Polk County, Nebraska Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for James K. Polk. The County is located in east central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Polk County Courthouse 400 Hawkeye Street P.O. Box 276 Osceola, NE 68651 Phone: 402.747.5431 Polk County Website Clerk of the County Court has probate records. County Clerk has marriage and land records.

Record Loss
The courthouse burned in about 1882. Not many records were lost.

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:

Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for Nebraska starting in 1860. For links to Federal census indexes, see Nebraska Census.

State Census Records


 * 1854 - 1870 - Nebraska, Compiled Census Index, 1854-1870 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
 * 1860 - 1885 - Nebraska State Census Collection 1860-1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885 - Nebraska State Census 1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes Online Church Records
 * FamilySearch Places
 * 1875-1899 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records


 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796 - 1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1863 - 1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

For more information see Nebraska Land and Property

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Nebraska Gazetteer - database for all known places found in 1890 and 1911 Nebraska gazetteers
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nebraska - shows boundary changes for Nebraska Counties
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Polk County for European and African American settlers included:


 * Platte River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Revolutionary War

 * 1775 - 1783 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; images only


 * For more nationwide Revolutionary War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1861 - 1948 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1891 - Nebraska Resident Military Roster on June 1, 1891 at Ancestry.com - ($), Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the War of 1812, the Mexico War, and the War of the Rebellion, residing in Nebraska June 1, 1891
 * 1893 - Roster of Nebraska Veterans - list of veterans in 1893
 * For more nationwide Civil War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

World War I

 * 1917 - 1918 - World War I Drafts 1917-1918 - index only
 * For more nationwide World War I databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

World War II

 * 1940 - 1945 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1855-1989 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers
Polk county newspapers are online at http://polkcountyne.advantage-preservation.com/

 Nebraska Newspapers Online


 * Nebraska Newspapers - contains images of newspapers throughout Nebraska
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Nebraska newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites

Nebraska Newspaper Catalogs


 * Nebraska State Historical Society - catalog of known Nebraska newspapers; lists repositories that have the newspapers
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

Other Records

 * 1870 - 1990 — Nebraska Prisoner Records 1870-1990 — index only

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1806 – 1989 Nebraska Wills and Probate Records 1806-1989 at Ancestry.com — 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, click here for more information.

Marriage

 * 1855 - 1995 — at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index only
 * 1856 - 1898 — Nebraska Marriages 1856-1898 at Ancestry.com ($), index only

Death

 * 1861 - 1948 - at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1904-1955 Reclaim the Records: Nebraska Death Index at Archive.org - images of index

Libraries

 * Polk Public Library 180 North Main PO Box 49 Polk, Nebraska 68654-0049 Phone: 402-765-7266
 * Osceola Public Library
 * Stromsburg Public Library
 * Shelby Public Library

Museums

 * Polk County Historical Museum Hawkeye Street Osceola, NE 68651 Phone: 402-747-7901 Polk County Historical Society Museum

Websites

 * Rootsweb
 * USGenWeb
 * - 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