Clinton County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Clinton County, Iowa ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Clinton County was named for DeWitt Clinton and is located in eastern Iowa.[3]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Clinton County Courthouse
612 North 2nd Street
Clinton, IA 52732
Phone: 563-243-6210
Clinton County Website
Clinton County, Iowa Record Dates[edit | edit source]
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 | 1840 | 1880 | mid-1800s | 1840 | 1840 | 1847 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
|
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[8]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Listed below are resources for Bible records specific to Clinton County. To find more resources, go to the Iowa Bible Records page.
- Clinton County Iowa Bibles at USGenWeb Iowa Archives - transcriptions
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- The Biographical Record of Clinton County, Iowa. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust, Ancestry ($).
- Portrait and Biographical Album of Clinton County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Chapman Brothers, 1886. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Clinton County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
- Iowa, State Employees at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
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. | %± |
| 1840 | 821 | — |
| 1850 | 2,822 | 243.7% |
| 1860 | 18,938 | 571.1% |
| 1870 | 35,357 | 86.7% |
| 1880 | 36,763 | 4.0% |
| 1890 | 41,199 | 12.1% |
| 1900 | 43,832 | 6.4% |
| 1910 | 45,394 | 3.6% |
| 1920 | 43,371 | −4.5% |
| 1930 | 44,377 | 2.3% |
| 1940 | 44,722 | 0.8% |
| 1950 | 49,664 | 11.1% |
| 1960 | 55,060 | 10.9% |
| 1970 | 56,749 | 3.1% |
| 1980 | 57,122 | 0.7% |
| 1990 | 51,040 | −10.6% |
| 2000 | 50,149 | −1.7% |
| 2010 | 49,116 | −2.1% |
| 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[edit | edit source]
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.
- 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
Lutheran
- 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1849-1931 Clinton County, Iowa, District Court Records, 1849-1931(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1860-1905 Clinton County, Iowa, Statement of Names, Ages, & Residences of Widows and Heirs, 1860-1905(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1861-1870 Clinton County, Iowa, County Court Docket, 1861-1870(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1869-1886 Clinton County, Iowa, Circuit Court Record, 1869-1886(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1869 Clinton Directory, Clinton County, Iowa(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1876 Gazetteer and Directory of Clinton County, Iowa : Containing a History of the County, Directory of Farmers and Land Owners(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1883-1884 Clinton, Lyons and Chancy City Directory : Including Complete Street, Society and Business Directory(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Delaney-Vulich Funeral Home in Clinton
- Lemke Funeral Service in Clinton
- Nelson-Heesch Funeral Home in DeWitt
- Pape Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Clinton
- Schmitz Funeral Home in Clinton
- Schultz Funeral Homes in DeWitt and Grand Mound
- Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes and Crematory in Camanche and Clinton
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
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
- 1840-1885 Town lot deeds, 1840-1885 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1840-1886 Deeds, 1840-1886 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1864-1920 Town lot deed records, 1864-1920 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1865-1933 Probate records of real estate, 1865-1933 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Clinton County, which may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Iowa Local Histories.
- The Centennial 1776 to 1876 Gazetteer and Directory of Clinton County, Iowa. By F. E. Owen. Lyons, IA: J. C. Hopkins Printer, 1876. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
- History of Clinton County, Iowa. By Estelle LePrevost Youle. N.p. : n.p., 1946. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- The History of Clinton County, Iowa : Containing a History of the County. Chicago, Illinois : Western Historical, 1879. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Wolfe's History of Clinton County, Iowa. 2 volumes. By Patrick B Wolfe. Indianapolis, IN: B.F. Bowen and Company, 1911. Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Vols. I & II - Hathitrust; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
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, Clinton County at Ancestry ($) - index.
- 1874-2007 Clinton County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
- 1868-1936 Fire Insurance Maps for Clinton County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1868 and 1936.
- Atlas of Clinton Co., Iowa(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- Clinton County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
- IAGenWeb - Clinton County.
- Iowa Digital Library, Clinton County at Iowa University Libraries.
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Clinton County at State Library of Iowa.
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places.
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
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 Clinton 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:
- - 1st Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company B
- - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I
- - 8th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
- - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
- - 16th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
- - 24th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
- - 26th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, all companies, A-K
- - 44th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Please see the Iowa Naturalization and Citizenship page for state-wide information.
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1855-1955 Naturalization Records, 1855-1955; index 1859-1877(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — 3 indexes, images
- 1859-1990 United States, Iowa Naturalization Records, 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1861-1870 Clinton County, Iowa, County Court Docket, 1861-1870(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1870-1886 Naturalizations, 1870-1886(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-Current Iowa, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1856-1931 Digital Archives of the Clinton Public Library Newspaper Search at Clinton Public Library - index & images
- 1896-1897 The Clinton Mirror, Clinton, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
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 — index & images ($)
- 1840-1885 Town Lot Deeds, 1840-1885(*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1841-1930 Clinton County, Iowa, Probate Records, 1841-1930 ; Index, 1841-1900(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1851-1925 Will Records, 1851-1925(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1860-1905 Clinton County, Iowa, Statement of Names, Ages, & Residences of Widows and Heirs, 1860-1905(*); County Clerk of Courts at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1861-1870 Clinton County, Iowa, County Court Docket, 1861-1870(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1865-1933 Probate Records of Real Estate, 1865-1933(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1869-1938 Probate Appearance Dockets and Calendar of Probate Cases in Circuit Court, 1869-1938(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1907-1934 Index to Affidavits, v. 1, 1907-1918, v. 2, 1919-1934(*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1909-1923 Probate Record; Records of Bonds on Appointments, no. 1, Clinton County, 1909-1923(*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
- IAGenWeb Clinton County Schools
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
- 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 ($)
- 1838-1934 Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1880-1951 Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1941-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Death[edit | edit source]
- 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, U.S., Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Clinton County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]
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
- Davenport Iowa FamilySearch Center
- Freeport Illinois FamilySearch Center
- Sterling Illinois FamilySearch Center
- Clinton Public Library Lyons Branch - an affiliate library
- Danish Immigrant Museum - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Clinton County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
Clinton Public Library
306 8th Avenue South
Clinton, IA 52732
Phone: 563-242-8441
Email: info@clintonpubliclibrary.us
Website
Facebook
Lyons Branch, Clinton Public Library - Local History & Genealogy Center
105 Main Avenue
Clinton, IA 52732
Phone: 563-242-5355
Email: lyons@clintonpubliclibrary.us
Website
Facebook
Museums[edit | edit source]
Clinton County Historical Society Museum
601 South 1st Street
P.O. Box 2435
Clinton, IA 52732-2435
Phone: 563-242-1201
Email: clintoncomuseum@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Central Community Historical Society Museum
628 6th Avenue
DeWitt, IA 52742
Phone: 563-659-3686
Email: centralcommhissoc@hotmail.com
Website
Facebook
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Clinton County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.
Central Community Historical Society
628 6th Avenue
DeWitt, IA 52742
Phone: 563-659-3686
Email: ahsoenk@gmail.com
Website
Clinton County Historical Society
Dept IAGW
P.O. Box 2435
Clinton, IA 52732-2435
Phone: 563-242-1201
Email: clintoncomuseum@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope if sending a request by mail. A small donation to cover copy and mailing expenses is suggested.
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Clinton County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
- Clinton County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
- Clinton County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
- Clinton 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Clinton, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_County,_Iowa.
- ↑ 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 11 April 2021.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed on 11 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, "Clinton County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_County%2C_Iowa, accessed 1 September 2019.
