Grundy County, Iowa Genealogical Records Information

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Grundy County History and Information

Grundy County Facts

Click HERE to see full size D.O.T. County Map

Grundy was created on January 15, 1851 (Organized in 1856) from Unorganized Territory. The County was named for Felix Grundy, an United States Attorney General and U.S. Senator from Tennessee. The County Seat is Grundy Center.

Counties adjacent to Grundy County are Butler County (north), Black Hawk County (east), Tama County (southeast), Marshall County (southwest), Hardin County (west). Cities and Towns Include Beaman, Conrad, Dike, Grundy Center, Holland, Morrison, Reinbeck, Stout, Wellsburg.

Grundy Center became the county seat in 1856, when it was called Belpre. Belpre was taken from belle and prairie, signifying a beautiful prairie.

Grundy County developed rapidly from 1860 - 1890 as thousands of acres of native prairie sod were broken for cropland. The population grew rapidly during this period, reaching 13,215 by 1890. The 2000 census for Grundy was 12,369.

The first Courthouse, octagonal in shape, was nicknamed the “cheese box” because it resembled a giant cheese box. The Board of Supervisors held their first meeting in the building on January 7, 1861. The Courthouse was a two-story wooden building, and it stood in the center of the block, on the spot now occupied by the present building. The lower level was divided into two equal parts by a hallway running north and south, and each half was partitioned into two equal parts. The room in the northeast corner was used as an office for the County Treasurer and the County Recorder, and the other room was the Sheriff’s Office. On the west side of the hall, the south room was the office of the Clerk of Court, and the north room as the County Auditor’s Office. The upstairs was divided into a Courtroom and small Jury Room. The Courtroom was also used for church services in the 1860’s.

By 1890, the need for a new Courthouse, larger and more up to date, was evident. On February 24, 1891, a special election was held on the question of building a new Courthouse. The vote carried more than two to one.

The cornerstone for this Grundy County landmark was laid November 11, 1891. The special ceremonies for the laying of the cornerstone was conducted by the Masonic Lodge, under the supervision of the County Board. School children were invited to join in the march around the Courthouse Square. Speakers at the ceremonies rejoiced with the rest of the crowd that a little of the great wealth of Grundy County was going into a fine Courthouse.

The basement walls are made of stone from Stone City, Iowa. The upper walls are made from sandstone from Cleveland, Ohio, and the steps are made from a harder stone from Keosota, Minnesota.

It was reported that the contractor lost between $7,000 and $8,000 on the Courthouse project. That was largely due to a provision in the contract which required them to have all the stone cut on site, to guard against any of the stone being marred in shipment. The stone was shipped from Ohio in huge blocks. The contractor had no machinery for hauling such heavy loads, so it was necessary to cut these blocks into smaller pieces before they could be taken from the railroad yard to the Courthouse Square, where they could be cut into shape for use in the walls of the building. The wages paid to the stone cutters were the highest paid by any contractor in the state.

In 1895 the new Courthouse was finished and furnished, and there was money in the treasury to pay all the bills without a bond sale. The clock was installed in the tower in 1900 to add the finishing touch on the new Courthouse. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Grundy County Official Government Website
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Grundy County, Iowa History Books at Amazon.com
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Records at the Grundy 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.

All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link below, calling or visiting the Grundy County Courthouse at PO Box 345, 706 G Ave, Grundy Center 50638; Tel: 319-824-5229. 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. Grundy County was attached to Buchanen & Blackhawk County for a breif time. Some early records may be found there.

Grundy County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1880, Marriage Records from 1856, Death Records from 1880 and Land Records from 1863.
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.

Grundy County Clerk of Court Office has Probate Records from 1869 and Court Records from 1871.
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 Grundy County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Grundy County Court Records by clicking the link below:

Grundy 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 Grundy County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Grundy County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

Grundy County Tax Assesors Office
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.
Grundy County, Iowa Tax Books at Amazon.com

Grundy 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 Grundy County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Grundy County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

Grundy County Genealogical Society, 18419 205th Street, Grundy Center 50638-8733
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

Grundy 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 Grundy County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Grundy 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 Grundy County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Grundy 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.
Grundy County, Iowa Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
Grundy 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 Grundy County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Grundy County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Sites on USGenweb: [ Grundy County ] [ Iowa ] [ Main Page ]
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Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
Grundy County USGenweb Archives
Grundy County, Iowa Family Books at Amazon.com

