Iowa, Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Iowa

What Is in the Collection?
This collection contains Church vital records from 1839-2004. They are from different denominations located in several counties in Iowa including the Northern Illinois Conference Archives of the United Methodist Church, Iowa State Historical Department(Division of the State Historical Society), the United Methodist Church (Grundy Center), Kendall Young Library in Webster City, United Presbyterian Church in Washington, United Methodist Church in Washington, St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Lacona, E.W. Young St. Paul Lutheran Church in Treynor, Bethany Lutheran Church in Laurens, Laurens United Methodist Church, United Presbyterian Church in Pocahantas, St. John's United Church of Christ in Newell, United Methodist Church in Marathon, and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints(Library Archives). These records include births, baptisms, marriages, banns, deaths, and burials. Before viewing the images, check to see if there is an index of names in alphabetic order at the beginning or end of these records. If you can find your ancestor in the index, it will tell what page number they are listed on.

What Can these Records Tell Me?
The following information is found in a birth record: The following information is found in a baptism record: The following information is found in a marriage record: The following information is found in a death record:
 * Name
 * Date of birth
 * Names of parents
 * Name
 * Date of birth
 * Date of baptism
 * Names of parents
 * Residence
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Date of Marriage
 * Birthplaces and residences of bride and groom
 * Ages of bride and groom
 * Occupation of groom
 * Name
 * Spouse
 * Death date

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before using this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the individual
 * Approximate date and or location of the event

View the Images
You will be able to search this collection once it is published.

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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. For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Copy the citation below, in case you need to find this record again later.
 * Search for other church and vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records.
 * 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 censuses. Witnesses were usually family members.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.

I Can’t Find The Person I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * 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.
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Citing this Collection
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 * Collection Citation:
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