Phone: 712-283-2064 Email: [mailto:sxrlibrary@gmail.com sxrlibrary@gmail.com] Website Facebook Spencer Public Library 21 E 3rd Street Spencer, IA 51301 Phone: 712-580-7290 Email: [mailto:libraryinfo@spenceriowacity.com libraryinfo@spenceriowacity.com] Website Facebook

Museums
Clay County Heritage Center 7 Grand Avenue Spencer, IA 51301 Phone: 712-262-3304 Email: [mailto:info@claycountyheritage.org info@claycountyheritage.org] Website Facebook

Websites

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