Hardin County, Iowa Genealogical Records Information

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Hardin County History and Information

Hardin County Facts

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Hardin was created on January 15, 1951 (Organized in 1853) from Unorganized Territory. The County was named for John J. Hardin, a soldier in the Black Hawk War and Mexican-American War in which he lost his life. The County Seat is Eldora.

Counties adjacent to Hardin County are Franklin County (north), Butler County (northeast), Grundy County (east), Marshall County (southeast), Story County (southwest), Hamilton County (west). Cities and Towns Include Ackley, Alden, Buckeye, Eldora, Hubbard, Iowa Falls, New Providence, Owasa, Radcliffe, Steamboat Rock, Union, Whitten.

The county was established in 1851. After the county was organized in 1853, a county seat was needed, and Judge William McKay of the Fifth Judicial District appointed two men to locate a suitable site. In late June, 1853 they selected a site and asked Mrs. S. R. Edington to name the town. She chose the name Eldora, after a baby she had just lost.

The county seat has been in Eldora since 1853, but this does not mean that it has been without conflict. The first contest was by the town of Steamboat Rock. An election was held in April 1856, and Steamboat Rock was defeated by a vote of 452 to 100.

After a small challenge by the village of Berlin in 1857, it was Point Pleasant's turn. This election was held in April of 1858 and was hotly contested throughout the county. When it was over Point Pleasant was the winner, 540 to 521. The battle did not stop there, however. After the votes from Point Pleasant were counted, sealed, and delivered, someone broke into the contents and destroyed them. Point Pleasant blamed Eldora, and Eldora blamed Point Pleasant. Both went to court, and, after a 10-year battle, which included three Supreme Court decisions, Eldora emerged victorious.

The final battle came from Iowa Falls. It came at a time when Eldora was in the process of building the present courthouse. Iowa Falls citizens offered the county $32,000 towards a new courthouse if they built it in Iowa Falls. The citizens of Eldora then donated $40,000. When added to the $20,000 already appropriated, it made quite a sum towards a new courthouse.

Through four contests from 1856 to 1891 -- not to mention all the legal battles that resulted from the competitions -- Eldora has retained the designation as the seat of justice for Hardin County. And so it has remained for more than 139 years.

Hardin County has had three courthouses in its history. The first building was a small frame structure and was used until it burned in the mid-1850s. The second courthouse was built with funds donated by the citizens of Eldora and $1,000 of county funds. It was a two-story frame building and was located on the present site of the county sheriff's office.

The last and present courthouse was built in 1892 and was ready for operation on September 19, 1893. The contractor was J. F. Atkinson, and total cost was $75,000. In 1970-71 the courthouse underwent major remodeling, at a cost of $365,000. It was paid for by a bond issue. After it was completed the citizens, donated money for landscaping of the courthouse grounds. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Hardin County Official Government Website
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Hardin County, Iowa History Books at Amazon.com
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Records at the Hardin 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. The first courthouse was destroyed that same year by in 1856.

All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link below, calling or visiting the Hardin County Courthouse at Pioneer Plaza,PO Box 495, Eldora 50627; Tel: 641-858-2328. 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. ? County was attached to ? County for a breif time. Some early records may be found there.

Hardin County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1880, Marriage Records from 1853, Death Records from 1880 and Land Records from 1849.
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.

Hardin County Clerk of Court Office has Probate Records from 1854 and Court Records from 1853.
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 Hardin County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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

Hardin 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.
Hardin County, Iowa Tax Books at Amazon.com

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

Hardin County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 252, Eldora 50627
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

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

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Sites on USGenweb: [ Hardin County ] [ Iowa ] [ Main Page ]
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Hardin County USGenweb Archives
Hardin County, Iowa Family Books at Amazon.com

County History

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

This county is in the fourth tier from the southern boundary line of Minnesota, and somewhat east of midway between the two great rivers. It is twenty-four miles east and west, by the same north and south, and contains an area of 576 square miles. What is known as the correction line crosses the county on the south line of the northern tier of townships, setting those townships nearly a mile and a half further west than those of the corresponding ranges south of them.