County History

From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875

In the heart of that magnificent belt of country which lies between the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, and the Iowa Division of the Illinois Central, having for its eastern boundary the Cedar River and for its western the Iowa, is Grundy County, which, though comparatively little known, is yet wealthy. Without having its praises extolled, it has quietly worked its way forward, and without noise or parade has opened wide its arms to a small, but loyal, enterprising and wealthy population. With its surface of high rolling prairie, without swamps, with an exhaustless soil, with a healthy, bracing air that makes the blood leap with a new vigor of health, no county in the state can outrank it in agricultural capabilities, resources or advantages. The face of the land is of that gently undulating character which breaks away from the view in an unending roll and wave of blight hills and shallow valleys. No place in the county- with the slight exception of a basin marked out by the sluggish Black Hawk as it leaves the county at the eastern boundary—is there any variation from the rolling surface. The land is well watered. Creeks, brooks and spring branches traverse its surface as regularly as if they had been marked out by a shepherd's hand; and the great Drainage Commissioner has furnished natural ditches in the sloughs that carry the water from every farm out to the receiving tributaries of larger size. The greater portion of the county lies in the Cedar Valley—the divide between that stream and the Iowa being within from one to eight miles of the western line. The water is of most excellent quality and taste, and without any ague—breeding or disease—fetching faults.

William D. Peck was the first white man who erected a cabin within the limits of Grundy County, the date of that event being October 4, 1853, and the location section 6, township 89, and range 15, in what is now called Franklin Township, in the northeast part of the county. The same month, but some two weeks later, John Freal built a cabin on Black Hawk Creek, in the eastern part of the county, where he afterward kept a sort of a tavern, it being on the main road from Grundy Center to Waterloo, which, owing to his slothful appearance, was called by the expressive name of "The Unwashed Man's House." Thomas G. Hoxie was the first to settle in the middle portion of the county, locating in the vicinity of Grundy Center, in the Summer of 1855. The fifth settler in the county was Hon. C. F. Clarkson, who was the pioneer of the western part, where he pitched his tent May 1, 1855, and set his plow to work on what has since blossomed into the widely celebrated "Melrose Farm," a handsome view of which is shown in this work.

The county seat was located at Grundy Center in the Winter of 1856-7, and the first district court was held there in a log house in 1857, by Hon. J. D. Thompson, of Eldora.

During the war the county furnished about one hundred and thirty soldiers—but sent no company to the field. Situated as it was, Black Hawk, Marshall, Hardin, and Butler county organizations drew in Grundy by piece—meal and left it without even an organized squad of its own. The soldiers of this county, like their heroic compatriots in every part of the state, fought their battles well; and many of them today sleep on the same field where they proved their heroism.

GRUNDY CENTER - This place is located on Blackhawk Creek, near the geographical center of the county. It is situated on a high rolling prairie, with a beautiful and fertile region stretching around it in all directions as far as the eye can reach. The first settlement was made here in 1855, and at the close of this year there were several houses in the village. The name of the place was once changed to Orion, but for some reason the new name seems not to have been recognized, as that of Grundy Center has always been used in all official papers and documents. In 1861, a newspaper was started here, called The Pioneer, but was continued only about one year. This was the first paper in the county. Mr. Hartman was the publisher and J. M. Chaffer, editor. The Grundy County Atlas was established April 17, 1868, by Hon. L. D. Tracey, who, after running it one year, sold to E. C. Peckham, who conducted the establishment until February 8, 1870, when it passed into the hands of George K. Shaw, and on the 14th day of the following June, L. D. Tracy again took control, which he only continued a short time when he sold, October 4, 1870 to the present proprietors, Rea & Moffett. The Atlas is a neat eight—column paper, Republican in politics, has a good circulation, and is the only newspaper published in the county. Several years ago a good court house was erected, the contract price for which was $10,000.

Grundy County Courthouse

Grundy County was first organized in 1856. The county seat is Grundy Center. In 1857 a building for county business was built and it was known as the "Old Cheese Box". It was the only county courthouse in the state of Iowa that was octagonal in shape. This eight-sided building served the county for forty years until the second and present courthouse was finished in 1891.

This imposing stone castle was constructed for $45,532.48. The contractor used the best materials and workmanship so that even today, the courthouse is in nearly its original state.

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