Montgomery County, Iowa Genealogy

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

Description
Montgomery County was named for Richard Montgomery and is located in southwestern Iowa.

County Courthouse
Montgomery County Courthouse 105 E. Coolbaugh Street / PO Box 469 Red Oak, IA 51566 Phone: 712-623-4986 Montgomery 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 Montgomery and Adams Counties, Iowa. Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * History of Montgomery County, Iowa: Containing Biographical Directory of Many of Its Leading Citizens. Des Moines, IA: Iowa Historical and Biographical Co., 1881. Online at: HathiTrust.
 * Montgomery County Biography Center at IAGenWeb
 * Montgomery County Bios, IAGenWeb Project
 * Montgomery 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
 * Montgomery County Churches at IAGenWeb

Directories

 * 1896 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Directory of Montgomery County, Iowa - 1905-06, 6th ed. at FamilySearch Digital Library.

Funeral Homes

 * Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel, Inc. in Red Oak
 * Wolfe-Billings Funeral Chapel in Villisca

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1854-1927   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1854-1927   at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1853-1869   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1864-1967   at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * A History of the County of Montgomery from the earliest days to 1906. By W. W. Merritt. Red Oak, IA: Express Publishing, 1906. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * History of Montgomery County, Iowa. Des Moines, IA: Iowa Historical and Biographical Co., 1881. Online at: HathiTrust.


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

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Montgomery County at Ancestry ($) - index.
 * 1875-2007 Montgomery County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
 * 1886-1921 Fire Insurance Maps for Montgomery County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1921.
 * 1907 Standard Atlas of Montgomery County, Iowa at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Montgomery County Maps at IAGenWeb
 * Iowa Digital Library, Montgomery County at Iowa University Libraries.
 * Montgomery County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Montgomery 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
 * 1812-2004 Montgomery County Military at IAGenWeb
 * 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
 * 1869-1929 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index, images

Obituaries

 * Montgomery County Obituaries, IAGenWeb Project

Other Records

 * Montgomery County Queries, IAGenWeb Project
 * Montgomery County Docs, IAGenWeb Project

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1838-1964 (*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * 1898-1926 (*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

School Record

 * Montgomery County Schools at IAGenWeb

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
 * 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 ($)
 * 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1855-1880 IAGenWeb, Marriages Index, Montgomery County

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

 * Council Bluffs Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Shenandoah Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Omaha Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Red Oak Public Library 400 N. 2nd Street Red Oak, IA 51566 Phone: 712-623-6516 Email: [mailto:webmaster@redoak.lib.ia.us webmaster@redoak.lib.ia.us] Website Villisca Public Library 204 S. 3rd Avenue Villisca, IA 50864 Phone: 712-826-2452 Email: [mailto:staff@villisca.lib.ia.us staff@villisca.lib.ia.us] Website

Museums
Montgomery County History Center 2700 N. 4th Street Red Oak, IA 51566 Phone: 712-623-2289 Email: [mailto:mchsociet@qwestoffice.net mchsociet@qwestoffice.net] Website Burlington Northern Depot & WWII Memorial Museum 305 South 2nd Street Red Oak, IA 51566 Phone: 712-621-9099 Website Swedish Heritage and Cultural Center 410 Hilltop Avenue Stanton, IA 51573 Phone: 712-829-2840 Email: [mailto:shcc@myfmtc.com shcc@myfmtc.com] Website

Societies
Montgomery County Iowa Historical Society and History Center 2700 N 4th Street Red Oak, IA 51566 Phone: 712-623-2289 Website

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