Adair County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Adair County was named for John Adair and is located in southwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Adair County Courthouse 400 Public Square Ste. 5 Greenfield, IA 50849 Phone: 641-743-2546 Adair 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

 * History of Guthrie and Adair counties, Iowa : together with sketches of their towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. Continental Historical Co., Springfield, IL, 1884. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; indexed at: Ancestry ($)
 * Iowa Biographies Project at Rootsweb. Click titles to see alphabetical list of biographies in that title, some with links.

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

Court Records
For more information about the courts in Iowa see the Iowa Court Records page.


 * 1907-1924 . Adair County (Iowa). Clerk of the District Court (Main Author). At FamilySearch Catalog — Affidavits concerning land transactions.

Genealogies

 * Ancestral lineage, Mildred Olive Bates McCann: Adair County, Iowa, Prince George County, Virginia; with index at Ancestry ($)

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1854-1904  at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1855-1918  at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1858-1916  at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1873-1954  at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * Adair County History in Photos at IAGenWeb Project
 * History of Guthrie and Adair counties, Iowa : together with sketches of their towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. Continental Historical Co., Springfield, IL, 1884. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; indexed at: Ancestry ($)
 * Kilburn, Lucian Moody. History of the Adair County, Iowa, and its people. Pioneer Pub. Co., Chicago, IL, 1915. Online at:FamilySearch Digital Library; and IAGenWeb Vol 2
 * Adair County, Iowa marriages, 1854-1900. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Standard Atlas for Adair County, Iowa: including a plat book of the villages, cities and townships of the county. Online at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Adair County for European settlers included:
 * 1846 Mormon Trail from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Military Records
For more information about the military in Adair see the Iowa Military Records page. 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
 * 1887-1952 at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Civil War
 * 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War service men in Adair 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:
 * - 4th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company I
 * - 29th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D

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

Newspapers

 * Adair News at Newspapers.com ($)
 * Historical Iowa Newspapers at NewspaperArchive ($)

Obituaries

 * 1907-1959 Adair County, Iowa obituaries, 1907-1959. By Myrtle Rivenburgh. Online 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 and images, ($)
 * 1854-1926 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1857-1952 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1979 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1902 at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1868-1886 at FamilySearch Catalog — 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

Death

 * 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index and images ($)

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

Libraries
Adair Public Library 310 Audubon Adair, IA 50002-0276 641-742-3323 Website Casey Public Library PO Box 178 Casey, IA 500048 641-746-2670 Email: [mailto:caseylib@netins.net caseylib@netins.net] Website Greenfield Public Library 202 S First St PO Box 328 Greenfield, IA 50849 641-743-6120 Email: [mailto:greenpl@iowatelecom.net greenpl@iowatelecom.net] Website

Museums
Adair County Historical Museum 2393 S Lakeview Dr Greenfield, IA 50849 641-743-2232 Facebook

Societies
Adair County Anquestors Genealogy Society c/o Greenfield Public Library PO Box 328 Greenfield, IA 50849-0328 Website Adair County Iowa Historical Society 2393 S Lakeview Dr Greenfield, IA 50849 641-743-2232 Facebook

Websites

 * Adair County at IAGenWeb Project.
 * Adair County at USGenWeb Archives.
 * Adair County at Cyndi's List.
 * Adair County at Genealogy Trails.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection at State Library of Iowa — digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural insitutions.
 * 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 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.