Delaware County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Delaware County was named for the U.S. state of Delaware and is located in northeastern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Delaware County Courthouse 301 E Main Street P. O. Box 527 Manchester, IA 52057-0527 Phone: 319-927-4942 Delaware 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:

Biographies

 * 1878 The History of Delaware County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers, history of the northwest, history of Iowa, map of Delaware County, Constitution... Western Historical Company, Chicago, IL., 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1890  at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1914 Merry, John F.  History of Delaware County, Iowa, and its people. Chicago, Il.,: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1914.  Online at:  FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2.
 * Delaware 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
Lutheran
 * FamilySearch Places
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)

Court Records

 * 1869-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1870-1894 (*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Land and Property Records
Online Land and Property Records


 * 1842-1937   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1858-1926   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * The History of Delaware County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers, history of the northwest, history of Iowa, map of Delaware County, Constitution... Western Historical Company, Chicago, IL., 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry.com ($), Internet archive
 * Merry, John F. History of Delaware County, Iowa, and its people. Chicago, Il.,: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1914. Online at:  FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2, Internet archive, Ancestry.com ($)
 * Bailey, Belle. Stories of the beginning of Delaware County : covering the period of slow settlement from 1834-1870 Self Published 1935. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 1, FamilySearch Digital Library Vol 2
 * 1890 at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Delaware County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Delaware County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1886-1921 Fire Insurance Maps for Delaware County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1921.
 * Delaware County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Delaware County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Delaware County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Delaware County at State Library of Iowa.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 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 Delaware 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 G
 * - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company I
 * - 4th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company B
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company G
 * - 12th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Companies F and K
 * - 20th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Companies H and K
 * - 27th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
 * - 44th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company C
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F

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

Newspapers

 * 1871-2015 Manchester Press Online at: Manchester Public Library
 * 1894-1958 Hopkinton Leader Online at: Manchester Public Library, Ancestry ($)
 * 1897-1912 Delaware County News, Online at: Manchester Public Library
 * 1926-1948 Earlville Review, Online at: Manchester Public Library
 * 1930-1988 Manchester Democrat Radio Online at: Manchester Public Library, Ancestry ($)
 * 1953 and 1959 Dyersville Commerrial, Online at: Ancestry ($)
 * 2005-2018 The Manchester Press, Online at: Manchester Public Library

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1847-1940   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1849-1929   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, ($)

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

 * 1888-1953 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

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

Libraries
Manchester Public Library 304 North Franklin Street Manchester, IA 52057 563-927-3719 Email: [mailto:circulation@manchester.lib.ia.us circulation@manchester.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook

Museums
Delaware County Historical Museum Complex 212 1st Street Southeast College Square Highway 38 Hopkinton, IA 52237 563-926-2639 E-mail: [mailto:delcohistoricalsociety@gmail.com delcohistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Facebook

Societies
Delaware County Genealogical Society, IAGenWeb Project Manchester Public Library 304 N Franklin Manchester IA 52057-1520 E-mail: [mailto:estellam@windstream.net estellam@windstream.net] Website Delaware County Historical Society Delaware Country Historical Museum Complex 212 1st Street Southeast College Square Highway 38 Hopkinton, IA 52237-0070 319-926-2639 E-mail: [mailto:ckoegel@zipnet.us ckoegel@zipnet.us] Website

Websites

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