Ida County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Ida County was named after Ida Smith, the first child of European immigrants to be born in this region. The county is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Ida County Courthouse 401 Moorehead St Ida Grove, IA 51445 Phone: 712-364-3181 Ida 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

 * Biographical History of Crawford, Ida and Sac Counties, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Co., 1893. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($).


 * Ida 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

 * FamilySearch Places

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

Funeral Homes

 * Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Services in Battle Creek and Ida Grove
 * Nicklas D Jensen Funeral Home and Monument Company in Holstein

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * Historical Collections of Ida County. Giles C. Moorehead. n.p.: Pioneer Record Press, 1928. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Northwestern Iowa, Its History and Traditions, Comprising the Counties of ...Ida.... By Arthur Francis Allen. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1927. Online at: Vol. III - HathiTrust.


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

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Ida County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1884-2007 Ida County 1884-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1886-1933 Fire Insurance Maps for Ida County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1933.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * Ida County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * IAGenWeb - Ida County.
 * Iowa Digital Library, Ida County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * 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

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1875-1942 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — 1 index, images

Newspapers

 * 1951-1959 Ida County Pioneer Record. 1951-59. Ida County, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com($)
 * 1951 Pioneer Record. 1951. Ida Grove, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1885-1929 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & 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
 * 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1935 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 ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Sioux City Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Storm Lake Iowa FamilySearch Center

Libraries
Ida Grove Public Library 100 E 2nd Street Ida Grove, IA 51445 Phone: 712-364-2306 Website

Museums
Moorehead House Museum Ida County Historical Society Museum 501 Zobel Ln Ida Grove, IA 51445 Phone: 712-364-3605 Website

Societies
Ida County Genealogical Society 1111 S Main St Ida Grove, IA 51455 Email: [mailto:DMDOSE@Longlines.com DMDOSE@Longlines.com] Ida County Historical Society 501 Zobel Lane Ida Grove, IA 51445 Phone: 712-364-3605 Website

Websites

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