Keokuk County, Iowa Genealogical Records Information

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Keokuk County History and Information

Keokuk County Facts

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Keokuk was created on 1837 (Organized in 1844) from Dubuque County & Unorganized Territory. The County was named for Keokuk, the Sauk Native American leader. The County Seat is Sigourney.

Counties adjacent to Keokuk County are Poweshiek County (northwest), Iowa County (north), Washington County (east), Jefferson County (southeast), Wapello County (southwest), Mahaska County (west). Cities and Towns Include Delta, Gibson, Harper, Hayesville, Hedrick, Keota, Keswick, Kinross, Martinsburg, Ollie, Richland, Sigourney, South English, Thornburg, Webster, What Cheer.

In May 1843 the entire county was established and opened up for settlement. Before this time the county was attached to Washington County. Like most counties, Keokuk County had its share of problems with the location of the county seat. Some wanted to locate the county seat in the geographical center of the county; others wanted to located it in the population center of the county. This argument was finally settled with the location of the county seat at Sigourney, the geographical center of the county, in 1844. The town was named after the author and poet Lydia Huntley Sigourney. She showed her appreciation by providing the trees which were planted on the courthouse grounds, and presenting 50 volumes to the town library.

Before the county seat was located at Sigourney, county business was completed at Western City (or Newton Village). County offices consisted of a log cabin and a log schoolhouse.

The first courthouse owned by the county was erected at Sigourney in 1845. The small building was made from hewn logs at a cost of $218. This building not only functioned as the courthouse but also the schoolhouse, church, jail, meeting room, and a hotel for travelers. This building served the county until the county seat was removed to Lancaster the following year.

Lancaster won the county seat by a vote in a special election held on August 7, 1846. The county seat was removed to Lancaster, because it was closer to the population center of the county. In 1848 a two-story frame courthouse was constructed at a cost of $699. It did not serve the county long, because the county seat was again moved back to Sigourney by election on April 12, 1856.

Even though Sigourney was declared the county seat, a courthouse was not built in Sigourney for quite some time. Residents thought it wise not to construct a building until the county seat question was answered. When the Iowa Supreme Court finally declared Sigourney the county seat, the third courthouse for Keokuk was begun.

This two-story brick courthouse was completed in 1858, at a cost of $17,200. Improvements and later additions were made at a cost $3,980. In 1909 this building was leveled and replaced by the existing courthouse. Construction began with the laying of the cornerstone on June 8, 1909 and ended with a dedication ceremony on September 19, 1910. Architects for the building were Wetherell and Gage. It was constructed by J. L. Simmons. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Keokuk County Official Government Website
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Keokuk County, Iowa History Books at Amazon.com
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Records at the Keokuk 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 Keokuk County Courthouse at 101 South Main Street, Sigourney 52591; Tel: 641-622-2210. 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. Keokuk County was attached to Cedar, Johnson & Washington Counties for a breif time. Some early records may be found there.

Keokuk County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1880, Marriage Records from 1844, Death Records from 1880 and Land Records from 1844.
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.

Keokuk County Clerk of Court Office has Probate Records from 1844 and Court Records from 1844.
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 Keokuk County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Keokuk County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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

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

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

Keokuk County Historical Society, P.O. Box 324, Sigourney 52591
KeoMah Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 616, Oskaloosa, IA 52577; (641)673-9373
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

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

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

County History

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

The boundaries of this county were defined, and the name given, by an act of the Territorial Legislature, February 17, 1843, and until its organization it was attached to Washington County. A part of the territory included in Keokuk County became the property of the government by a treaty with the Sac and Fox Indians, ratified on the 21st day of February, 1838. Nearly all of the southeastern township, about half of the first, and a small part of the second township north of it, was included in this purchase, and on this strip the whites were entitled to settle October 21, 1838. By a treaty with the Indians, made at Agency, and signed October 11, 1842, the whites came into possession of all the territory lying east of Red Rock, in what is now Marion County, and under this treaty the balance of the territory embraced in Keokuk County was open to settlement on the first day of May, 1843. The principal chief who represented the Indians in making the last named treaty, was Keokuk, in whose honor the county was named.

