Linn County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Lewis Linn. The County has Cedar Rapids as its seat and the County was created 1839. The County is located in the central area of the state.

Parent County
1837--Linn County was created 21 December 1837 from Dubuque County. It was attached to Jackson County prior to organization 1 June 1839. County seat: Cedar Rapids

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.

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

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:

Neighboring Counties
Benton • Buchanan •  Cedar •  Delaware •  Iowa •  Johnson •  Jones

Biographies

 * The History of Linn County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &amp;c., a biographical directory of its at Ancestry.com ($)

Cemeteries
Iowa GenWeb has an excellent source for cemeteries, many are already transcribed with photos.

Individual cemeteries:


 * Hazel Knoll Cemetery, Central City BillionGraves

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

Directories

 * The History of Linn County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &amp;c., a biographical directory of its at Ancestry.com ($)

Local Histories

 * Linn County, Iowa History, Volume II at Ancestry.com ($)


 * Linn County, Iowa, History to 1878 at Ancestry.com ($)


 * The History of Linn County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &amp;c., a biographical directory of its citizens. Chicago : Western Historical Co., 1878. Online at:, HathiTrust, Ancestry.com ($);.


 * History of Linn County, Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time. Chicago : Pioneer, 1911. Vol. 1 Online at:, Internet Archive, Google Books; . Vol 2. Online at:, GoogleBooks,.


 * Linn County (Iowa) soldiers and sailors serving our flag. By R. E. Patterson .Marion, Iowa : Soldiers' and Sailors' Club, [1918?]. Online at:,.


 * Linn County : a brief review of its history from 1838 to 1923. By Fred J. Lazell. [Cedar Rapids?]: Linn County Board of Supervisors, 1923. Online at: ;.


 * Linn county Iowa biographical history. The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. [S.l.] :, 1901. Online at:

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa
 * Township Map of 1875 Linn County, Iowa with enlarged views of each township (My Genealogy Hound)

Military

 * 1835-1998 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1949 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1862-1910 - at FamilySearch — index

Civil War

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

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Cedar Rapids Library Archives, Linn County has a large number of Cedar Rapids and Marion newspapers available free online.

Also see NewspaperArchive.com ($) for additional Cedar Rapids newspapers that may not be included in the Cedar Rapids Public Library database. This database is free at some libraries.


 * The Coe College Cosmos.1896, 1899-1910, 1912-44, 1948-51, 1969-71, and 1973. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Cedar Rapids Republican.1925-26. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Coe Cosmos.1939-44, 1946, 1948-67, 1969-73, and 1975-77. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Cosmos. 1898-1903 and 1909-12. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Republican And Times. 1922. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Evening Gazette.1913 and 1915-16. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The New Cosmos.1976-77. Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Coe College Cosmos. 1899. Coe College, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Taxation

 * 1934-1958 - at FamilySearch — index

Births

 * 1850-1939 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1921-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriages

 * 1518-1996 - Iowa, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1838-1934 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Deaths

 * 1850-1990 - at FamilySearch - index
 * 1880-1992 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1904-1951 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libaries
Carl &amp; Mary Koehler History Center 615 1st Avenue Southeast Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 Telephone:319-362-1501 E-mail: [mailto:office@historycenter.org office@historycenter.org] Website

Genealogical Society of Linn County P.O. Box 175 813 1st Ave S.E. Cedar Rapids, IA, 52406-0175 Telephone:319-369-0022 E-mail: [mailto:gensoclinncoia@aol.com gensoclinncoia@aol.com] Website

Springville Area Historical Society 304 Broadway Ave PO Box 382 Springville, IA 52336 E-mail: [mailto:SAHSinfo@gmail.com SAHSinfo@gmail.com] Website

Family History Centers

 * Cedar Rapids Iowa Family History Center 4300 Trailridge Rd SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 United States Location Map


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