O'Brien County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
O'Brien County was named for William Smith O'Brien and is located in northwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
O'Brien County Courthouse 155 S Hayes Ave Primghar, IA 51245 Phone: 712-957-3255 O'Brien 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

 * Past and Present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties, Iowa. 2 volumes. By John Licinius Everett Peck, O.H. Montzheimer, and William J. Miller. Indianapolis, IN: B.F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 1914. Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vols. I & II - Ancestry ($). Vol. I contains history, Vol. II contains biographies.
 * Biographical Data and Army Record of Old Soldiers who have lived in O'Brien Co., Iowa. By George E Schee and Otto Hillock Montzheimer. Primghar, IA: Schee and Montzheimer, 1909. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).


 * O'Brien County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories

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

 * FamilySearch Places

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

Funeral Homes

 * Eldridge Family Funeral Homes in Paullina, Primghar and Sheldon
 * Sanborn and Hartley Funeral Homes in Hartley and Sanborn
 * Vander Ploeg Funeral Homes Paullina
 * Warner Funeral Homes and Crematory in Sutherland

Local Histories

 * History of O'Brien County, Iowa, From its Organization to the Present Time. By D.A.W. Perkins. Souix Falls, SD: Brown and Saenger, Printers, 1897. Online at: Internet Archive.
 * Past and Present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties, Iowa. 2 volumes. By John Licinius Everett Peck, O.H. Montzheimer, and William J. Miller. Indianapolis, IN: B.F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 1914. Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vols. I & II - Ancestry ($). Vol. I contains history, Vol. II contains biographies.


 * Iowa Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, O'Brien County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 O'Brien County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1892-1948 Fire Insurance Maps for O'Brien County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1892 and 1948.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * IAGenWeb - O'Brien County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, O'Brien County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * O'Brien County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * Standard Atlas of O'Brien County, Iowa at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, O'Brien 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
 * Biographical data and army record of old soldiers who have lived in O'Brien Co., Iowa at Ancestry ($)

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1870-1906 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog —index, images
 * 1872-1951 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — some index, images

Newspapers

 * 1954 The Sheldon Mail. 1954. Sheldon, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1905-1906 Obrien County Bell. 1905-06. Primghar, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index and images, ($)
 * 1883-1926 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1901-1917 (*); Recorder 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 & 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
 * 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
 * 1920-1967 Iowa, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)

Family History Centers

 * Sioux Falls South Dakota Family History Center
 * Spencer Iowa Family History Center
 * Storm Lake Iowa Family History Center

Libraries
Primghar Public Library Box 9 320 1st Street NE Primghar, IA 51245 Phone: 712-957-8981 Email: [mailto:primlib@tcaexpress.net primlib@tcaexpress.net] Website

Museums
Heritage Park 1st Street NE Primghar, IA 51245 Phone: 712-957-2581 Website

Societies
O'Brien County Historical Society Box 385 Primghar, IA 51245 Phone: 712-957-2581 Website

Websites

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