Jefferson County, Iowa Genealogy

Guide to Jefferson 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 Thomas Jefferson. The County has Fairfield as its seat and the County was created 1839. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

Parent County
1839--Jefferson County was created 21 January 1839 from Henry County and unorganized territory. County seat: Fairfield

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.

Biography

 * Portrait and biographical album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa : containing full page portraits and biographical ske at Ancestry.com ($)

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
Davis • Henry •  Keokuk •  Van Buren •  Wapello •  Washington

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

Local Histories

 * Andreas, A. T. Illustrated historical atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875 : Jefferson county. Jefferson County, Iowa : Western Historical Co., 1989.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Portrait and biographical album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa : containing full page portraits and biographical ske at Ancestry.com ($)
 * History of Jefferson County, Iowa : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement. By Charles J. Fulton. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1912-1914. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Iowa

Military

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

Civil War

 * - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
 * - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 19th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
 * - 19th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
 * - 30th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 30th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
 * - 45th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I
 * - 3rd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company F
 * - 3rd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company H

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.


 * The Fairfield Daily Ledger.1939. Fairfield, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Baird, Verda J. ''Jefferson County, Iowa, Guardianship Index, 1839 thru 1892. Des Moines'': Iowa Genealogical Society, 1983.

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
Jefferson County Genealogical Society 2791 240 Street Fairfield IA 52556-8518 E-mail: [mailto:IowaGenealogy.JeffersonCounty@gmail.com IowaGenealogy.JeffersonCounty@gmail.com] Website

Family History Centers



 * Fairfield Iowa Family History Center 2143 32nd St., Fairfield, IA 52556 United States Location Map