Adams County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Adams County, Iowa ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Adams County was named for John Adams and is located in southwestern Iowa.[3]
County Courthouse
Adams County Courthouse
500 9th Street
Corning, IA 50841
Phone: 641-322-4711
Adams County Website
Adams County, Iowa Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1880 | 1853 | 1880 | 1860 | 1853 | 1860 | 1847 |
Record Loss
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1888 Courthouse burned on February 1, 1888 and some early records were destroyed. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes
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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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Listed below are resources for Bible records specific to Adams County. To find more resources, go to the Iowa Bible Records page.
- Adams County Bible Records at USGenWeb Iowa Archives
Biographies
- Biographical History of Montgomery and Adams Counties, Iowa. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, IAGenWeb Project.
- Adams County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- Iowa, State Employees at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
Cemeteries
- Adams County, Iowa Cemeteries. 1986. By Adams County Genealogical Society (Prescott, Iowa). Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
Census Records
Iowa recorded not only federal, but state censuses for several in-between years as well. For more information, see the very informative Iowa Census article.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 1,533 | — |
| 1870 | 4,614 | 201.0% |
| 1880 | 11,888 | 157.7% |
| 1890 | 12,292 | 3.4% |
| 1900 | 13,601 | 10.6% |
| 1910 | 10,998 | −19.1% |
| 1920 | 10,521 | −4.3% |
| 1930 | 10,437 | −0.8% |
| 1940 | 10,156 | −2.7% |
| 1950 | 8,753 | −13.8% |
| 1960 | 7,468 | −14.7% |
| 1970 | 6,322 | −15.3% |
| 1980 | 5,731 | −9.3% |
| 1990 | 4,866 | −15.1% |
| 2000 | 4,482 | −7.9% |
| 2010 | 4,029 | −10.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1885 Iowa State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1895 Iowa State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1905 Iowa State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images (individual cards, not family context)
- 1915 Iowa State Census, 1915 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1925 Iowa State Census, 1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Church Records
Most church records are held by individual churches. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Iowa Church Records.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Lutheran
- 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($)
- 1845-1987 Iowa, Church and Civil Deaths, 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
Court Records
- 1907-1943 Widow's Pension Records, 1907-1943(*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1919 Change of Name Records, 1919(*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Pearson Family Funeral Service and Cremation Center in Corning
- Ritchie Funeral Home - Lenox in Lenox
- Roland Ritchie Funeral Home in Corning
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. They include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Iowa Land and Property for information about early Iowa land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, transactions were usually recorded and housed at the county courthouse.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1854-1924 Index to Deeds, 1855-1901; Deeds, 1854-1924(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1857-1912 Index to Town Lot Deeds, 1875-1901; Town Lot Deeds, 1867-1912(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Adams County, which may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Iowa Local Histories.
- A Brief History of Corning and Adams County, Iowa. Corning, Iowa: Free Press Publishing Co., 1957. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- History of Adams County, Iowa. Corning, Iowa: Adams County History Book Committee, 1984. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers
County and state maps, historical and more current, are valuable research tools. For online maps and collections in libraries and societies, see Iowa Maps. Historical maps may be especially useful.
for more resources
- 1860-1918 U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918, Adams County at Ancestry ($) - index
- 1875-2007 Adams County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
- 1886-1907 Fire Insurance Maps for Adams County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1907.
- Adams County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog
- IAGenWeb - Adams County
- Iowa Digital Library, Adams County at Iowa University Libraries
- Standard Atlas of Adams County, Iowa(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Adams County at State Library of Iowa
- FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
Multiple Wars
- 1835-1998 Iowa, Armed Forces Grave Registrations, ca. 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index only
- 1862-1910 Iowa, Records of Persons Subject to Military Duty, 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Civil War
- 1861-1949 Iowa, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Civil War service men in Adams county served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed here:
- - 4th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
- - 29th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D
Naturalization and Citizenship
Please see the Iowa Naturalization and Citizenship page for state-wide information.
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1859-1990 United States, Iowa Naturalization Records, 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1871-1924 Naturalization Records, 1871-1924(*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1880-1915 Naturalization Index, 1880-1915(*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Iowa, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Historical Iowa Newspapers at NewspaperArchive ($)
- Adams County Free Press (Corning, Iowa) at Ancestry ($)
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Iowa, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry ($)
- 1854-1934 Probate Index, 1858-1934 ; Probate Records, 1854-1934(*) Clerk of District Court; at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Iowa tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. Iowa's unique Old Age Assistance tax gives names, addresses and birth years. There may be gaps of several years. For more information, see the wiki page Iowa Taxation.
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- 1934-1958 Iowa, Old Age Tax Assistance Records, 1934-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded by civil officials on registers, certificates, and other documents. Copies or extracts may be purchased from the Iowa Department of Public Health or the County Clerk's office. See also Iowa Vital Records.
Birth
- 1850-1939 Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1850-1939 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1880-1935 Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1921-1942 Iowa, Birth Records, 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1921-1947 Iowa, Birth and Stillbirth Records, 1921-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images, coverage may vary
Marriage
- 1518-1996 Iowa, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1809-1992 Iowa, Marriages, 1809-1992 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1838-1934 Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1880-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1941-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Death
- 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1845-1987 Iowa, Church and Civil Deaths, 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
- 1850-1990 Iowa Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images; Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1880-1992 Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1888-1904 Iowa, Death Records, 1888-1904 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images, coverage may vary
- 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1904-1951 Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1920-1967 Iowa, Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Divorce
- 1905-1943 Record of Divorces, 1905-1943(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Adams County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Shenandoah Iowa FamilySearch Center
- Omaha Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Adams County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
Corning Public Library
603 9th Street
Corning, IA 50841
Phone: 641-322-3866
Email: cornpl@mchsi.com
Website
Prescott Public Library
607 2nd Street
Prescott, IA 50859
Phone: 641-335-2238
Email: prescottlibrary@windstream.net
Website
Museums
French Icarian Colony Foundation
710 Davis Ave
Suite 1
Corning, IA 50841
Phone: 641-322-4717
Email: icaria@frontiernet.net
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Adams County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.
Adams County Genealogical Society
Public Library
603 9th Street
Corning, IA 50841-1034
Email: rgcox2@gmail.com
Website
Websites
- Adams County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
- Adams County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
- Adams County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
- Adams 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
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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.
Research Guides
References
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 12 April 2021.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 12 April 2021.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Adams, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_County,_Iowa; accessed on 12 April 2021
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 12 April 2021.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Adams County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_County,_Iowa, accessed on 12 April 2021.