Johnson County, Iowa Genealogy

Guide to Johnson 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 Richard Mentor Johnson. The County has Iowa City as its seat and the County was created 1837. The County is located in the central area of the state.

Parent County
1837--Johnson County was created 21 December 1837 from Dubuque, Cook, and Muscatine Counties. It was attached to Cedar County prior to organization 4 July 1838. County seat: Iowa City

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.

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

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
Benton • Cedar •  Iowa •  Linn •  Louisa •  Muscatine •  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

Lutheran

 * Records of the Zion Lutheran Church, Iowa City, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Directories

 * Iowa City, Iowa Semi-Centennial Directory, 1840-90 at Ancestry.com ($)

Local Histories

 * Aurner, Clarence Ray. Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history. Cedar Rapids, Iowa : Western Hist. Press, 1912-1913.
 * Vol. 1 Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Vol. 2 Online at Internetarchive (Free)
 * Iowa City Board of Trade. Sketch of Johnson County, Iowa : with a review of its early history and subsequent development, its educational, manufacturing, agricultural, and other interests. Iowa City, Iowa : Board of Trade, 1880.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)


 * Johnson County history, Iowa at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa City at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Some aspects of the financial administration of Johnson County, Iowa 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

 * - 1st Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company F
 * - 1st Regiment, Iowa Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company B
 * - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company H
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company I
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company M
 * - 6th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
 * - 22nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
 * - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
 * - 28th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
 * - 44th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company D
 * - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company G

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Daily Iowan Newspaper Collection -- access to digitized versions of The Daily Iowan and its predecessors: the University Reporter (1868-81), the Vidette (1879-81), the Vidette-Reporter (1881-1901) and the University Mirror (1881). The newspaper editions are full text searchable.
 * NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online including Cedar Rapids newspapers that may have included Johnson County residents. This database is free at some libraries.


 * Iowa City Press Citizen.1920-27, 1938-41, 1946-48, 1950-53, 1955, 1960, and 1968-73. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Iowa City Citizen.1892, 1908-11, and 1916-19 Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa City Daily Press. 1904-15 Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Daily Iowa State Press. 1899-1902, 1904, and 1971. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Iowa Citizen. 1891-94, 1903, and 1905-06. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Daily Citizen. 1892-93 and 1901. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa State Press. 1903. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa City Daily Citizen.1916. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Iowa City Volksfreund. 1874-76. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * State Press.1894. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Daily State Press.1894. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Iowa Quest.1948-55. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * The Daily Iowan.1939, 1947, and 1955. Iowa City, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
 * Lone Tree Reporter. 1926. Johnson, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

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
Iowa City Genealogical Society (Johnson County) P.O. Box 822 Iowa City IA 52244-0822 Website

Family History Centers



 * Iowa City Iowa Family History Center 2730 Bradford Dr., Iowa City, IA 52240 United States Location Map


 * Mount Vernon Iowa Family History Center Scobey Road, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 United States Location Map