The first settlement in Hardin County was made on the Iowa River, in the southeast corner, in what is now Union Township, by Greenberry Higgins, who moved with his family from Keokuk County, in this state, in 1849. During the next year the following families located in the same vicinity; James A. Dawdy, William Robinson, Abraham Grimsley, and Samuel Smith, Sr., with his son, Samuel Smith, Jr. At this time Cedar Rapids was the nearest market, but it being a poor one the settlers did most of their trading at Iowa City, one hundred and fifteen miles distant. In the Fall of 1850 Jacob Kidwiler made a claim on the river some ten miles above the present site of Eldora, his nearest neighbor being Samuel Smith, Sr., who had taken a claim about twelve miles below. The next settlement was made in the vicinity of Iowa Falls, in February, 1851, by B. I. Talbott, his nearest neighbor being Kidwiler, eight miles down the river. In the Spring of 1852, Nathan Townsend and John Caldwell settled in the same vicinity. These three families were from Pleasant Plain, Jefferson County, Iowa, and their settlement was the farthest west at that time up on Iowa River. Mr. Talbot's claim embraced the site of the present town of Iowa Falls and the depot grounds. Soon after this a town was laid out a little southeast of the place where Iowa Falls is located, which was known by the name of Rocksylvania. A stone building was erected and occupied as a hotel, and some other improvements made.

In 1851, several families of the Society of Friends from North Carolina, settled in the south part of the county, on Honey Creek, where they subsequently laid out a town, calling it New Providence. This was the nucleus of the large thriving settlement of Friends in that part of the county. During the same year several families settled on the North Fork of Iowa River, in what was subsequently Pleasant Township, among whom were Isaac S. Moore, James Miller, Cavinder Gear and Thomas Bennett. Here a town was laid out called Point Pleasant. The settlers above mentioned did not at the time of their settlement enter the land on which they located, but merely made claims. The first entry of land in the county was made by Jacob Kidwiler, being a tract of timber land. It is believed the first mill was built at Hardin City, in 1853. At this point quite a flourishing village grew up, but it is now almost deserted as a place of business. There is still, however, a good flouring mill there. About the same time, or perhaps a little later, Mr. Talbott built a mill at Iowa Falls, on the site of the present large flouring mill.

On the 1st day of January, 1853, Jonathan and Samuel Edgington settled where Eldora is now located, and in June and July of that year the town was laid out. The town site was entered by the county for county seat purposes, except one forty-acre tract which was entered by James H. Drain, who donated one half of it to the county. During the same year, the Edgington Bros. brought the first stock of goods to the new town, and the first to the county. While the commissioners were pondering the question as to what the name of the new town should be, they were relieved by the suggestion of Mrs. S. R. Edgington, that it be called Eldora—being a contraction of Eldorado—as this was the era of the memorable gold excitement in Hardin County.

W.H. Foote came into the county in 1855, and located on a farm a few miles west of the present site of Iowa Falls, building the first house on the road between Cedar Falls and Fort Dodge. He is now a resident of Iowa Falls.

The county was duly organized in February, 1853, the following being the first county officers; Alexander Smith, County Judge; James Putnam, Clerk; Samuel Smith, Treasurer and Recorder; Thomas Bennett, Sheriff; and S. R. Edgington, School Fund Commissioner. Before the organization the county was attached to Marshall for revenue and judicial purposes.

The first county warrant issued was for $20, in favor of John Shepherd, July 29, 1853, in payment for services as surveyor in laying out the Town of Eldora.

The first matrimonial transaction was the marrying of Peter S. Miller and Laura Jane Duke, April 14, 1853, by Alexander Smith, County Judge. During the same year five marriages were solemnized, the next year, twelve, and in 1855, there were forty-one.

The first term of the district court was held by Judge C. J. McFarland, in November, 1854, but of its proceedings no records are extant. The next court was held in April, 1856, and among the attorneys present were M. M. Crocker, E. W. Eastman, and James W. Woods—the latter gentleman being familiarly known by the nick-name of "Old Timber." At this term, D. F. Ellsworth was admitted to the bar.

The first court house was a two story frame building erected in 1856; in October of the same year it was destroyed by fire, and a new one built the same year. An effort was made at one time to remove the county seat to Point Pleasant, on which a vote was finally taken, the result being for a long time contested between the two points. For some ten years the matter was in litigation, but was finally in June, 1868, decided by the Supreme Court in favor of Eldora.

ELDORA - This town, the county seat of Hardin County, is handsomely located on the west side of the Iowa River, about five miles west of the eastern boundary line of the county. The situation is a beautiful and eligible one, the site being on a high rolling and well drained prairie, with plenty of timber and coal in the immediate vicinity. On the south and west is a fine, well improved farming district, while on the north and east lies the valuable timber lands of the Iowa River. The citizens of the town have devoted much attention to the planting of shade trees and ornamental shrubbery, and many neat and tasty residences attract the attention of strangers who visit the place for the first time. A public park has been laid out in a central position, around which most of the mercantile business is transacted in accordance with the arrangements of many western towns. Some portion of the early history of Eldora has already been given, which show that possessing a live, energetic class of business men who are fully awake to their own interests, it is fast becoming one of the important towns of the state. By their own unaided energy and perseverance they obtained railroad and telegraph communications with the outside world, and have laid the foundation for an assured and certain future success. The town now has a population of some fifteen or eighteen hundred, and contains several fine churches, embracing the leading denominations of Methodists, Congregational, Presbyterian, Christian, and Universalist, while the public schools have good buildings, are well graded and under the charge of an efficient and experienced corps of teachers. The Masonic and Odd Fellows organizations are well represented, and the town contains every thing necessary to make a pleasant and desirable place of residence, while in a business point of view, few towns of its size west of the Mississippi can make a better showing, and offer more flattering inducements for the future.

