Buena Vista County, Iowa Genealogical Records Information

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Buena Vista County History and Information

Buena Vista County Facts

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Buena Vista was created on January 15, 1851 (Organized in 1858) from Unorganized Territory. The County was named for the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican-American War. The County Seat is Storm Lake.

Counties adjacent to Buena Vista County are Clay County (north), Pocahontas County (east), Sac County (south), Cherokee County (west). Cities and Towns Include Albert City, Alta, Lakeside, Linn Grove, Marathon, Newell, Rembrandt, Sioux Rapids, Storm Lake, Truesdale. Townships Include Barnes, Brooke, City of Sioux Rapids, City of Storm Lake, Coon, Elk, Fairfield, Grant, Hayes, Lee, Lincoln, Maple Valley, Newell, Nokomis, Poland, Providence, Scott, Washington.

Quickly after the county was organized in 1859, three commissioners selected 10 acres of land in Lee Township (in the northern tier of townships) for the county seat. They named this site Prairieville — it was also referred to as Leesburg. This town was merely a "paper town" and it soon faded out of existence. It was not until 10 years later that a courthouse was finally constructed at Sioux Rapids. In 1870 a simple, two-story frame courthouse was constructed at a cost of $4,945. On January 1, 1877 this building was destroyed by a fire.

The citizens of Storm Lake, Hayes Township (southern tier of townships), wasted little time in taking advantage of this fire. They formed the Storm Lake Building Association and constructed a two-story city hall in 1878. They offered this building to the county rent-free for ten years, if they used it as a courthouse. The supervisors accepted the offer. It then went to an election where it passed by a margin of 700 votes. The county seat was then ordered to move to Storm Lake on October 14, 1878.

This courthouse soon became too small and when the 10-year lease expired, there was a call for a new courthouse. In a close election—737 for a new courthouse and 725 against—construction of a third courthouse was approved. This courthouse, built in 1888 at a cost of $25,000, was made of pressed brick and was decorated with a large cupola. This courthouse stood in the center of the courthouse square and was surrounded by numerous trees.

In 1968 a bond issue was approved for the current courthouse. The $1.2 million courthouse was designed by Frevert-Ramsey of Des Moines. It was dedicated in 1972, and it sits on the same site as the previous courthouse. A painting of the 1888 courthouse and jail, painted by Franklin Halverson, an early resident of Sioux Rapids, hangs on first floor. Several others of his paintings hang in the lobby. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Buena Vista County Official Government Website
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Buena Vista County, Iowa History Books at Amazon.com
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Records at the Buena Vista County Courthouse

PLEASE READ FIRST!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. On January 1, 1877 the courthouse was destroyed by a fire. Most records were destroyed

All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link below, calling or visiting the Buena Vista County Courthouse at 215 E Fifth Street,PO Box 1186, Storm Lake 50588; Tel: 712-749-2546. See Also Courthouse Street Addresses for current courthouse addresses for all Iowa Counties. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. Buena Vista County was attached to Woodbury County for a breif time. Some early records may be found there.

Buena Vista County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1880, Marriage Records from 1877, Death Records from 1880 and Land Records from 1869.
The Recorder's Office was created in 1839 by the First Legislative Assembly. The Recorder continues to maintain official records of documents affecting title to real estate. Every real estate transaction that takes place begins in the Recorder's Office. One of the major duties of the office is the management of public records. As a result, accuracy and preservation of records are a must in the Recorder's Office. Instruments that are recorded are not only important for today, but serve as a historical library for all of the tomorrows.

In addition to real estate transactions, the Recorder's Office issues titles and liens; records veterans discharge papers; processes passport applications; accepts marriage applications and issues the subsequent license; issues certified copies of birth, death and marriage records as well as other numerous duties.

Buena Vista County Clerk of Court Office has Probate Records from 1871 and Court Records from 1877.
In each of Iowa's 99 counties, a clerk of district court office manages and maintains all trial court records, including pleadings, evidence and orders. The clerks of court have hundreds of administrative duties. They accept and process fines, fees and court costs owed to the state, child support checks, and civil judgments owed to litigants. They maintain a record of liens on all real estate in the county. Clerks help with involuntary hospitalization cases. They have the authority to dispose of scheduled violations which are not contested and do not require a court hearing. Clerks are also responsible for informing state and local government agencies of court orders.

The Iowa district court has general jurisdiction of all civil, criminal and juvenile cases and probate matters in the state. The district court, which is also known as the trial court, is the point of entry in the court system for most cases. The Iowa district court is composed of different kinds of judicial officers with varying amounts of jurisdiction-judicial magistrates, associate juvenile judges, associate probate judges, district associate judges, and district court judges.

