Iowa Biography

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Biographies
Biographies provide useful genealogical information, such as an individual's birth date and place (including foreign birthplace, where applicable); names of family members; wife's maiden name; parents' names; occupation and education; and social, political, and religious affiliation. They may also contain a physical description, previous residences, and immigration information. Biographies are the product of family knowledge or previous research often compiled about the early settlers and prominent citizens of the state, county, or town. Many lesser-known individuals may have biographical sketches written about them, especially in local histories.


 * Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources Contains bibliographies and background information on history and ethnic groups. Also contains maps and tables showing when each county was created.


 * Iowa History Reference Guide. Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa, 1952. This bibliography includes sections about American Indians, immigration, land, government, courts, military, schools, churches, businesses, history, and biographies. It is arranged by subject and has an index.


 * Iowa History and Culture: A Bibliography of Materials Published Between 1952 and 1986 This book supplements the book mentioned above. For a supplement covering 1987–1991, see the Annals of Iowa (1993).

Pioneer Biographies
An index to over 44,000 early pioneers named in 120 Iowa county histories is:


 * Biographical Index to the County Histories of Iowa

A similar index with about 8,000 names is:


 * Iowa Biography IndexForesman, Sherry. 

The State Historical Society in Des Moines and the Family History Library have three important biography collections about Iowa residents:


 * Citizens Historical Association These sketches are alphabetical and were compiled between 1938 and the 1940s.


 * Biographical Data Collection This collection consists of alphabetical personal-history surveys.


 * Biography Files These files are alphabetized folders of newspaper clippings and correspondence.'

Two representative biographical encyclopedias are:


 * A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa


 * Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa: Leaders in Business, Politics and the Professions, Together with an Original and Authentic History of the State

The following gazetteer contains biographical information:

Hair, James T., Iowa State Gazetteer. (Cited fully in Iowa Gazetteers.)

See also United States Genealogy and United States History for helpful nationwide indexes such as:


 * Family Finder Index.
 * Biography and Genealogy Master Index (for prominent persons).

The Family History Library has many biographical publications and histories with biographical information. They are generally listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:


 * IOWA - BIOGRAPHY
 * IOWA, [COUNTY] - BIOGRAPHY
 * IOWA, [COUNTY] - HISTORY

Online Resources

 * Iowa History Special Project - Their mission is to "To place on-line as many out of copyright publications pertaining to all areas of Iowa history." This includes biographical sketches found in many publications.
 * Iowa Biographies Project
 * Iowa Biographies
 * Iowa Biographies (1500 as of Oct 2008)