The 21st of October, 1838, is usually regarded as the date of first settlement, although a few claims, upon which small improvements were commenced, ante-dated the removal of the Indians. They were made within the limits of the "Old Strip," in the present townships of Clear Creek and Richland. In the latter township the earliest pioneer was Aaron Miller, who came in the Spring of 1838, and, after him, William Searcy. In June John Wasson visited the country, and, liking its appearance, decided to settle. Cyrus Jordan, Jacob Weiner and Mr. Tays were next, and in the Spring of 1839 Mr. Wasson returned, accompanied by James Higginbotham, William Lewis, Mitchell Gill, William Bristow, Thomas Pringle and Samuel P. Bristow. A man by the name of Griffth turned the first sod in Clear Creek Township, in 1837, on the farm afterwards owned by Doctor Washington Nealey. Doctor Nealey came in 1838, and in 1839 came Harvey Stevens, Sr., afterwards sheriff, and William Grimsley. In 1840 the accessions were William Shockley, John Baker, William Goss, James Junkin, Sr., Thomas Henderson and L. B. Holmes, and the following year, Michael Hornish, Edward Cooley, John Crill, Sr., and Robert Alexander. Further up the river, in the neighborhood of Sigourney, at Stillman's Grove, Jacob Shavor located in 1843, built a cabin, and brought his family the following Spring; and in 1844 William Shaver, Robert Linder and John Shaver settled in the neighborhood. A saw mill was erected on the South Skunk, just above its confluence with the north branch, as early as 1843, by L. B. Hughes.

The organization of the county was effected in pursuance of an act of the Territorial Legislature, approved February 5, 1844. This act appointed Harvey Stevens sheriff, and provided that the clerk of the District Court should designate the place of voting, and appoint judges of an election, to be held on the first Monday of April following; to the office of clerk, Honorable Joseph Williams, Judge of the District Court, appointed S. A. James. The election was held as directed, and Jeremiah Hollingsworth, James M. Smith and Enos Darnall were chosen County Commissioners; John M. Waters, Judge of Probate; Edom Shugart, Clerk; William H. Brown, Treasurer; A. P. Tannehill, Recorder; George W. Hayes, Sheriff; S. E. McCracken, Surveyor; and Andrew Ogen, Assessor.

The act above referred to also appointed a commission, consisting of John A. Stewart, George H. Stone, M. D., and Samuel Shuffleton, Esq., to locate the seat of justice. They met May 5, 1844, were sworn, and proceeded on horseback to examine the situation, and after five days' travel selected the northeast quarter of section 2, township 76 north, of range 12 west, as the county seat, giving it the name of Sigourney. This location, although whithin one mile of the center of the county, caused some temporary dissatisfaction; for the principal settlements were in the extreme southeast part of the county. Within less than two miles of Washington County on the east, and Jefferson on the south, was the town of Richland; and near the Washington County line, about three miles north of Richland, a rival called Western City, or Newton, where the organizing officer, S. A. James, had fixed the place of business until the county seat was located.Newton then consisted of a log school house, a tenant cabin, and a few stakes defining the future town, which is now known as an excellent grain field. Both places aspired to become the county seat, and were disappointed by the choice of the commissioners.

Richland was the stronger, and here the county commissioners hastened to convene on the 15th of May, and ordered that all proceedings in relation to providing conveniences for the public business at Sigourney be deferred, and ordered also that "suitable rooms be provided in the town of Richland for holding the first term of the District Court." Taking a different view, however, of official responsibility, the newly elected clerk gathered the office papers and statutes in one hand, and a change of raiment in the other, and quietly proceeded to the place designated by the State commissioners, were he found a stout pole planted in the ground, but nought else to disturb the solitude of nature. Here the clerk erected a cabin 12x16, floored with puncheons and sided with clapboards, and in this room Judge Williams held a term of court, on the 1st day of July, 1844, at which the business consisted in admitting four aliens to citizenship, and two law students, one of which was S. Harned, afterwards County Judge, to practice at the bar. The county commissioners met soon after, and finding that Judge Williams had not availed himself of their offer of rooms, prudently ordered their own removal to Sigourney. And so the incipient county seat struggle came to an end, and the question has never been re-opened.

