Pottawattamie County, Iowa Genealogy
Guide to Pottawattamie County, Iowa ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Pottawattamie County, Iowa | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Iowa, United States Genealogy | |
 Location of Iowa in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | September 21, 1848 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Council Bluffs |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 County Courthouse
- 3 History
- 4 Places/Localities
- 5 Resources
- 6 Societies and Libraries
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Potawatomi tribe. The County has Council Bluffs as its seat and the County was created September 21, 1848. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.[1]
Pottawattamie County, Iowa Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1880 | 1840 | 1880 | 1876 | 1849 | 1846 | 1847 |
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1848--Pottawattamie County was created 21 September 1848 from unorganized territory. County seat: Founded as Kanesville; renamed Council Bluffs 19 January 1953. [3] [4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Iowa County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Iowa County Boundary Maps" (1816-1872) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Apparently the new county, covering over 5,000 sq. miles, once included nearly all of Iowa's Missouri River drainage between the southern halves of what are now Monona and Crawford Counties and the northern edge of Fremont, Page, Taylor, and Ringgold Counties. The following counties were completely formed from within this expanse: Harrison, Shelby, Cass, Mills, Montgomery, and Adams; most of Audubon, along with portions of Union, Adair, Guthrie, Carroll, Crawford, and Monona Counties were also part of Pottawattamie County until 1851.[5] However, the area near Mt. Pisgah was never in Pottawattamie County. Iowa's legislature gave the eastern half of today's Union County to Clarke County in 1846, then shrank both Clarke and neighboring Lucas County in 1847 (before either county became functional). As a result, the Mt. Pisgah community and cemetery were in a non-county area until Union County was formed in 1851 and organized in 1853.[6]
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Places/Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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 | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Cass • Harrison • Mills • Montgomery • Shelby • Douglas County, Nebraska • Sarpy County, Nebraska
Resources[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
| Tombstone Transcriptions Online | Tombstone Transcriptions in Print | List of Cemeteries in the county |
| Findagrave.com | Family History Library | Findagrave.com |
| IAGenWeb | WorldCat | Billion Graves |
| IAGenWeb Archives | FamilySearch Places | |
| Tombstone Project | ||
| Iowa Gravestones | ||
| Billion Graves | ||
| See Iowa Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Cemeteries, grouped by search site. Information on search sites may vary from site to site, but usually at least has the name, most will have dates, and some will include epitaphs and other information. Some include photos, some do not. Indexing of headstone data and locations will also vary, completeness of coverage of any particular cemetery may also vary.
BillionGraves.com.
- Bikhor Cholim (cemetery), Kane, Iowa
- Cedar Lawn Cemetery, Garner, Iowa
- Crescent Cemetery, Crescent
- Fairview Cemetery, Council Bluffs
- Fisher Cemetery, Underwood
- Flint Cemetery, Griswold
- Grange Cemetery, Honey Creek
- Green Valley Cemetery, Countil Bluffs
- Hardin Township Cemetery, McLelland, Iowa
- Memorial Park Cemetery, Council Bluffs
- Ridgewood Cemetery, Council Bluffs
- Silver Valley Cemetery, Hancock, Iowa
- St. Joseph Cemetery, Council Bluffs, Iowa
- St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery, Neola, Iowa
- Treynor Zion Congregational Cemetery, Treynor, Iowa
- Walnut Hill Cenetery, Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Weston Saint Columbanus Catholic Cemetery, Underwood
- Wheeler Grove Cemetery, Carson Iowa
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 7,828 | — |
| 1860 | 4,968 | −36.5% |
| 1870 | 16,893 | 240.0% |
| 1880 | 39,850 | 135.9% |
| 1890 | 47,430 | 19.0% |
| 1900 | 54,336 | 14.6% |
| 1910 | 55,832 | 2.8% |
| 1920 | 61,550 | 10.2% |
| 1930 | 69,888 | 13.5% |
| 1940 | 66,756 | −4.5% |
| 1950 | 69,682 | 4.4% |
| 1960 | 83,102 | 19.3% |
| 1970 | 86,991 | 4.7% |
| 1980 | 86,561 | −0.5% |
| 1990 | 82,628 | −4.5% |
| 2000 | 87,704 | 6.1% |
| 2010 | 93,158 | 6.2% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
US Census
- Iowa, Pottawattamie County, Annotated Record of US Census, 1850 at Ancestry.com ($)
State Census
- 1895 - Iowa State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1905 - Iowa State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1915 - Iowa State Census, 1915 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1925 - Iowa State Census. 1925 at FamilySearch — index and images
Church[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Iowa Church Records.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[edit | edit source]
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Council Bluffs
- Council Bluffs Dist
- Council Point
- Lake
- Pottawatomie
- Shirtses
- Union
Lutheran[edit | edit source]
Council Bluffs
- Records of the American Lutheran Church, Council Bluffs, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Neola
- Records of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Neola, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
Underwood
- Records of the American Lutheran Church, Underwood, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
Court[edit | edit source]
Land[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Iowa Land and Property for additional information about early Iowa land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
|
Local histories are available for Pottawattamie 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.
