Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogical Records Information

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Mahaska County History and Information

Mahaska County Facts

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Mahaska was created on February 17, 1843 (Organized in February 5, 1844) from Unorganized Territory. The County was named for Mahaska, a chief of the Iowa Native American tribe. The County Seat is Oskaloosa.

Counties adjacent to Mahaska County are Jasper County (northwest), Poweshiek County (north), Keokuk County (east), Wapello County (southeast), Monroe County (southwest), Marion County (west). Cities and Towns Include Barnes City, Beacon, Eddyville, Fremont, Keomah Village, Leighton, New Sharon, Oskaloosa, Rose Hill, University Park.

Mahaska County was established in 1843 and originated February 5, 1844, the date Iowa's Territorial Legislature enacted the law authorizing the organization of a county named Mahaska. The county was named for one of the most noted chief of the Ioway Indians. Mahaska is interpreted as “White Cloud.” Oskaloosa, meaning “last of beautiful” after a Creek Indian princess, was named the county seat.

By this law Mahaska County became two years older than the State of Iowa. William Edmundson, receiving his appointment from the Territorial Assembly, became the first sheriff and justice of peace and was charged with the organization of the twenty-four mile square county. With the help of his clerk, Micajah T. Williams, these two officers divided the county into nine precincts, and by the first Monday in April 1844, an election was held for county officers.

On May 11, 1844 a Commission of three men, appointed from Iowa's Assembly, selected a site for the county seat. The location was the narrowest point on the divide between the Des Moines and Skunk rivers, known as the "Narrows". They left the naming of the new town to the local Board of County Commissioners, who chose the name of Oskaloosa, meaning "last of Beautiful" in honor of a Creek Indian princess.

The County Commissioners, by May 14, 1844, had chosen the grand and petit jurors for the first term of the District Court to be held July 1, 1844. The courtroom was an unfinished log cabin built by William D. Canfield and located within the present limits of Oskaloosa. The first Court House owned by the county was a two-story frame structure built at the northwest corner of the square and occupied in January 1846. It was also used for a church, opera house, and Indian dances. It was abandoned in 1855 and thirty years passed before the first permanent Court House, now located east of the square, was built at a cost of $132,500 and dedicated on February 27, 1886. Over the years, extensive remodeling has kept this courthouse up-to-date enough to meet the county’s needs. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Mahaska County Official Government Website
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Mahaska County, Iowa History Books at Amazon.com
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Records at the Mahaska 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 Mahaska County Courthouse at 106 South First Street; PO Box 1168, Oskaloosa 52577; Tel: 641-673-7786. 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.

Mahaska County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1880, Marriage Records from 1844, Death Records from 1880 and Land Records from 1845.
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.

Mahaska 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 Mahaska County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Mahaska County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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

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

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

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

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

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Mahaska County USGenweb Archives
Mahaska County, Iowa Family Books at Amazon.com

County History

A Short History of Mahaska County, Iowa from A. T. Andreas' Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa. 1875

Mahaska County is the fourth from the Mississippi River in the third tier of counties from the south line of the state, and contains an area of 576 square miles, or 353,540 acres.

Mahaska County was embraced within the territory known as the New Purchase made in 1842, and opened for settlement by the whites, May 1, 1843. Although not surveyed, this territory was prospectively laid off into counties by the Territorial Legislature, during the Winter of 1842-3 the boundaries being designated by townships and ranges. Previous to this time a house was built within the limits of the county by a Mr. Macbeth, about one mile above the Indian village of Hardfishes (since Eddyville), in the northwest corner of Wapello County where J. B. Eddy had a trading post with which Macbeth was in some way connected. This house was erected in October, 1842, probably for the purpose of holding and improving a choice claim before the expiration of the Indian title-a maneuver then not uncommon. Macbeth having no family employed John B. Gray to occupy the house and trade for him, and Mr. Gray moved in with his family in November and occupied the house until the following Spring, when he removed to Marion County, and his was undoubtedly the first white family that resided in the county.