At the meeting of the board last mentioned, they ordered a survey of a public square and lots surrounding it, and prepared specifications for a court house, to consist of a hewn log building 20x24 feet, with thirteen sleepers, and as many joists; rafters and shingle roof, and weather-boarded gable ends. To these specifications, a new board in September flollowing added a door, windows and floor, for better convenience, and let the building contract to W. B. Thompson, for $218. This court house was finished in January, 1845, and was occupied until the completion of the present edifice, in 1859. The present court house is a substantial building, and was erected at a cost of $17,200. The square on which it stands is 276 feet each way, and, in 1860, was decorated with a border of forest trees, by request of Mrs. Lydia H. Sigourney, of Hartford, Connecticut, at her expense.

SIGOURNEY - The county seat, is a thriving town of about 1500 inhabitants, located about three miles north of Skunk River, on high ground. It has good railroad communications. Sigourney has been for many years the western terminus of the Muscatine Branch of the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad, more recently known as the Sigourney Branch of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. This road is now being completed to Oskaloosa. The principal circumstances concerning the origin of the town have already been given. The first family that located here was that of W. B. Thompson, who erected a cabin during the Fall of 1844, and moved his family in about Christmas. The first lawyer who located in Sigourney, was A. W. Blair, who came about the first of January, 1845. The first mail was received on the 7th day of February, and contained a roll of official blanks and three newspapers. S. A. James was post master. Besides a large mercantile trade the town does an extensive shipping business, has a good lumber trade, woolen mills, flouring mills, and a national Bank with a capital of $50,000. Several of the leading churches have good houses of worship, and its public schools are efficiently organized. Sigourney has two newspapers, the News, ppublished by J. W. & T. M. Havens, and the Iowa Review by Kennedy & Hollingsworth. The News is Republican, published every Wednesday; it was established in 1859. The Review is Democratic, published Wednesdays, and was established in 1871. The town is incorporated as a city of the second class.

RICHLAND - This is the oldest town in the county, and was platted in 1840 by Pryor C. Woodward. Among the first residents of the town were Ezra Bales, Charles E. Woodward, John Noyes, John Raines, Ransom L. Mark, and James Williams. Williams was the first post master. The first house was built by John T. Hoover. The first store was opened by Beriah Haworth in 1844, although a few groceries and liquors had been sold the year previous by L. J. Smith. The first hotel was opened in 1845, by Dr. Tingle. In 1848, Williams and McCracken put in operation a steam saw mill in the place.

KEOTA - This is a thriving young railroad town in the eastern part of the ocunty, nearly midway between Washington and Sigourney. It is a shipping point for the produce of a considerable extent of country. The Keota Courier is a weekly newspaper established at this place in 1873; it is independent in politics, and published every Friday by Bruce and Hunter.

Harper is a lively railway station between Keota and Sigourney, and enjoys considerable trade and a large shipping business.

Talleyrand, in the east part of the county, is one of the earliest villages in the county. It was first settled by Doctor Maley, elsewhere mentioned. South English is a town laid out on a projected line of railway along South English River. The Western Herald is published at this place.

Lancaster is a handsomely laid out village of some importance, between the North and South Skunk Rivers, in the township of the same name.The other villages are, Martinsburg, Ioka, Petersburg, Coal Creek, Springfield, Webster, and Baden.

Keokuk County Courthouse

In 1845, the first courthouse was built by the county, at a place now known as Sigourney. The total cost was $218. The building, which was a hewn log house, also served as jail, schoolhouse, meeting house, public hall, and hotel.

Lancaster became the new county seat in the late 1840s and a 20 by 30 foot two-story frame structure was completed there in the summer of 1848. In the middle 1850s, the county seat was moved back to Sigourney and another courthouse was constructed. The building was completed in 1858 at a cost of $17,200. The building was remodeled several times before a fourth courthouse was erected in 1910. This courthouse, which is still used today, has a tall clock tower and cupola. It cost $150,000 to build.

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