Clayton County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Clayton County was named for John Middleton Clayton and is located in northeastern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Clayton County Courthouse 111 High St NE Elkader, IA 52043 Phone: 563-245-1106 Clayton 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

 * Goranson, Rita. Bible Records From Iowa Libraries and Museums, Vol. 2 includes some Clayton County Records; images

Biographies

 * Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States. Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1984. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Ancestry ($)
 * Clayton 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 — index and images ($)

Court Records

 * 1838-1930 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1850-1855 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1850-1855 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1855-1959 (*); Coroner at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1868-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * (*); Coroner at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Local Histories

 * Price, Realto E. History of Clayton County, Iowa from the earliest historical times down to the present including a genealogical and biographical record of many representative families. Chicago, Illinois Robert O. Law, 1916. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1; FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2
 * History of Clayton County, Iowa together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons and biographies of representative citizens. Chicago Inter-state Publishing Co., 1882. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Portrait and biographical record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton counties, Iowa. Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States. Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1984. Online at:  FamilySearch Digital Library; Ancestry ($)
 * Iowa Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Clayton County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Clayton County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1886-1931 Fire Insurance Maps for Clayton County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1931.
 * Clayton County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Clayton County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Clayton County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Clayton 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 Clayton 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 K
 * - 3rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company C
 * - 4th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company B
 * - 9th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 20th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Companies B, D and G
 * - 27th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Companies D and E
 * - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company A

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * 1956 North Iowa Times. McGregor, 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, ($)

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

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, ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

Divorce

 * 1879-1987 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Family History Centers
To locate the closest family history center or affiliate library, use the link listed above.

Libraries
 Garnavillo Public Library 112 S Main Street PO Box 254 Garnavillo, IA 52049-0254 563-964-2119 E-mail: [mailto:jwolter@garnavillo.lib.ia.us jwolter@garnavillo.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook Guttenberg Public Library 603 S 2nd Street Guttenberg, IA 52052 563-252-3108 Email: [mailto:librarian@guttenberg.lib.ia.us librarian@guttenberg.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook Murphy Helwig Library 111 N Page Street PO Box 942 Monona, IA 52159-0942 563-539-2356 E-mail: [mailto:murphy@monona.lib.ia.us murphy@monona.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook

Museums
McGregor Historical Museum 256 Main Street McGregor, IA 52157 563-873-2221 E-mail: [mailto:mcgregoriowamuseum@gmail.com mcgregoriowamuseum@gmail.com] Website Facebook George Maier Rural Heritage Center and Museum Elkader City Park 1000 Mascara Road Elkader, IA 52043 563-245-2098 E-mail: [mailto:gmrhc2@gmail.com gmrhc2@gmail.com] Website Facebook Monona Historical Museum 304 S Egbert Street PO Box 434 Monona, IA 52159-0434 563-539-8083; 563-539-2640 E-mail: [mailto:mhm@neitel.net mhm@neitel.net] Website Facebook Wilder Memorial Museum 123 W Mission Street PO Box 206 Strawberry Point, IA 52076-0206 563-933-4615 E-mail: [mailto:director.wildermuseum@gmail.com director.wildermuseum@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Clayton County Genealogical Society, IAGenWeb Project 119 N Main Street PO Box 846 Elkader, IA 52043-0846 563-245-1065 E-mail: [mailto:jholt@southslope.net jholt@southslope.net] Website Facebook Garnavillo Historical Society 203 N Washington Street Garnavillo, IA 52049 563-880-5078 Email: [mailto:garnavillohistoricalsociety@gmail.com garnavillohistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Websites

 * State Historical Society of Iowa — Select from research collection topics
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions
 * State Library of Iowa — electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies
 * IAGenWeb Project — Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives — Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * – 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.