During the month of April, 1843, many people collected and camped on lands within the limits of the county waiting for the Indian claim to expire. Few of them attempted to sleep on the night of the 1ast of April, and as soon as their watches indicated the hour of twelve they commenced marking their claims. It so happened that many made their locations and commenced making improvements simultaneously, and it was, therefore, impossible to tell who was the first. Among those who took claims in the south part of the county near the Des Moines River, were Dr. K. A. Boyer, W. A. Delashmutt, John B. Gray, Coey, Nowels, Davis, and Crane, and in the southeast part of the county, A. S. Nichols and Mr. Brin. The principal settlements first made were on Six Mile Prairie, between Oskaloosa and the Des Moines River, a beautiful section of country well calculated to attract the eye of the pioneer.

It is said that A. S. Nichols, Esq., erected the first blacksmith shop at a place then called Brin's Point, in the south-east part of the county.

These settlers did not know what county they were in until the following September, when the land was surveyed into townships, and by reference to the act of the Legislature above mentioned, the limits of Mahaska County were readily determined.

So rapid had been the settlement of the county that the Legislature provided for its organzation by an act dated Feb. 5, 1844, only about nine months from the time when the first claims were staked. M. T. Williams was appointed Clerk, and Wm. Edmundson, Sheriff, for the purpose of perfecting the organization. Under this act an election was held April 1st, 1844, for the purpose of chosing county officers, at which A. S. Nichols, Wilson Stanley, and Robert Curry were elected County Commissioners; John W. Cunningham, Commissioners' Clerk; Wm. D. Canfield, Treasurer; Wm. Pilgrim, Recorder; John White, Probate Judge; Wm. Edmundson, Sheriff; David Stump, Surveyor; W. A. Delashmutt, Assessor, and Brittain Edwards, Coroner. At the general election in Aug., 1844, a second election of officers took place. At this time A. S. Nichols, S. Droulard, and Harmon Davis were chosen Commissioners. The new board held its first meeting on the 8th of October. Previous to this time the county had been attached to Washington, and an election had been held under the direction of that county in October, 1843, at the house of Mr. Poultney Loughridge. Wm. Edmundson held the office of Justice of the Peace, by appointment of Gov. Chambers, under an act prescribing regulations for unorganized counties, and was the first public officer in the county

The Commissioners appointed to locate the County Seat, Jesse Williams, of Johnson County, Ebenezer Perkins, of Washington County, and Thomas Henderson, of Keokuk County, met at the house of Mathew D. Springer, and after qualifying according to law, proceeded to examine the situation. There were three points competing for the location, to wit: Six Mile Prairie, the "Narrows," and agreeably to a vote of those present, gave it the name of Mahaska, and on the 11th of May so reported. The commissioners received two dollars a day for their services.

The law of Congress gave each county the right of preemption to 160 acres of land, selected as a county seat, if unentered. The tract selected as the seat of justice for Mahaska County was at this time held as a claim by Wm. D. Canfield, who built upon it the first cabin within the limits of Oskaloosa, in October, 1843. It stood in what is now Perry Street, between Harrison and South, near the south-west corner of the old town. In what way the county arranged the matter with Mr. Canfield has not been recorded; but it immediately assumed possession of the tract.

The County Commissioners met on the 13th day of May, two days after the location was made, to lay out and plat the tract into town lots. The survey was made by David Stump, the County Surveyor. At this time Mr. Canfield, the County Treasurer, not liking the name of Mahaska, proposed a change. M. T. Williams, one of the company present, proposed Oskaloosa, which meeting with general approbation, was adopted by the board. This was the name originally chosen by the locating commissioners, but they allowed themselves to be overruled.

At the first public sale of lots in June, 1844, very few purchasers were present, and after eight lots had been sold at very low prices the commissioners stopped the sale. This was owing to the violent opposition manifested toward Oskaloosa by the friends of Six Mile Prairie and the center of the county, who, at the following August election, united their strength against the former in a contest for county officers. Oskaloosa triumphed after a sharp contest, and no county seat contest was ever afterwards inaugurated.

