Decatur County, Iowa Genealogy
United States 
Iowa Decatur County
Guide to Decatur County Iowa genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Decatur County, Iowa | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Iowa | |
 Location of Iowa in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | January 13, 1846 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Leon |
| Courthouse | |
County Courthouse
Decatur County Courthouse
207 Main Street
Leon, IA 50144-1647
(515) 446-4331
History
The county is named after U.S. naval officer Stephen Decatur (1779-1820).[1]
Parent County
1846--Decatur County was created 13 January 1846 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Davis County prior to organization 6 March 1850.
County seat: Leon [2]
Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Iowa boundary changes.
Record Loss
March 31, 1874 -- 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
Clarke | Lucas | Ringgold | Union | Wayne | Harrison County, Missouri | Mercer County, Missouri
Resources
Cemeteries
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
LDS Ward and Branch Records
- Garden Grove
Court
Land
Local Histories
Maps
Migration
Early migration routes to and from Decatur 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
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
- ↑ "List of counties in Tennessee", Wikipedia.
- ↑ 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).