Marion County, Iowa Genealogy

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



Description
Marion county was named for Francis Marion and is located in south-central Iowa.

County Courthouse
Marion County Courthouse 214 E Main St Knoxville, IA 50138 Phone: 641-828-2207 Marion 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

 * The History of Marion County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, its Cities, Towns, etc; Biographical Sketches of its Citizens, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men. Des Moines, IA: Union Historical Company; Birdsall, Williams & Co., 1881. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
 * Down on the Ridge: Reminiscences of the Old Days in Coalport and Down on the Ridge, Marion County, Iowa. By Alfred B. McCown. 1909. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.


 * Marion County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories

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
Lutheran
 * 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
 * FamilySearch Places
 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Court Records

 * 1851-1858 (*); County Judge at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1857-1886 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 *  1866-1882 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1877-1937 (*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1881-1908 (*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — index and images
 * 1907-1989 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

 * 1937 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Bertrand Funeral Homes and Monuments in Knoxville and Pleasantville
 * Garden Chapel Funeral Home in Pella
 * Gilbert-Boman Funeral Home in Bussey
 * Pierschbacher Funeral Homes in Melcher-Dallas
 * Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella
 * Williams Funeral Home in Knoxville
 * Winfield Funeral Home in Knoxville

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1846-1858   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1846-1920   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1855-1901   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1859-1932   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1864-1902   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1866-1923   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1881-1959   at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Local Histories

 * The History of Marion County, Iowa. Des Moines, IA: Union Historical Company; Birdsall, Williams & Co., 1881. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
 * History of Marion County, Iowa and its people. By John W. Wright. Chicago, IL: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1915. Online at:  Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive ; Vols. I & II - HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
 * Pioneers of Marion County, Consisting of a General History of the County from its Early Settlement to the Present Date. 1872. by William M. Donnel. Des Moines, IA: Republican Steam Printing House. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Marion County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Marion County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1883-1913 Fire Insurance Maps for Marion County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1883 and 1913.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * IAGenWeb - Marion County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Marion County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Marion County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Marion 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
 * 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 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 Marion 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:
 * - 3rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
 * - 8th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G and K
 * - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G and H
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company A

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1847-1930 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog —indexes, images
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1866-1882 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1896-1920 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Newspapers

 * 1855, 1930, and 1955 Knoxville Journal. 1855, 1930, and 1955. Knoxville, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1876-2000 The Newspaper Archives of Altoona Public Library
 * 1970-2007 The Newspaper Archives of Johnston Historical Society Archive

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1836-1965 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1845-1977 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1846-1920 (*); County Recorder 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 & 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 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 & images ($)

Divorce

 * 1836-1965 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1883-1928 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Des Moines Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Indianola Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Oskaloosa Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Red Rock Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Iowa Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
The Knoxville Public Library 213 East Montgomery Knoxville, IA 50138 Phone: 641-828-0585 Email: [mailto:knoxlib@knoxville.lib.ia.us knoxlib@knoxville.lib.ia.us] Website Facebook Pella Public Library 603 Main Street Pella, IA 50219 Phone: 641-628-4268 Email: [mailto:pplcirc@cityofpella.com pplcirc@cityofpella.com] Website Facebook

Museums
Marion County Historical Village Marion County Park 306 Willets Drive Knoxville, IA 50138 Phone: 641-891-4124 Email: [mailto:dcarlson@mchsi.com dcarlson@mchsi.com] Website '''

Societies
Marion County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 385 Knoxville, IA 50138-0385 Website Marion County Historical Society P.O. Box 21 Knoxville, IA 50138 Website

Websites

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