Benton County, Iowa Genealogy

United States Iowa Benton County

Guide to Benton County Iowa genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Benton County, Iowa
Map
Location in the state of Iowa
Location of Iowa in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	December 21, 1837
County Seat	Vinton
Courthouse
Address	Benton County Courthouse 111 E. 4th St. P. O. Box 719 Vinton, IA 52349-1771 Phone: (319) 833-3012 Benton County Website

County Courthouse

Benton County Courthouse
111 E. 4th St.
P. O. Box 719
Vinton, IA 52349-1771

(319) 833-3012

Benton County

History

Parent County

1837--Benton County was created 21 December 1837 from Dubuque County. Benton County was attached to Jackson and Linn Counties prior to organization 1 March 1846. County seat: Vinton

Boundary Changes

1853 -- Courthouse burned and many records were damaged.

For further information on researching in burned counties, see the following:

• Burned Counties Research in FamilySearch Wiki
• Michael John Neill, Burned Counties in Family History Circle

Places/Localities

Populated Places

For a list of cities and townships go to hometownlocator.com or wikipedia.org.

Neighboring Counties

Black Hawk | Buchanan | Iowa | Johnson | Linn | Poweshiek | Tama

Resources

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.

Church

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.

Lutheran

• Records of the American Lutheran Church, El Dorado, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Land

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.

Local Histories 

Local histories are available for Benton County, Iowa Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Iowa Local Histories.

Maps

Military

Civil War

Regiments. Service men in Benton County, Iowa Genealogy 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 in Benton County, Iowa Genealogy:

- 5th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G

- 8th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company D

- 13th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company G

- 16th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I

- 18th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H

- 28th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Companies A and D

- 47th Regiment, Iowa Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company C

Newspapers

• NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online including Cedar Rapids newspapers and Waterloo newspapers that may have included Benton County residents. This database is free at some libraries.

Probate

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.

Taxation

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.

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.

Societies and Libraries

Family History 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

• Belle Plaine Iowa Family History Center 1st Ave & 16th Belle Plaine IA 52208 United States Location Map

Web Sites

• Family History Library Catalog
• Benton County, Iowa Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.