Guthrie County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Guthrie County was named for Capt. Edwin B. Guthrie and is located in southwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Guthrie County Courthouse 200 North 5th Street Guthrie Center, Iowa 50115 Phone: 641-747-3415 Guthrie 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

 * Emmons Family Bible at IAGenWeb Project

Biographies

 * History of Guthrie and Adair counties, Iowa : together with sketches of their towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative. Continental Historical Company, Springfield, IL., 1884. Online at: FamilySeach Digital Library.
 * Past and present of Guthrie County, Iowa : together with biographical sketches of many of its prominent and leading citizens and illustrious dead. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, IL., 1907. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Maxwell, Sadie B. Centennial history of Guthrie county, Iowa. Carter, Hussey, & Curl Printers, Des Moines, IA., 1876. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Weeks, Elbert Wright. A record, history, biography, memory, pioneer times and peoples, Guthrie Center, Iowa.  Self Published, Guthrie Center, IA., 1932. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry.com ($)
 * Guthrie County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories

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 ($)

Funeral Homes

 * Dahn & Woodhouse Funeral Home in Coon Rapids
 * Iles Arrangement Center in West Des Moines
 * Johnson Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Stuart
 * Ohde Funeral Home in Bayard
 * Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Adair
 * Twigg Funeral Home in Guthrie Center
 * Twigg Funeral Home in Panora

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records


 * 1852-1939   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1861-1903   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1862-1917   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1866-1926   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes

Local Histories

 * Weeks, Elbert Wright. A record, history, biography, memory, pioneer times and peoples, Guthrie Center, Iowa. Self Published, 1932. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry.com ($)
 * Guthrie County Historical Society. Guthrie County centennial 100 years of progress, 1851-1951. Guthrie Center, IA., 1951. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * History of Guthrie and Adair counties, Iowa together with sketches of their towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. Continental Historical Co.,  Springfield, Il., 1884.  Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet archive, Ancestry.com. ($)
 * Past and present of Guthrie County, Iowa together with biographical sketches of many of its prominent and leading citizens and illustrious dead.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, IL.,  1907. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet archive.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Guthrie County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Guthrie County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1883-1933 Fire Insurance Maps for Guthrie County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1883 and 1933.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Guthrie County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Guthrie County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Guthrie County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Guthrie County at State Library of Iowa.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- 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 Guthrie 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 C
 * - 29th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I and K

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1906-1920 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Newspapers

 * 1884-1977 Bayard News. Bayard, Iowa, United States Of America. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1951-1972 The Guthrian. Guthrie County, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1859-1932  at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1859-1933  at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1872-1966  at FamilySearch Catalog - images

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 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 Find My Past — index ($)
 * 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index, ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

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, ($)

Family History Centers

 * Des Moines Iowa Family History Center
 * Logan Iowa Family History Center


 * Danish Immigrant Museum - an affiliate library
 * Iowa Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library 400 Grand Street Guthrie Center, IA 50115 641-747-8110 Email: [mailto:mjblib@guthriecenter.lib.ia.us mjblib@guthriecenter.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook

Museums
Guthrie County Historical Village and Museum 206 W South Street Panora, IA 50216 641-755-2989 Email: [mailto:gchv@netins.net gchv@netins.net] Website Facebook

Societies
Guthrie County Genealogical Society, IAGenWeb Project PO Box 96B Jamaica, IA 50128-0096 641-429-3362 E-mail: [mailto:chnwsltrguth@outlook.com chnwsltrguth@outlook.com] Website

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