Clay County, Iowa Genealogy

Guide to Clay 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 Henry Clay Jr. The County has Spencer as its seat and the County was created 1851. The County is located in the north area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clay County Courthouse 215 W 4th Street Spencer, Iowa 51301

(712) 262-1081

Clay County

Parent County
1851--Clay County was created 15 January 1851 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Woodbury County prior to organization 15 October 1858. County seat:  Spencer

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.

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
Buena Vista • Cherokee •  Dickinson •  Emmet •  O'Brien •  Osceola •  Palo Alto •  Pocahontas

Census
Iowa recorded not only the federal census but state census through out the years too. The state census contains very valuable genealogical information. Where the census information can be found, what years it was taken, mortality schedules, census substitutions and much more is discussed in the very informative Iowa Census article. 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

 * Gillespie, Samuel. History of Clay County, Iowa, from its earliest settlement to 1909 : also biographical sketches of many prominent citizens of the county as well as its illustrious dead. Chicago, Illinois : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1909.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)

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

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1859-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Spencer Public Library Archives, Clay County (1884-1936)
 * The Spencer Daily Reporter. 1951-1953, 1956, 1959 Spencer, 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
See also a List of Iowa Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Family History Centers

 * Spencer Iowa Family History Center 1701 W 11th St., Spencer, IA 51301 United States Location Map