- History of Pottawattami County, Iowa, from the earliest historic times to 1907. By Homer H. Field and Joseph R. Reed. Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1907. Online at: Vol. 1 FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, Vol. 2 FamilySearch Digital Library, Interner Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa: containing a history from the earliest settlement to the present time... biographical sketches. Chicago: O. L. Baskin, 1883. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Google Books; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Mormons at the Missouri, 1846-1852: "And should we die. . .". By Richard E. Bennett. Norman, Oklahoma : University of Oklahoma Press, c1987. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Iowa
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to and from Pottawattamie County, Iowa Genealogy for European and African American settlers included:
- Missouri River
- Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon[8]
- California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California[9]
- Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah[10]
- Mormon Pioneer Trail - Council Bluffs
- Individuals in Mormon pioneer Overland travel
Military[edit | edit source]
- 1835-1998 - Iowa, Armed Forces Grave Registrations, ca. 1835-1998 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1949 - Iowa, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1861-1949 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1862-1910 - Iowa, Records of Persons Subject to Military Duty, 1862-1910 at FamilySearch — index
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Regiments. Service men in Pottawattamie 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 Pottawattamie County, Iowa Genealogy:
- - 4th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company B
- - 15th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
- - 17th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company H
- - 23rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company E
- - 29th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company A
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1859-1990 - United States, Iowa Naturalization Records, 1859-1990 at FamilySearch — index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Pottawattamie County, Iowa Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat
- FamilySearch. Do a Pottawattamie County, Iowa Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see, FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
- Council Bluffs Nonpareil. 1936, 1943-50, and 1952-56. Council Bluffs, IA, USA. Online at: Ancestry.com ($)
Probate[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Records
- 1758 - 1997 Iowa Wills and Probate Records 1758-1997 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
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.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for Iowa - Pottawattamie - Probate records.
Taxation[edit | edit source]
- 1934-1958 - Iowa, Old Age Tax Assistance Records, 1934-1958 at FamilySearch — index
Iowa tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Tax lists were usually made every year, however, there may be gaps of several years. For more information, see the wiki page Iowa Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Iowa Department of Public Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also How to order Iowa Vital Records or order electronically online.
Births[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1939 - Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1850-1939 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1921-1942 - Iowa, Birth Records, 1921-1942 at FamilySearch — index and images
Marriages[edit | edit source]
- 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 — index and images
- 1880-1951 Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1951 at Ancestry.com ($) — index and images
Deaths[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1990 - Iowa, Deaths and Burials 1850-1990 at FamilySearch
- 1880-1992 - Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992 at FamilySearch — index
- 1900-1939 Iowa Death Index, 1900-1939 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- 1904-1951 - Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1920-1967 Iowa, Death Records, 1920-1967 at Ancestry.com ($) — index and images
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Botna Valley Genealogical Society (East Pottawattamie)
P.O. Box 693
Oakland, IA 51560-0693
E-mail: botnavalleygenealogy@yahoo.com
Website
Pottawattamie County Genealogical Society
Frontier Heritage Library
622 Fourth Street
P.O. Box 394
Council Bluffs, IA 51502-0394
Telephone:712-325-9368
E-mail: pcgs@pcgs.omhcoxmail.com
Website
Walnut Genealogy Society
Walnut Public Library Genealogy Room
224 Antique City Drive
P.O. Box 493
Walnut, Iowa 51577-0493
Telephone:712-784-3533
E-mail: wgs@walnutel.net
Website
Council Bluffs Public Library
Genealogy Department
400 Willow Ave.
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Telephone:712-323-7553
E-mail: cbplref@cbpl.lib.ia.us
Website
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
- Family History 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 family history center.
Local Centers and Libraries
Websites[edit | edit source]
 |
Check back often with these websites. Internet offerings are growing at record rates. Local societies and libraries may know of other websites. |
| State Historical Society of Iowa | Free | Select from research collection topics |
| The Iowa Heritage Digital Collection | Free | digital images from a variety of Iowa cultural institutions - results of "pottawattamie county" in the search box |
| State Library of Iowa | Free | electronic depository of documents intended for the general public produced by Iowa agencies - results of "pottawattamie county" in the search box |
| IAGenWeb | Free | Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions |
| USGenWeb Archives | Free | Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions |
| genealogytrails.com | Free | Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions |
| [1] [2][3] FamilySearch | Free | Births, 1880-1935; Deaths 1880-1992; Marriages, 1838-1934; all indexes |
| RootsWeb Resources | Free | Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions |
| Linkpendium | Free | Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($) |
| CyndisList | Free | Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($) |
| Pottawattamie County IA at LDS Genealogy | Free | Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($) |
| StateofUS.com | Free | family history resources and government records |
Books, microfilm, or manuscripts of genealogical records | |
| FamilySearch Catalog | Select topics. To select towns, add a comma to the search box. |
| WorldCat | To find nearby libraries that have specific items, see WorldCat Online Catalog. |
| Allen County Public Library | located in Indiana They are heavily involved in digitizing. |
| GeneaBloggers | enter "Iowa" in search box to see list and links to Iowa blogs | |
| list of groups from "Iowa Genealogy" search | ||
| genealogy.com | IA Genealogy Forum | |
| ancestry.com | Pottawattamie County Message Board | |
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Potawatomi, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottawattamie_County,_Iowa."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Page 230-238 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 222-225.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Pottawattamie County Genealogical Society files: "Important Dates in Council Bluffs History" (transcribed by Rootsweb). Online at http://sites.rootsweb.com/~iapcgs/CBimportantdates.html
- ↑ Geology.com: "Iowa State Map Collection" (includes rivers map with current county lines overlaid). Online at http://geology.com/state-map/iowa.shtml
- ↑ MapofUS.org: "Iowa County Formation Maps"; interactive map of county formation and organization (select 1851). Online at http://www.mapofus.org/iowa/
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Pottawattamie County, Iowa," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottawattamie_County%2C_Iowa, accessed 22 October 2019.
- ↑ Jim Tompkins, "The Oregon Trail 1841-1848 Map I" in Oregon Trail Landmarks at
(accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ "Oregon California Trails Association" at http://octatrails.micromaps.com/ (accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ "The Pioneer Story: The Mormon Pioneer Trail" in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/pioneer-trek (accessed 18 July 2011).
