Linn County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Linn County was named for Lewis Fields Linn and is located in eastern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Linn County Courthouse 51 Third Avenue Bridge Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 Phone: 319-398-3411 Linn 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

 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Linn County Family Bible Records at USGenNet - transcriptions
 * Linn County Iowa Bibles at USGenWeb Iowa Archives - transcriptions

Biographies

 * Biographical Record of Linn County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1901. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * The History of Linn County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, its Cities, Towns, a Biographical Directory of its Citizens. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Company, 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * Portrait and Biographical Album of Linn County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Chapman Brothers, 1887. Online at: Vol. I -FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. II - HathiTrust.


 * Linn 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

Court Records

 * 1840-1845 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1843-1902 (*); Justice of the Peace Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1855-1860 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1904-1973 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

 * County Farm Directory and Automobile Guide of Linn County, Iowa. 1916. Springfield, IL: F.A. Moore Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * 1749-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1878 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids
 * Cedar Memorial in Cedar Rapids
 * Legacy Center at Murdoch-Linwood in Cedar Rapids
 * Murdoch Funeral Homes and Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids, Center Point, Central City and Marion
 * Teahen Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Cedar Rapids

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1841-1886   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1848-1857   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1855-1933   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1858-1990   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * The History of Linn County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Company, 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * History of Linn County, Iowa: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time. By Luther A. Brewer and Barthinius L. Wick. Chicago, IL: Pioneer, 1911. Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
 * Linn County: a Brief Review of Its History From 1838 to 1923. By Fred J. Lazell. Cedar Rapids, IA: Linn County Board of Supervisors, 1923. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Linn County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Linn County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1883-1949 Fire Insurance Maps for Linn County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1883 and 1949.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * IAGenWeb - Linn County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Linn County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Linn County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Linn County at State Library of Iowa.
 * Township Map of 1875 Linn County, Iowa at My Genealogy Hound; with enlarged views of each township.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.

Military Records

 * Linn County (Iowa) Soldiers and Sailors Serving Our Flag at FamilySearch Digital Library.

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 Linn 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:
 * - 1st Regiment, Iowa Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company K
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company H and K
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 9th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
 * - 11th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
 * - 12th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D and H
 * - 13th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A and F
 * - 16th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F, G, and H
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company E

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1856-1924 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1861-1869 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Newspapers

 * Cedar Rapids Library Archives, Linn County has a large number of Cedar Rapids and Marion newspapers available free online.
 * 1896-1973 The Coe College Cosmos. 1896, 1899-1910, 1912-44, 1948-51, 1969-71, and 1973. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1898-1912 Cosmos. 1898-1903 and 1909-12. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1899 Coe College Cosmos. 1899. Coe College, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1913-1916 The Evening Gazette. 1913 and 1915-16. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1922 The Republican And Times. 1922. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1925-1926 Cedar Rapids Republican. 1925-26. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1939-1977 Coe Cosmos. 1939-44, 1946, 1948-67, 1969-73, and 1975-77. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1976-1977 The New Cosmos. 1976-77. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1840-1924 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1840-1944 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1861-1883 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1871-1887 (*); Circuit 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

 * 1906-1950 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Belle Plaine Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Cedar Rapids Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Mount Vernon Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * African American Museum Of Iowa - an affiliate library
 * Genealogical Society of Linn County Iowa dba Cedar Rapids Area Genealogy Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
The Genealogical Society of Linn County Library 813 1st Avenue SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52406 Phone: 319-369-0022 Website Cedar Rapids Public Library Downtown Library 450 5th Avenue SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 Phone: 319-261-7323 Email: [mailto:info@crlibrary.org info@crlibrary.org] Website

Museums
African American Museum of Iowa 55 12th Avenue SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 Phone: 319-862-2101 Website The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library 1400 Inspiration Place SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 Phone: 319-362-8500 Website The History Center Linn County Historical Society 800 Second Avenue SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 Phone: 319-362-1501 Email: [mailto:office@historycenter.org office@historycenter.org] Website

Societies
Genealogical Society of Linn County 813 1st Ave SE Cedar Rapids, IA, 52406-0175 Phone: 319-369-0022 Website Springville Area Historical Society 304 Broadway Ave P.O. Box 382 Springville, IA 52336 Email: [mailto:SAHSinfo@gmail.com SAHSinfo@gmail.com] Facebook

Websites

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