Click Here to Search Iowa Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Below is a list of online resources for Buena Vista County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Buena Vista County Court Records by clicking the link below:

Buena Vista County Vital Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

The tax rolls for personal property and real estate were kept by the auditor or the treasurer of each county. A few of these records have been microfilmed and are available at the State Historical Society of Iowa. Original county tax rolls are usually not transferred.

Old age pension tax is a resource genealogists should consider in Iowa. A 1934 directive to collect an old age assistance tax was based on a list of all persons over twenty-one years of age. Although the tax was discontinued in 1936, the information included could be important: name, address, sex, date of birth, place of birth, and names of both parents. Many counties have had these lists microfilmed and they are available through the FHL.

Below is a list of online resources for Buena Vista County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Buena Vista County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

Buena Vista County Tax Assesors Office, Phone (712) 749-2533
The Treasurer is responsible for collection of property taxes and other fees for state, county, city, school districts, community colleges, and other taxing entities such as townships, fire districts, and drainage districts.
Buena Vista County, Iowa Tax Books at Amazon.com

Buena Vista County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Iowa Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Buena Vista County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Buena Vista County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

Buena Vista County Historical Society, 214 West 5th Street, Storm Lake, IA; Phone: (712) 732-4955
Local Iowa Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
State Historical Society of Iowa, Capitol Complex, Des Moines, IA 50319
Iowa Genealogical Society, 6000 Douglas, P.O. Box 7735, Des Moines, IA 50322
State Historical Society of Iowa Research Library, 402 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City, IA 52240
State Historical Society of Iowa Library, Capitol Complex, Des Moines, IA 50319
National Archives; Central Plains Region, Kansas City, 2312 East Bannister Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64131-3011; Email: kansascity.archives@nara.gov; Phone: 816-268-8000
Iowa Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Iowa Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

Buena Vista County Church & Cemeteries

Click Here to Search Iowa Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Buena Vista County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Buena Vista County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Predominant church groups in Iowa include Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, and Baptist. Less in size, but equally important in religious history in the state are the Quakers, Mormons, Mennonites, and Congregationalists. The first church building in Iowa, a Methodist church built of logs, was constructed in Dubuque in 1834. A year later the Catholics erected a parish building in the same city. In 1843 the “Iowa Band” of Congregational and Presbyterian clergy began ministering to the settlers in Iowa. In 1854 a small group of the Community of True Inspiration arrived from Germany, settling along the Iowa River in the mid-section of the state. A year later additional members of their group joined them, establishing the unique Amana colonies of present-day Iowa.

Many of the local chapters of the Iowa Genealogical Society have publications of cemetery records in their respective counties which can be ordered through the chapter. A state-wide publication listing is available through the state society. A large number of cemetery transcription collections as well as records of funeral homes, casket lists, and obituary indexes are held by the FHL

Below is a list of online resources for Buena Vista County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Buena Vista County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

IOWA WPA GRAVES REGISTRATION SURVEY - These records contain burials throughout much of Iowa that were compiled by WPA workers in the 1930 s, including grave markers which no longer exist today. Records may be searched within a county or state-wide.
Iowa Cemetery Records: These cemetery records represent seventy-six counties and Graceland Cemetery of Sioux City, Iowa, in the united States, that were transcribed by the Works Project Administration. Records in this database generally include the page number where the record can be found in the WPA index, the name of the deceased, birth date, death date, age, cemetery name, town name, and additional comments if any.
Iowa Civil War Soldier Burial Records: Listing of 30,000 Civil War veterans who served or lived in Iowa following the war.
Buena Vista County, Iowa Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
Buena Vista County, Iowa Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Click Here to Search Iowa Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Buena Vista County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Buena Vista County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
Buena Vista County USGenweb Archives
Buena Vista County, Iowa Family Books at Amazon.com

County History

Buena Vista County is the third from the west and the third from the north line of the State. It is twenty-four miles square, containing 368,640 acres. The Little Sioux River meanders throughout the northern portion of the county, watering three townships, and furnishing some valuable bodies of timber. It receives a tributary from the south, which waters two or three additional townships. Several other small streams pass through different parts, affording good water for stock, and surface drainage. In the southern part of the county is situated Storm Lake, a beautiful body of clear water, with steep banks, with fine undulating prairie farming lands stretching away in all directions, except on the north side, where the thriving town bearing the name of the lake is now located. There are other smaller lakes in the county. The surface of the county is generally rolling, with a soil as fertile as could be desired. It is adapted to all the cereals and root crops. As in this part of the state generally, the supply of timber is limited. There are no stone quarries developed, but granite and limestone boulders are found on the prairies, along the streams, and about the borders of the lakes. Good brick are manufactured from clays found in the county, and from the "bluff deposit" which is characteristic of this part of the state. Many kinds of fish are found in the lakes and streams.

