Madison County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Madison 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
Madison County was named for James Madison and is located in southern Iowa.[3]
County Courthouse
Madison County Courthouse
112 N John Wayne Dr
Winterset, Iowa 50273
Phone: 515-462-4451
Madison County Website
Madison 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 | 1855 | 1880 | 1861 | 1850 | 1852 | 1847 |
Record Loss
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1875 Courthouse was destroyed by fire. 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 | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Listed below are resources for Bible records specific to Madison County. To find more resources, go to the Iowa Bible Records page.
Biographies
- The History of Madison County, Iowa: Containing a ... Biographical Directory of its Citizens, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men. Des Moines, IA: Union Historical Company, 1879. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust.
- History of Madison County, Iowa, and its People. 2 volumes. By Herman A. Mueller. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915. Online at: Vol. I -FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust. Vol. I contains history, Vol. II contains biographies.
- Madison 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 | 1,179 | — |
| 1860 | 7,339 | 522.5% |
| 1870 | 13,884 | 89.2% |
| 1880 | 17,224 | 24.1% |
| 1890 | 15,977 | −7.2% |
| 1900 | 17,710 | 10.8% |
| 1910 | 15,621 | −11.8% |
| 1920 | 15,020 | −3.8% |
| 1930 | 14,331 | −4.6% |
| 1940 | 14,525 | 1.4% |
| 1950 | 13,131 | −9.6% |
| 1960 | 12,295 | −6.4% |
| 1970 | 11,558 | −6.0% |
| 1980 | 12,597 | 9.0% |
| 1990 | 12,483 | −0.9% |
| 2000 | 14,019 | 12.3% |
| 2010 | 15,679 | 11.8% |
| 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
Court Records
- 1850-1985 Court Records, 1850-1985; Indexes 1855-1910(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1854-1874 Execution Docket, vol. A, 1854-1874(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1868-1978 Miscellaneous Land Records, 1868-1927; Indexes, 1868-1978(*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1869-1907 Records, 1869-1907(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1870-1923 Justice Docket, 1870-1923(*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1879-1885 Judgment Docket and Fee Book From Other Counties, 1879-1885(*); Courts at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1885-1911 District Court Records, Madison County, Iowa, 1885-1911(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1885-1941 Iowa, Madison County, District Court Records, 1885-1941(*); State Historical Society of Iowa at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1899-1926 Collateral Inheritance Tax and Lien Book, Madison County, Iowa, 1899-1926(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1921-1935 General Index to Affidavits, 1921-1935(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories
- 1869 History and Business Directory of Madison County, Iowa(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Madison city directory, a city and business directory for 1866. 1866 by B. W. Suckow, John Y Smith. Madison, WI:B. W. Suckow. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- History and business directory of Madison County, Iowa - Containing a Complete History of the County.... 1869 By J. J Davies. Des Moines, IA: Mills and Company Printers and Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Gazetteer and business directory of Madison County, N.Y. for 1868-9. 1869. By Hamilton Child. Syracuse, NY: Hamilton Child. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
- Wm. N. Seymour's Madison directory and Business Advertiser. 1855. Madison, IA: Atwood and Rublee Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home and Crematory in Winterset
- Collins Oak Park Chapel and Funeral in Winterset
- Johnson Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Earlham
- Kale Funeral Home in Truro
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
- 1849-1945 Town lot transfer books, 1849-1945 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1850-1936 Land records, 1850-1936; indexes, 1850-1905 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1856-1913 Index to Land Transfer books, Madison County, Iowa, 1856-1913 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1856-1913 Land transfer books, 1856-1913 at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1868-1927 Miscellaneous land records, 1868-1927; indexes, 1868-1978 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1874-1938 Town lot records, 1874-1938; indexes, 1851-1936 at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1879-1885 Homestead record, 1879-1885 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 Madison 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 Madison County, Iowa. Des Moines, IA: Union Historical Company, 1879. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust.
- History of Madison County, Iowa, and its People. 2 volumes. By Herman A. Mueller. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915. Online at: Vol. I -FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust; Vol. II - FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust. Vol. I contains history, Vol. II contains biographies.
- History and Business Directory of Madison County, Iowa: Containing a Complete History of the County, Voter List, etc. By J.J. Davies. Des Moines, IA: Mills & Co. Printers and Publishers, 1869. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
- Scenic Madison County, Iowa: Historic Significance. By Lloyd H. Smith. Winterset, IA: Joe Graham and Company, 1961. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Madison County History at IAGenWeb
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, Madison County at Ancestry ($) - index.
