Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Cerro Gordo County was named for the Battle of Cerro Gordo and is located in northern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Cerro Gordo County Courthouse 220 N Washington Ave Mason City, IA 50401 Phone: 641-421-3038 Cerro Gordo 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:

Bible Records

 * Cerro Gordo County Bible Records at USGenWeb Iowa Archives

Biographies

 * History of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa...Sketches of Representative Citizens. By J.H. Wheeler. Chicago-New York: Lewis Publishing Co., 1910. Online at: Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust. Volume II contains county biographies. Index to biographies: Rootsweb.
 * History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo Counties, Iowa... and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Springfield, IL: Union Publishing Company, 1883. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust. Index at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Cerro Gordo 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
Church Records and Indexes
 * FamilySearch Places

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

Directories

 * 1896 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Funeral Homes

 * Counsell Woodley Funeral Home and Monument Company in Thornton
 * Fullerton Family of Funeral Homes in Mason City and Rockwell
 * Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel in Clear Lake and Mason City
 * Major Erickson Funeral Home and Crematory in Mason City

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1848-1905   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1854-1932   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1855-1917   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * 1871-1903   at FamilySearch Catalog - images and indexes
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * History of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. 1910. 2 volumes. By J.H. Wheeler. Chicago-New York: Lewis Publishing Co. Online at: Vol. I - Internet Archive. Vol. I contains county history.
 * History of Franklin and Cerro Gordo Counties, Iowa. 1883. Springfield, IL: Union Publishing Company. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; . Index at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Cerro Gordo County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Cerro Gordo County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1883-1932 Fire Insurance Maps for Cerro Gordo County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1883 and 1932.
 * 1912 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Cerro Gordo County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Cerro Gordo County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Cerro Gordo County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Cerro Gordo 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 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 Cerro Gordo 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:
 * - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company I

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1856-1945 - (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — 1 index, images
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * 1918-1964 Mason City Globe Gazette (Mason City, Iowa) at Ancestry ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa Wills and Probate Records 1758-1997 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
 * 1855-1986 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1857-1899 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & 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 ($)
 * 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1920-1967Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Austin Minnesota FamilySearch Center
 * Cedar Falls/Waterloo Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Fort Dodge Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Mason City Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Waseca County History Center - Minnesota - an affiliate library

Libraries
Mason City Public Library 225 2nd Street SE Mason City, IA 50401 Phone: 641-421-3668 Email: [mailto:mary@mcpl.org mary@mcpl.org] Website Clear Lake Public Library 200 North 4th Street Clear Lake, IA 50428 Phone: 641-357-6133 Email: [mailto:clplib@cltel.net clplib@cltel.net] Website

Societies
North Central Iowa Genealogical Society Mason City Public Library P.O. Box 237225 Second St SE Mason City, IA 50402-0237 Email: [mailto:ncigso@gmail.com ncigso@gmail.com] Website

Websites

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