Clarke County, Iowa Genealogy

Guide to Clarke 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 James Clarke. The County has Osceola as its seat and the County was created 1846. The County is located in the south central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clarke County Courthouse 100 S. Main Osceola, IA 50213

(641) 342-3313

Clarke County

Parent County
1846--Clarke County was created 13 January 1846 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Lucas Kishkekosh Counties prior to organization 21 August 1851. County seat:  Osceola

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.

Clarke County, like its neighbor Lucas County, spanned five townships from east to west in 1846. Both counties shrank to four townships across in 1847, requiring Clarke County's eastern border to shift six miles east while its western border shifted twelve miles east

The area vacated by Clarke County, including Mt. Pisgah and its cemetery, was non-county area until it became part of Union County in 1851.

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

Places/Localities
'''Town/city records in the FamilySearch

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
Decatur • Lucas •  Madison •  Ringgold •  Union •  Warren •  Wayne

Census
Iowa recorded not only the federal census but state census through out the years too. The state census contains very valuable genealogical information. Where the census information can be found, what years it was taken, mortality schedules, census substitutions and much more is discussed in the very informative Iowa Census article.

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

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa

Migration
Early migration routes to and from for European settlers included:


 * Mormon Trail 1846 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Military

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

Civil War

 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
 * - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H
 * - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
 * - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
NewspaperArchive.com ($) has a large collection of digitized Iowa newspapers online. This database is sometimes free at libraries.

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Taxation

 * 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

Deaths

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

Societies and Libraries
Clarke County Genealogical Society c/o Osceola Public Library 300 S. Fillmore Osceola, Iowa 50213 Website

Clarke County Historical Society Hwy. 69 South Osceola, Iowa 50213 Telephone:641-342-3550, 641-342-2773, 641-342-2573 Website

Family History Centers



 * Osceola Iowa Family History Center Highway 34 East, Osceola, IA 50213 United States Location Map