- 1875-2007 Madison County 1875-2007 at Historic Map Works - may include names of land-owners.
- 1886-1933 Fire Insurance Maps for Madison County, Iowa at Library of Congress - various years between 1886 and 1933.
- Atlas of Madison County, Iowa(*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
- General Highway and Transportation Map, Madison County, Iowa at FamilySearch Digital Library.
- IAGenWeb - Madison County.
- Iowa Digital Library, Madison County at Iowa University Libraries.
- Madison County Maps at FamilySearch Catalog.
- The Iowa Heritage Digital Collections, Madison County at State Library of Iowa.
- Township Map of 1875 Madison County, Iowa with enlarged views of each township at My Genealogy Hound.
- 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 Madison 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 D
- - 4th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company F
- - 10th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company K
- - 23rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
- - 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company E
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
- 1887-1926 Naturalization Records, 1887-1926(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog —index, images
- 1908-1924 Iowa, Madison County, Naturalization Records, 1908-1924(*); State Historical Society of Iowa at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Iowa, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1956 Winterset Madisonian. 1956. Winterset, IA, USA. Online at Ancestry] ($)
- 1876-2000 Altoona Digital Newspapers at Altoona Public Library Archives - index & images
- 1970-2007 Johnston Digital Newspapers at Johnston Historical Society Archives - index & images
Obituaries
- Madison County Obituary Index at IAGenWeb
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 ($)
- 1850-1936 Land Records, 1850-1936; Indexes, 1850-1905(*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1850-1978 Probate Records, 1852-1978; Indexes, 1850-1978(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1851-1918 Madison County, Iowa, Probate Case Files, 1851-1918(*); Clerk of the District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1851-1947 Madison County Probate Index by Madison County IAGenWeb
- 1865-1978 Complete Record Probate, vol. 1, 1865-1885 : Register of Wills Deposited with Clerk, vol. 1, 1875-1978(*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1868-1927 Miscellaneous Land Records, 1868-1927; Indexes, 1868-1978(*); County Recorder at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
- 1877-1890 Probate Minute Books, Circuit Court, Madison County, Iowa, 1877-1890(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1925-1943 Iowa, Madison County, Probate Records, 1925-1943(*); at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 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
- Madison County Birth Records at Madison County IAGenWeb
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($)
- 1880-1919 Madison County Death Records Index at Madison County IAGenWeb
- 1880-1992 Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1888-1904 Iowa, Death Records, 1888-1904 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images, coverage may vary
- 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage — index($)
- 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
- 1855-1938 Iowa, Madison County, Divorce Records, 1855-1938(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1868-1978 Miscellaneous Land Records, 1868-1927; Indexes, 1868-1978(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1899-1980 Divorce Records, v. 1, 1899-1980(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Madison 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
- Des Moines Iowa FamilySearch Center
- Indianola Iowa FamilySearch Center
- Osceola Iowa FamilySearch Center
- Iowa Genealogical Society Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Madison County. For state-wide library facilities, see Iowa Archives and Libraries.
The Earlham Public Library
120 S Chestnut
P.O. Box 310
Earlham, IA 50072
Phone: 515-758-2121
Email: library@earlham.lib.ia.us
Website
Winterset Public Library
123 N. 2nd Street
Winterset, IA 50273
Phone: 515-462-1731
Email: library@winterset.lib.ia.us
Website
Museums
History on the Hill
815 South 2nd Avenue
Winterset, IA 50273
Phone: 515-462-2134
Email: mchistory@historyonthehill.com
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Madison County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Iowa Societies.
Madison County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 26
Winterset, IA 50273-0026
Website
Madison County Historical Society
815 South Second Ave
Winterset, IA 50273
Phone: 515-462-2134
Website
Websites
- Madison County at Cyndi's List - a comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online
- Madison County at Genealogy Trails - volunteer transcriptions of genealogical and historical data
- Madison County at Iowa USGenWeb - free online resources for genealogical research
- Madison 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
- ↑ Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed 31 Aug 2021.
- ↑ Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library; accessed 31 Aug 2021.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Madison, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_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 31 Aug 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, "Madison County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_County%2C_Iowa#Communities, accessed 14 October 2019.