Johnson County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Parent County
1837--Johnson County was created 21 December 1837 from Dubuque, Cook, and Muscatine Counties. It was attached to Cedar County prior to organization 4 July 1838. County seat: Iowa City

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Iowa County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Iowa County Boundary Maps" (1816-1872) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Neighboring Counties
Benton • Cedar •  Iowa •  Linn •  Louisa •  Muscatine •  Washington

Census
State Census
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1915 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1925 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Lutheran

 * Records of the Zion Lutheran Church, Iowa City, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Directories

 * Iowa City, Iowa Semi-Centennial Directory, 1840-90 at Ancestry.com ($)

Local Histories

 * Aurner, Clarence Ray. Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history. Cedar Rapids, Iowa : Western Hist. Press, 1912-1913.
 * Vol. 1 Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Vol. 2 Online at Internetarchive (Free)
 * Iowa City Board of Trade. Sketch of Johnson County, Iowa : with a review of its early history and subsequent development, its educational, manufacturing, agricultural, and other interests. Iowa City, Iowa : Board of Trade, 1880.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)


 * Johnson County history, Iowa at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa City at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Some aspects of the financial administration of Johnson County, Iowa at Ancestry.com ($)

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa

Military

 * 1861 - 1949 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Civil War

 * - 1st Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company F
 * - 1st Regiment, Iowa Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company B
 * - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company H
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company I
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company M
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
 * - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
 * - 28th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 44th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company D
 * - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company G

Newspapers
*Daily Iowan Newspaper Collection -- access to digitized versions of The Daily Iowan and its predecessors: the University Reporter (1868-81), the Vidette (1879-81), the Vidette-Reporter (1881-1901) and the University Mirror (1881). The newspaper editions are full text searchable. *NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online including Cedar Rapids newspapers that may have included Johnson County residents. This database is free at some libraries.


 * Iowa City Press Citizen.1920-27, 1938-41, 1946-48, 1950-53, 1955, 1960, and 1968-73. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Iowa City Citizen.1892, 1908-11, and 1916-19 Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa City Daily Press. 1904-15 Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Daily Iowa State Press. 1899-1902, 1904, and 1971. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Iowa Citizen. 1891-94, 1903, and 1905-06. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Daily Citizen. 1892-93 and 1901. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa State Press. 1903. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa City Daily Citizen.1916. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa City Volksfreund. 1874-76. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * State Press.1894. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Daily State Press.1894. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Iowa Quest.1948-55. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Daily Iowan.1939, 1947, and 1955. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Lone Tree Reporter. 1926. Johnson, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1758 - 1997 Iowa Wills and Probate Records 1758-1997 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Births

 * 1850-1939 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriages

 * 1838-1934 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Deaths

 * 1850-1990 - at FamilySearch - index
 * 1880-1992 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1921-1940 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries
Iowa City Genealogical Society (Johnson County) P.O. Box 822 Iowa City IA 52244-0822 Website

Family History Centers



 * Iowa City Iowa Family History Center 2730 Bradford Dr., Iowa City, IA 52240 United States Location Map


 * Mount Vernon Iowa Family History Center Scobey Road, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 United States Location Map