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Welcome to
Iowa Trails
A project of Genealogy Trails
Iowa History and Genealogy

Our goal is to help you track your ancestors through time by transcribing genealogical and historical data and
placing it online for the free use of all researchers.
We're looking for folks who share our dedication to putting data online and are interested in helping this project
be as successful as we can make it.
If you are interested in joining our group by hosting either this county website or one of the available county
websites
This state website is in need of a permanent host.
If you are interested joining our group as webmaster for this website, or any of our websites, view our Volunteer Information
page and Email Kim.
A desire to transcribe data and know-how to make a basic webpage is required.
We hope to work with you soon.
We would very much like to make you part of this project
If you have information that you'd like to share about any town, family, county or subject, please send it to us
and we will make sure it gets posted to the right county.
We are looking for Biographies, Obituaries, Newspaper Stories, History, Census data and your family's vital records
Email Us
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Some counties began keeping birth and death records as early as
1870, although it was not required until 1880. General compliance did not happen until 1924. Delayed registration
of births also took place by 1940. These files are kept by the clerk of the district court.
The Division of Vital Records, Iowa State Department of Health, Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines, IA 50319
has birth, marriage and death records where taken after 1 Jul 1880. Copies of records are available only to immediate
family members, so relationship and reason for seeking information must be stated when writing. Statewide indexes
by year are available. The birth index begins 1 Jul 1880, the marriage index begining 1 Jul 1916, and the death
index, January 1891. Parentage is not listed on any death records until Jul 1904. Call 515-281-5871 to verify current
fees.
Early marriage records, some as early as 1850, may be obtained from county clerks. Many of these records have also
been trascribed and published.
Territorial censuses were taken in 1836, 1838, 1844, and 1848, however copies exist for only a few counties.
State censuses were taken in 1847, 1849, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1856, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915 and 1925.
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ONLINE DATA
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