Wayne County, Iowa Genealogy

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



Description
Wayne County was named for Anthony Wayne and is located in south-central Iowa.

County Courthouse
Wayne County Courthouse 100 N Lafayette Street / P.O. Box 435 Corydon, IA 50060 Phone: 641-872-2264 Wayne 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 Wayne and Appanoose Counties, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Inter-State Publishing, 1886. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).


 * Wayne 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
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * FamilySearch Places
 * Bethlehem

Court Records

 * 1851-1932 (*);Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — indexes & images
 * 1873-1951 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — indexes & images
 * 1908-1946 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — indexes & images
 * 1923-1943 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — indexes & images

Directories

 * 1882-1885 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Service in Lineville
 * Randolph Funeral Home in Corydon
 * Roberson Funeral Home in Lineville
 * Thomas Funeral Homes in Corydon and Seymour

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

 * Biographical and Historical Record of Wayne and Appanoose Counties, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Inter-State Publishing, 1886. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * Past and Present of Lucas and Wayne Counties, Iowa. By Theodore M. Stewart. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1913.  Online at: Vol. I - Internet Archive; HathiTrust; Vol. II - Internet Archive, HathiTrust.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Wayne County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Wayne County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1893-1932 Fire Insurance Maps for Wayne County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1893 and 1932.
 * 1965 1965 Wayne County Plat Book at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * IAGenWeb - Wayne County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Wayne County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Wayne County at State Library of Iowa.
 * Wayne County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Wayne 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
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Wayne County. Auditor. Civil War veterans, 1861-1930

Civil War service men in Wayne 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 I
 * - 23rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * 1900-1904, 1906-1921 The Humeston New Era at Ancestry.com ($) — Humeston, IA, USA
 * 1885-1891, 1893-1900 The New Era at Ancestry.com ($) — Humeston, IA, USA
 * 1903-1904 Humeston Advocate at Ancestry.com ($) — Humeston, IA, USA

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1830-1990 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1851-1925 (*); 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 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

 * 1907-2012 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Indianola Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Osceola Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Red Rock Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Iowa Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Humeston Public Library 302 Broad Street Humeston, IA 50123 Phone: 641-877-4811 Email: [mailto:humlib@iowatelecom.net humlib@iowatelecom.net] Website Facebook Lecompte Memorial Library 110 S Franklin Street Corydon, IA 50060 Phone: 641-872-1621 Email: [mailto:admin@corydon.lib.ia.us admin@corydon.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook

Museums
Prairie Trails Museum of Wayne County 515 E Jefferson Street Corydon, IA 50060 Phone: 641-872-2211 Email: [mailto:ptmuseum@grm.net ptmuseum@grm.net] Website Facebook

Societies
Wayne County Genealogy Society, IAGenWeb Project c/o LeCompte Memorial Library 110 S Franklin Street Corydon, IA 50060 Phone: 641-872-1621 Email: [mailto:wgenealogy@yahoo.com wgenealogy@yahoo.com] Website Wayne County Historical Society PO Box 104 Corydon, IA 50060-0104 Phone: 641-872-2211 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
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions
 * Wayne County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Wayne County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Wayne County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Wayne County at Iowa USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * Wayne County at Linkpendium - genealogy and family history
 * – 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.