Iowa, Armed Forces Grave Registrations - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index to grave registrations of veterans buried in the state of Iowa ca. 1835-1998. The collection is arranged alphabetically and includes more than 270,000 registrations. The collection was acquired from the Iowa State Historical Society in Des Moines and is part of RG 092 records of the Commission of Veteran Affairs. The forms were completed by the funeral director and were forwarded to the Commission of Veteran Affairs of the county of burial.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Grave registrations
 * Veteran's name
 * County of Burial in Iowa
 * Date and place of death
 * Date and place of birth
 * Nearest Relative: Father, Mother, Wife or Children
 * Color
 * Residence Time of enlistment


 * Age
 * Date and place entering service
 * Date and place of discharge
 * Rank
 * Organization served in
 * Foreign Countries Served in
 * Membership in Veterans Organizations


 * Burial Place
 * Name of Cemetery
 * Lot Description
 * If Buried in Foreign Country
 * Amount of Pension
 * Pension Claim No

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person
 * The name of a parent or date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the information found in the record to locate the death record
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to determine an approximate birth date to find vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
 * Search for church records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. You could get a copy of the original record from the [State Historical Society of Iowa]
 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Iowa.
 * Iowa Guided Research
 * Iowa Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Related Family History Library Holdings

 * Armed Forces grave registration records, 1776-1998
 * Grand Army of the Republic (Civil War) Records

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

 * United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949
 * United States Records of Headstones of Deceased Union Veterans, 1879-1903
 * Iowa, Adjutant General's Office, Grave Registration Service, Cemetery Records, 1800-2000
 * United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933
 * United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934

Related Digital Books

 * Cora Chaplin Weed, comp and arranged. Hand book for Iowa Soldier's and Sailors' Monument.Iowa : C.C. Weed, c1897
 * William L. Alexander. List of ex-soldiers, sailors and marines, living in Iowa.Des Moines, Iowa : G.E. Roberts, State Printer, 1886
 * Roster and record of Iowa soldiers in the War of the Rebellion : together with historical sketches of volunteer organizations, 1861-1866. 6 volumes. Des Moines, Iowa : E. H. English, 1908-1911

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.