Monroe County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Monroe County was named for James Monroe and is located in southeastern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Monroe County Courthouse 10 Benton Avenue East Albia, IA 52531 Phone: 641-932-5212 Monroe 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

 * Monroe County Bible Records at USGenWeb Iowa Archives

Biographies

 * Biographical and Genealogical History of Appanoose and Monroe Counties, Iowa. By S. Thompson Lewis. New York, NY: Lewis Pub. Co., 1903. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * The History of Monroe County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c., a Biographical Directory of Citizens. Chicago, IL: Western Historical, 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * An Illustrated History of Monroe County, Iowa. By Frank Hickenlooper. Albia, IA: F. Hickenlooper, 1896. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust.


 * Monroe 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

Court Records

 * 1847-1861 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1861-1931 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1869-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

 * 1919 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American


 * Gradwohl, David M. & Nancy M. Osborn Exploring Buried Buxton: archaeology of an abandoned Iowa coal mining town with a large Black population.  Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa Press, 1984. Online at: Google Books

Funeral Homes

 * Eddyville Funeral Chapel in Eddyville
 * Sinnott Funeral Home-Albia in Albia and Lovilia
 * Tharp Funeral Home in Albia

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records


 * 1847-1888   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images

Local Histories

 * The History of Monroe County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Western Historical, 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * An Illustrated History of Monroe County, Iowa. By Frank Hickenlooper. Albia, IA: F. Hickenlooper, 1896. Online at: Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * Monroe County History, Iowa. by Iowa Writers Project. Albia, IA: Monroe County Schools, 1940. Online at: Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Monroe County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Monroe County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1886-1933 Fire Insurance Maps for Monroe County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1933.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * IAGenWeb - Monroe County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Monroe County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Monroe County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Monroe 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

Civil War service men in Monroe 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 Cavalry, Company H
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 8th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company G

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 *  1852-1929 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog —index, images
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1870-1930 (*); Clerk of District Court at FamilySearch Catalog —3 indexes, images

Newspapers

 * 1898-2015 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1951-1971 The Monroe County News. 1951-59, 1961-63, 1966-68, and 1970-71. Albia, 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, ($)
 * 1848-1889 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1852-1939 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1861-1978 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1862-1888 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1883-1915 (*);  at FamilySearch Catalog - index & 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 & 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 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

 * Fairfield Iowa Family History Center
 * Oskaloosa Iowa Family History Center
 * Ottumwa Iowa Family History Center
 * Iowa Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Eddyville Public Library 202 South 2nd Street PO Box 399 Eddyville, IA 52553-0399 Phone: 641-969-4815 Email: [mailto:elibrary@pcsia.net elibrary@pcsia.net] Website Albia Public Library 203 East Benton Albia, IA 52531 Phone: 641-932-2469 Email: [mailto:albialibrary@netscape.net albialibrary@netscape.net] Website

Museums
Monroe County Historical Society & Museum 114 A. Avenue East Albia, IA 52531 Phone: 641-932-7046 Facebook

Societies
Monroe County Genealogical Society C/O Albia Public Library 203 Benton Ave E Albia, IA 52531-2036 Website

Websites

 * Monroe County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
 * Monroe County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
 * Monroe County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
 * Monroe County at Iowa USGenWeb Archives - free online data for genealogical research
 * Monroe County Iowa Genealogical Resource - contains links to historical and county records, cemeteries, and other genealogical resources
 * 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.