IOWA FALLS - This pleasant and wide awake business town was laid out in October, 1855, the original proprietors being J. L. Estis, Hosmer Stevens and -–Wilder, all from Kane County, Illinois, who purchased the land of – Talbott. The first building erected after the town was laid out was a frame by Judge John F. Brown, now of Washington County, and M. C. Woodruff, now managing editor of the Dubuque Times, which they occupied as a real estate and land office. The first store was built by G. S. Smith, in 1855, while the first merchant was Samuel Parkman. Estes, Stevens & Larkins put up a three-story stone mill in 1856-7, while the first hotel, a handsome stone structure, and called the Western House, was erected by Alfred Woods, during the same seasons. A post office was established and a school house built in 1857, and the first church, a substantial and commodious structure was erected by the Congregationalists in 1860. The Dubuque & Pacific Railroad, now operated by the Illinois Central Company, was completed to this point in March, 1866, some ten years after the first survey of the line was made.

ACKLEY - This flourishing town was first surveyed and laid out in 1857, by J. W. Ackley, of Waterloo, Iowa, in honor of whom it was named. It was not, however, anything more than a paper town until the completion of the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad in September, 1865, as there was not at that time so much as a single house erected on the present town site. Two years previous to this one Jesse C. Foster, after wandering westward from the land of the Carolinas, of which he was a native, and associating himself for years with backwoodsmen, finally pitched his tent on the suburbs of what is now the town of Ackley. As the surrounding country was settled to a considerable degree, he thought it a good place to commence business, and accordingly set to work to build a store in which he sold goods until 1865, meeting with good success. When the cars arrived, and the shrill whistle of the locomotive blew out loud and long, heralding the march of progress, the town site was nothing but a naked prairie, interspersed with a few clumps of brush. No sooner was the depot established, however, than enterprising men from the east, whose foresight enabled them to discover that it was destined to be a town of considerable importance, began to come in, and the tide of immigration commenced that has continued to flow until the town has now a population of some fifteen hundred, and is the trading and shipping point for a large and well improved farming country.

William Frances erected the first building on Main Street, in which he opened a general variety store. J. C. Foster removed his store into town, and establishing himself on the north side of Main Street, was the second merchant in town. M. Burns, Pardee & Foster, and Carter & Joseph soon after erected warehouses and elevators near the depot, Burns also engaging in the lumber business, as did one Eggert, who started a lumber yard about the same time. A. S. Nye and –Sechrist built stores a little later. In four months' time five stores, three warehouses, and a number of dwellings were erected, and the place began to assume a business-like appearance.

The town was incorporated in 1869, and now contains a large public school building, several handsome churches, Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges, a large number of business houses, manufactories, etc., etc.

STEAMBOAT ROCK. – This town is pleasantly situated on the east bank of Iowa River, five miles above Eldora, on the line of the Central Railroad of Iowa, and was laid out in 1855, the original proprietors being Isaac N. Lesh, Charles Boyle and John Royal. S. B. Cunningham sold the first goods here, in October, 1855, opening his stock in a stable covered with prairie hay. The town takes its name from a large projecting rock on the river bluff at this point, which at a distance presents the appearance of a steamboat.

ALDEN. – This place is on the west bank of Iowa River, about six miles above Iowa Falls, and one mile from the line of the Iowa Division of the Illinois Central Railroad, where a station is located. Henry Alden first settled here in June, 1854, and in 1856 laid out the village. He also built a saw mill. Excellent lime is manufactured here from stone obtained in the banks of the river. There is good water power at this point.

The other villages and post offices in the county are Abbott, Berlin, Cottage, Ellis, Hardin City, Midland, New Providence, Point Pleasant, Tipton Grove and Union.

Hardin County Courthouse

Hardin County was organized in February of 1853 and the first courthouse was a two-story frame building erected in 1856. It was destroyed that same year by a fire. A new courthouse was built in 1857.

In 1892, a third courthouse was built for $48,000. It was designed in traditional Victorian style. It is made of red brick, as well as a large amount of stone to dress up the windows, entryways, and foundation. Statues sit in a cove above the entryways and below the clock. In 1968, the interior was restored as part of an extensive remodeling project. A round courtroom was added and efforts were made to preserve the original woodwork.

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