The government surveys were made in this county in 1855. The first permanent settlement was made in May, 1856, by Abner Bell, from New Jersey, at that time a bachelor, his brother-in-law, William R. Weaver and family, and John W. Tucker. They settled in the north part of the county at Sioux Rapids. Among the early settlers were Arthur T. Reeves, Moses Van Kirk, James H. Gleason, Lewis, Lindsey and Metcalf. In March, 1857, occurred what is known in the annals of Iowa as Ink-pah-du-tah Raid, which culminated in the bloody massacre at Spirit Lake. Before reaching the lake the Indians passed up the Little Sioux River, driving away the stock and destroying the property of the settlers. The little colony at Sioux Rapids did not escape. The men were captured and guarded, and some of the women led away to the Indian camp, but the Indians committed no murders here. A few days after, the news of the terrible butchery at Spirit Lake came down the river, and Mr. Bell with a companion made his way across the prairie through the deep snow to Fort Dodge, to notify the people there of the massacre. This affair had the effect to check the settlement of this part of the state for several years. Late in 1858, or early in 1859, a county organization was effected, the following being the county officers; Arthur T. Reeves, County Judge; William R. Weaver, Treasurer and Recorder; John W. Tucker, Clerk, and Abner Bell, Sheriff.In 1859 a man named Taylor settled on land at Linn Grove claimed by one Ambrose S. Mead, and the result was a quarrel between the parties. One O. M. Barker, a friend of Mead, attempted to haul rails from the claim of a man named J. J. Bricknell. The rails had been sold to Taylor, and he attempted to stop their removal, when Barker shot him with a revolver. Barker was arrested near Spirit Lake, taken to Sioux City, tried, convicted, and sentenced to the penitentiary. On his way to Fort Madison he escaped from his guards, and when next heard from was on the high seas.In 1860 the county seat was first located, by a commission appointed by Judge Hubbard, composed of D. C. Early, John Kindlespeyer and Sartel, on a tract known as the "Fuller Claim." At that time the place was occupied by William S. Lee, who executed to the county a bond for a deed to the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 18, township 93, range 36. The tract was long known as "Prairieville, the County Seat of Buena Vista County," but no county buildings were ever erected upon it. Up to 1866 there were but few settlers in the county, and its affairs seem to have been badly managed. The early records of the county are very imperfect, and many of them are missing from the county. Up to this time the officials entered into large contracts for bridges and other improvements which were never made, although county warrants were issued in payment amounting to many thousands of dollars.The first settlement made in the vicinity of Storm Lake, in the south part of the county, was by Daniel B. Harrison, who, in 1867, located near the west end of the lake. Soon after George Holt settled in the same vicinity. James Luddington was an early settler on the north side of the lake, and J. A. Harlan and W. S. Harlan on the south side.

STORM LAKE.

The width of the main lake is something over two miles, and, including the smaller one, it is about five miles long. The bottom is of sand and gravel, with large boulders on its shores. It is not deep, and no place has been found where the depth exceeds fifteen feet.Map makers of an early day had very crude information about this lake, as one map marks it as being thirty miles long and eighteen miles wide, and of unknown depth!The origin of its name was for some time in dispute, but seems to be settled as having been given it by an old trapper and hunter who had his tent and outfit scattered by the wind and storm, which are sometimes very severe on the lake. The lake has a great abundance of fish, and is a resort for sportsmen. The lake is well supplied with small boats. A new iron steamer plows the waters of the lake for the amusement of pleasure seekers, who often come in large parties from distant points, attracted by the beauty of the lake and its surroundings.

Buena Vista County Courthouse

The court proceedings of Buena Vista County lacked the formality of the present day courtrooms. In fact, court was held in houses and storerooms through 1869 and after trial, the judge, attorneys, jurors, and witnesses gathered around the big table at which the court was held and played poker.

In 1870, the first courthouse was erected in Sioux Rapids. This building was two stories high and cost the county $4,945. Just as the courthouse was finished, a series of battles began for the location of the county seat. Cities like Newell, Storm Lake, and Alta were growing rapidly, but their efforts to relocate the county seat were futile. In 1877, the Sioux Rapids courthouse burned down which gave the other cities an opportunity to take over. Storm Lake offered to lease their two-story city hall as the courthouse, provided that Storm Lake would be named as the county seat. The offer was accepted in 1878 and the county records were peacefully transferred to the new courthouse.

Another courthouse was constructed in 1888 for $25,000.

The present courthouse was completed in 1972 and was designed in the shape of an "L". The most significant feature of the building is the courtroom in the round, which measures 30 feet in diameter. The total cost is estimated at $1,200,000.

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