Henry County, Iowa Genealogical Records Information

Start your family tree. We'll start searching. It's FREE. - Enter a few simple facts about recent generations of your family. We'll use what you enter to try and find more about your family in the world's largest online collection of historical records and family trees.

SEARCH THIS SITE

SEARCH FOR YOUR ANCESTORS IN THESE IOWA GENEALOGICAL DATABASES:

IA Court, Land & Wills

IA Public Records

IA Birth, Marriage & Death

Henry County History and Information

Henry County Facts

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

Henry was created on December 7, 1836 from Des Moines County. The County was named for Henry Dodge, a governor of the Wisconsin Territory (which included present-day Iowa) and later U. S. senator from Wisconsin. The County Seat is Mount Pleasant.

Counties adjacent to Henry County are Washington County (north), Louisa County (northeast), Des Moines County (east), Lee County (south), Van Buren County (southwest), Jefferson County (west). Cities and Towns Include Coppock, Hillsboro, Mount Pleasant, Mount Union, New London, Olds, Rome, Salem, Wayland, Westwood, Winfield.

The boundaries of Henry County were defined by the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin in 1836, but it was not legally established until 1837 by the Iowa Territorial Legislature. Prior to establishment of Jefferson County on the west in 1839, all of that part of the Black Hawk Purchase situated in the present county of Jefferson, was attached to Henry County for judicial purposes.

The county was named for Henry Dodge, who was a general in the Black Hawk War and was governor of the Wisconsin Territory.

The first courthouse in the state of Iowa was built in Mount Pleasant in 1839. A second courthouse, used from 1871 - 1914 was the remodeled “Hill Hall,” on the same block as the county jail. When it was put up for sale in 1914 it only brought $247.50. The present building was completed in 1914.

The earliest roads followed the tops of ridges and Indian paths. Later, they cut straight against the plain. Many of these roads still retain their original locations as originally surveyed and laid out. Henry County was the only county in Iowa to have two military roads, present U.S. route 218 was one of them. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Henry County Official Government Website
Search the Iowa USGenWeb Archives
Henry County, Iowa History Books at Amazon.com
Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

There are free downloadable and printable forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms, U.K. Census Extraction Forms, Research Calendar, Ancestral Chart, Research Extract, Correspondence Record , Family Group Sheet , Source Summary Form.

Records at the Henry 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 Henry County Courthouse at 100 E Washington,PO Box 176, Mt Pleasant 52641; Tel: 319-385-2632. 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.

Henry County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1880, Marriage Records from 1836, Death Records from 1880 and Land Records from 1837.
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.

Henry County Clerk of Court Office has Probate Records from 1837 and Court Records from 1837.
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 Henry County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Henry County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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

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

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

Henry County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 81, Mt. Pleasant 52641-0081
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

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

Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
Sites on USGenweb: [ Henry County ] [ Iowa ] [ Main Page ]
[GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Iowa Family Group Sheets
Meet your ancestors. Learn their stories. Start your FREE family tree.
Iowa Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
Henry County USGenweb Archives
Henry County, Iowa Family Books at Amazon.com

County History

History Of Henry County, Iowa - Western Historical Company 1879. Note: The images are images of book's pages. Not all of the book is presented here.

Henry County Courthouse

The first County Courthouse in Iowa was built in Central Park in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa with receipts from the sale of lots from a preempted ¼ section of public lands and subscriptions plus donations of materials and labor in 1839 and was occupied in 1840. Even before the county was established in its final form, efforts were instituted to construct a courthouse in the center of the public square and a petition with a subscription list appended was presented at the second meeting of the Supervisor's Court held on Monday, February 13, 1837.

Citizens responded generously with $642.50 with considerable amount subscribed in property. A survey was ordered and six months credit was given in the sale of lots to the highest bidder. Sealed bids were received by the supervisors on April 10, 1837. The lots yielded less than anticipated. The Supervisors decided the money from subscriptions and etc. was not enough so nothing was done for nine months. In May of 1838 seven enterprising citizens were appointed to proceed with the project. They notified the public that they would receive bids for 100,000 bricks delivered on the public square on or before August 10, 1838. The building was to be 24' square and two stories high with 10' ceilings. Funds were raised by subscription, brick and lumber delivered and work was begun. The money the county commissioners had in the County Treasurer was planned to be used for a jail but the County paid $289.69. The building was built and paid for without a bond issue or any special tax levies. The sale of the land probably yielded considerable revenue with the appointment of a county agent to sell the land.

After a lagging fall and winter work progressed and the building was substantially completed by the close of 1839. A planned cupolo was never built. The full cost was never definitely recorded but was estimated to be between three and four thousand dollars. It was a handsome building at one time for which the county was proud. It lasted from 1839 to 1872 when it was demolished. The old courthouse stood in the exact center of the square, had four entrances, one on each side and with sidewalks leading to the four sides of the Square. Later the entrance on the east side was closed in order to make more office room. While the county offices were fairly satisfactory in the courthouse the arrangements for the courts were unsatisfactory, and in the mid-sixties an arrangement was made with Mr. Henry Ambler and E. L. Penn for the rental of the third story of the Union Block on the north side of the square and to be adapted to the necessities of the court. It was also believed the second story courtroom in the first building was not safe to hold large meetings so it was used for storage.

HENRY COUNTY COURTHOUSE #2
At the April, 1871 session of the board of supervisors a contract was entered into between the board and W.R. Hill, a prominent merchant, for the lease of the Hill business block which was built in 1870 at the southeast corner of the square. The lease was for a period of ten years beginning January 1, 1872 and at a rental of $1,000 per year. The terms of the lease provided for the remodeling of the interior to private rooms for the county offices and the district court. It was also agreed that the work would be completed by November 1, 1871 at which date the county was to take possession and a provision stated that the county could purchase the building at the end of a year at the fixed price of $10,000 if the people of Henry County would vote affirmatively on the proposal. It was approved by a large majority (2260-426) and became the Henry County Courthouse until 1914 when the present courthouse was occupied. The second courthouse was sold to the highest bidder on August 4, 1914 to be wrecked and removed within 60 days. The second courthouse had a wood furnace and gas lights. Of the several buildings considered for purchase the Hill building was chosen because of the large basement in which to store wood. A new building, built especially for a courthouse, could not be considered as the county had very little money to spend because of money invested and lost in railroads that were never built.

HENRY COUNTY COURTHOUSE #3
By 1911, Citizens of Henry County wanted and needed a better courthouse. On December 23, 1911, revised plans submitted by architect Royer of the stone courthouse, 82' x 106' were accepted. By May 12, 1912 excavation was started in the center of the whole courthouse block for the $100,000 new courthouse. By March 27, 1914, the decorator started to work and equipment installation began. It was finished and occupied August 4, 1914. The total cost of the project was about $150,000 including the cost of real estate purchased. The brick jail house which stood immediately south of the previous jail was moved to the present site of our law center. The Hill brick home which was located about in the center of the west side of the courthouse block was moved across the street west and additions made. Hallie Ott, the last granddaughter descendant, in Mt. Pleasant lived in the house until it was torn down and the area was used as a parking lot. Several other residences were either moved or demolished to make the courthouse lawn suitable for such a large building. The supervisors at this time were M.W. Harshbarger, C. W. Gamble and John R. Hughes. In 1912 the Mt. Pleasant brick and tile factory, west end of Monroe St., made over 700,000 bricks that were used in the construction.

Your user agent does not support frames or is currently configured not to display frames.