Pocahontas County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Pocahontas County was named for Pocahontas, a Native American princess. The county is located in northwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Pocahontas County Courthouse 99 Court Square Pocahontas, IA 50574 Phone: 712-335-4208 Pocahontas 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:

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * Iowa, State Employees at MyHeritage — index & images ($)

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

 * 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
 * FamilySearch Places

Lutheran
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Funeral Homes

 * Fratzke and Jensen Funeral Home in Fonda
 * Harris Funeral Home in Gilmore City
 * Powers Funeral Home in Laurens, Pocahontas and Rolfe

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1858-1938   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1861-1897   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1861-2001   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1886-1902   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1886-1902   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images

Local Histories

 * The Pioneer History of Pocahontas County, Iowa: from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time. By Robert Elliott Flickinger and George Sanborn, Ed. Fonda, IA: The Times Print, 1904. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Pocahontas County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1904-2007 Pocahontas County 1904-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1916 Fire Insurance Maps for Pocahontas County, Iowa at Library of Congress - year 1916.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * IAGenWeb - Pocahontas County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Pocahontas County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Pocahontas County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Pocahontas 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 Civil War
 * 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1867-1914 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — 1 index, images
 * 1908-1929 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1867-1984 (*); District Court 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 and images ($)
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

 * 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
 * 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

 * 1907-2001 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Fort Dodge Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Spencer Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Storm Lake Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Iowa Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library.

Libraries
Pocahontas Public Library 14 2nd Avenue NW Pocahontas, IA 50574 Phone: 712-335-4471 Email: [mailto:pokypl@ncn.net pokypl@ncn.net] Website Laurens Public Library 273 North Third Street Laurens, IA 50554 Phone: 712-841-4612 Email: [mailto:director@laurenspubliclibrary.com director@laurenspubliclibrary.com] Website Facebook

Museums
Pocahontas County Historical Society Museum 271 N 3rd Street Laurens, IA 50554 Phone: 712-845-4496 or 712-841-2222 Email: [mailto:pc.historical.museum@gmail.com pc.historical.museum@gmail.com] Website

Societies
Pocahontas County/Laurens Genealogical Society c/o Laurens Public Library 273 N. Third St. Laurens, IA 50554 Website Pocahontas County Genealogical Society 14 Second Avenue NW Pocahontas, IA 50574 Email: [mailto:pokypl@ncn.net pokypl@ncn.net] Website

Websites

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