Delaware County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Delaware 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
Delaware County was named for the U.S. state of Delaware and is located in eastern Iowa.[3]
County Courthouse
Delaware County Courthouse
301 E Main Street
P. O. Box 527
Manchester, IA 52057-0527
Phone: 319-927-4942
Delaware County Website
Delaware 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 | 1851 | 1880 | 1851 | 1847 | 1849 | 1847 |
Record Loss
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
|
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 | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Listed below are resources for Bible records specific to Delaware County. To find more resources, go to the Iowa Bible Records page.
Biographies
- Biographical Souvenir of the Counties of Delaware and Buchanan, Iowa. Chicago, IL: F.A. Battey, 1890. Online at: FamilySearch.
- The History of Delaware County, Iowa: Containing...a Biographical Directory. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Company, 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
- History of Delaware County, Iowa, and its People. 2 volumes. By John F Merry. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1914. Online at: Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust. Vol. II contains biographies.
- Delaware County, Iowa Biographies Project at RootsWeb — links to biographies and local histories
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- Iowa, State Employees at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
Cemeteries
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. | %± |
| 1850 | 1,759 | — |
| 1860 | 11,024 | 526.7% |
| 1870 | 17,432 | 58.1% |
| 1880 | 17,950 | 3.0% |
| 1890 | 17,349 | −3.3% |
| 1900 | 19,185 | 10.6% |
| 1910 | 17,888 | −6.8% |
| 1920 | 18,183 | 1.6% |
| 1930 | 18,122 | −0.3% |
| 1940 | 18,487 | 2.0% |
| 1950 | 17,734 | −4.1% |
| 1960 | 18,483 | 4.2% |
| 1970 | 18,770 | 1.6% |
| 1980 | 18,933 | 0.9% |
| 1990 | 18,035 | −4.7% |
| 2000 | 18,404 | 2.0% |
| 2010 | 17,764 | −3.5% |
| 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.
- 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
- FamilySearch Places
Lutheran
- 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Court Records
- 1869-1886 Court Records, 1869-1886(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1870-1894 Justice's Docket, 1870-1894(*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville
- Leonard-Muller Funeral Home and Crematory in Edgewood and Manchester
- Murdoch Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in Earlwood and Manchester
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. They include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Iowa Land and Property for information about early Iowa land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, transactions were usually recorded and housed at the county courthouse.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1842-1937 Deeds, 1842-1937 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1858-1926 Transfer books, 1858-1926 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Delaware County, which may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Iowa Local Histories.
- The History of Delaware County, Iowa. Chicago, IL: Western Historical Company, 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
- History of Delaware County, Iowa, and its People. 2 volumes. By John F Merry. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1914. Online at: Vol. I - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust; At various libraries (WorldCat). Vol. I contains history, Vol. II contains biographies.
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, Delaware County at Ancestry ($) - index.
- 1875-2007 Delaware County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
- 1886-1921 Fire Insurance Maps for Delaware County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1921.
- Delaware County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
- IAGenWeb - Delaware County.
- Iowa Digital Library, Delaware County at Iowa University Libraries.
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Delaware County at State Library of Iowa.
- Township Plat Book of Delaware County, Iowa(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - 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 Delaware 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 G
- - 2nd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company I
- - 4th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company B
- - 6th Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, Company G
- - 12th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Companies F and K
- - 20th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Companies H and K
- - 27th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
- - 44th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company C
- - 46th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F
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
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Iowa, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1871-2015 Manchester Press Online at: Manchester Public Library
- 1894-1958 Hopkinton Leader Online at: Manchester Public Library, Ancestry ($)
- 1897-1912 Delaware County News, Online at: Manchester Public Library
- 1926-1948 Earlville Review, Online at: Manchester Public Library
- 1930-1988 Manchester Democrat Radio Online at: Manchester Public Library, Ancestry ($)
- 1953 and 1959 Dyersville Commerrial, Online at: Ancestry ($)
- 2005-2018 The Manchester Press, Online at: Manchester Public Library
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Iowa, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1758-1997 Iowa, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1847-1940 Probate Records, 1847-1940; Indexes, 1849-1937(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1849-1929 Probate Case Files and Index, 1849-1929(*); 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 ($)
- 1836-1926 Iowa, Marriages, 1836 - 1926 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 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 ($)
- 1941-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1941-1951 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Death
- 1845-1987 Iowa, Church and Civil Deaths, 1845-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
- 1850-1990 Iowa Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and some images; Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 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
- 1888-1953 Divorce Records, 1888-1953(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Delaware 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
- Cedar Falls/Waterloo Iowa FamilySearch Center
- Cedar Rapids Iowa FamilySearch Center
- Dubuque Iowa FamilySearch Center
- African American Museum Of Iowa - an affiliate library
- Genealogical Society of Linn County, Iowa - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Delaware County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
Manchester Public Library
304 North Franklin Street
Manchester, IA 52057
Phone: 563-927-3719
Email: circulation@manchester.lib.ia.us
Website
Facebook
Museums
Delaware County Historical Museum Complex
212 1st Street Southeast
College Square Highway 38
Hopkinton, IA 52237
Phone: 563-926-2639
Email: delcohistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Facebook
Societies
Listed below are societies in Delaware County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.
Delaware County Genealogical Society
Manchester Public Library
304 N Franklin
Manchester, IA 52057-1520
Email: estellam@windstream.net
Website
Delaware County Historical Society
Delaware Country Historical Museum Complex
212 1st Street Southeast
College Square Highway 38
Hopkinton, IA 52237-0070
Phone: 319-926-2639
Email: ckoegel@zipnet.us
Website
Websites
- Delaware County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
- Delaware County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
- Delaware County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
- Delaware 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 25 July 2021.
- ↑ Iowa Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed 25 July 2021.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Delaware, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_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 25 July 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, "Delaware County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_County,_Iowa#Communities, accessed 3 September 2019.