Tama County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Taimah, a leader of the Meskwaki Indians. The County has Toledo as its seat and the County was created 1843. The County is located in the central area of the state.

Parent County
1843--Tama County was created 17 February 1843 from Benton County. It was attached to Benton and Linn Counties prior to organization 4 July 1853. County seat: Toledo

Tama is pronounced 'Tay-ma' (first 'a' rhymes with 'a' as in day).

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Iowa County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Iowa County Boundary Maps" (1816-1872) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places/Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

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:

Neighboring Counties
Benton • Black Hawk •  Grundy •  Iowa •  Jasper •  Marshall •  Poweshiek

Census
State Census
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1915 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1925 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Lutheran
St. Paul's Lutheran Church


 * Records of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Tama County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Traer


 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Traer, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Local Histories

 * History of Tama County, Iowa at Ancestry.com ($)


 * A history of Tama County, Iowa. By J. R. Caldwell. Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co., 1910. Online at: Vol. 1, Vol.2.


 * History of Tama County, Iowa : its cities, towns and villages with early reminiscences, personal incidents and anecdotes and a complete business directory of the county. By Samuel D. Chapman. Toledo, Iowa : Toledo Times Office, 1879. Online at:, Internet Archive, HathiTrust;.


 * Hurrah for bonnie Iowa : an authentic story of two families from Scotland who pioneered in Iowa. By Janette Stevenson Murray and Janet Murray Fiske. Lake Mills, Iowa : Graphic Pub. Co., c1963. Online at:.


 * Tama County, Iowa in the World War, 1917-1918 : a pictorial history of an American community in the defense of democracy. Tama, Iowa : Tama News, [1919?]. Online at: ;.

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa
 * Iowa USGS Topographic Choose Airport, Bridge, Building, Cemetery, Church, Civil, Hospital, Lake, Locale, Park, Populated Place, Post Office, School, Stream, Summit, Trail http://www.topozone.com/states/Iowa.asp?county=Tama

Military

 * 1835-1998 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1949 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1862-1910 - at FamilySearch — index

Civil War

 * - 10th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company C
 * - 14th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 28th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online including Waterloo newspapers that may have included Tama County residents. This database is free at some libraries.


 * 1955 — Gladbrook Tama Northern at Ancestry.com ($) — Gladbrook, IA, USA

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1758 - 1997 Iowa Wills and Probate Records 1758-1997 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Taxation

 * 1865-1939 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1934-1958 - at FamilySearch — index

Births

 * 1850-1939 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1921-1942 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriages

 * 1518-1996 - Iowa, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1838-1934 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

 * 1850-1990 - at FamilySearch
 * 1880-1992 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1904-1951 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Societies and Libraries
Tama County Tracers Genealogical Society and Historical Society 200 N. Broadway Toledo 52342-0084 Telephone:641-484-6767 Website

Websites

 * Tama County, IA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Iowa Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Iowa Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Tama County, Iowa Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Tama County, Iowa Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)