Union County, Iowa Genealogy
United States 
Iowa Union County
Guide to Union County Iowa genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Union County, Iowa | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Iowa | |
 Location of Iowa in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | January 15, 1851 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Creston |
| Courthouse | |
County Courthouse
History
Parent County
1851--Union County was created 15 January 1851 from Pottawattamie County and from non-county area which, in 1846, was in Clarke County until that county's boundaries changed in 1847 (shrinking along with neighboring Lucas County).[1] County seat: Creston [2]
Boundary Changes
Record Loss
1893 -- 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
Neighboring Counties
Adair | Adams | Clarke | Decatur | Madison | Ringgold | Taylor
Resources
Cemeteries
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.
Court
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 Union 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
David Rumsey Map Collection is a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures. This Collection features the city of Creston.
Migration
Early migration routes to and from Union County, Iowa Genealogy for European settlers included:
- Mormon Trail 1846 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah[3]
Military
Newspapers
NewspaperArchive.com ($) has a large collection of digitized Iowa newspapers online. This database is sometimes free at 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
Web Sites
References
- ↑ FamilyHistory101.com: "Iowa County Formation Maps"; interactive map of county formation and organization. Online at http://www.familyhistory101.com/maps/ia_cf.html
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ National Park Service, "Auto Tour Route Maps" in Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail at http://www.nps.gov/mopi/planyourvisit/maps.htm (accessed 18 July 2011).