On the 11th of May, 1844, the County Commissioners made the following record: "Ordered by the board, that sealed proposals will be received by the Commissioners' Clerk, at any time from this date until the 1st of July next, for the erection of a Court House in Oskaloosa, the seat of justice of Mahaska County." At the time appointed the contract was let to James Edgar, and the building finished in 1845. During this meeting of the commissioners, May, 1843, M. T. Williams was appointed agent to act in the absence of the commissioners, in superintending the survey of the town, the sale of lots, and "such other business as may be him be deemed necessary."

In 1845 the Commissioners authorized the Clerk to negotiate a loan of two hundred dollars, with which to enter the site of the County Seat. The money was obtained of Wm. Wilson, for which the commissioners gave their note payable twelve months from date, at twelve per cent interest, to be paid from the proceeds of sales of lots.

The county was apportioned into election precincts previous to the April election of 1843, but was not regularly divided into townships until January 7, 1845, when the county commissioners defined the following: White Oak, Harrison, Spring Creek, Monroe, Union, Des Moines, Oskaloosa, Madison, Jefferson, Jackson, Cedar, English River, Lake, and White Breast. Jackson, English River, Lake, and White Breast were not part of Mahaska County, but were within the limits of other counties attached to it and ceased to be under the jurisdiction of Mahaska as soon as those counties were organized. Spring Creek was attached to Oskaloosa, March 11, 1845, and the name of Jackson was changed to Scott soon afterwards.

The first term of court in the county was begun on the 17th of May, 1844, by Judge Joseph Williams. This was a court having both federal and local jurisdictio, and William Thompson, Esq., was appointed United States Attorney pre tem., and Christian Stagle District Attorney pro tem. William Edmundson was Sheriff, and M. T. Williams was appointed Clerk.

This court was held in an unfinished buiding on the corner of Washington and Main streets. One account says the court room was on the west side of Washington, in a building erected by Mr. Canfield. Another locates it on the opposite side in a building afterwards known as the Great Western Hotel, kept by Mr. Canfield. The latter is probably correct. Here a platform was improvised of boards laid across the logs cut from the door, and upon this judge was seated upon a rocking chair behind a table or desk prepared by laying a broad walnut plank on the heads of two barrels. The lawyers occupied one end of this plank and the clerk the other. The grand jurors at this term were James Vance, George Argabright, John Rose, A. D. Bowers, Richard Parker, Adam Cline, M. S. Morris, Osee Mathews, George W. Jones, Jefferson Chitwood, William Bean, James Hickenbothum, Wellington Nasman, James Comstock, Adam Storts, William Welch, John Shelleday, Harmon Davis, John B. Stewart, Brantley Stafford, Jacob Crane, Alexander May, and John Vance, the majority of whom long since died or removed from the county. By order of the court the grand jury held their deliberations in a hollow toward the north end of Washington street, and continued in session the remainder of the week without presenting any indictments. The petit jurors were John Newel, Samuel Peters, John D. Baldwin, Thomas Brooks, Alfred Seevers, William Bovel, Robert Hammond, Thomas Fancher, Jacob Nordike, James Seevers, William D. Brown, Joseph Ross, Alfred Hood, Solomon Barber, Pleasant Parker, Green T. Clark, John P. Majors, Joseph H. Benedict, Thomas Williams, Isaac Barker, W. H. Freel, Thomas Wilson, Robert Curry, Jr., and Benjamin Thomas. Some of these afterwards became prominent men in the county. A panel of twelve was selected from this number in the trial of the case of James Hall, Appellee, vs. Joseph Koons, forcible entry and detainer, in relation to a claim on public lands, which occupied all the time of the court until its adjournment Saturday evening.

OSKALOOSA - This enterprising young city is located on a beautiful tract of high, level prairie, on the divide between the Des Moines and Skunk Rivers. There was not a tree upon the town site when it was laid out, but the citizens began early planting native forest trees, and continued it to such an extent that it has been denominated the "City of Trees." William Canfield built the first cabin (as elsewhere stated) upon this territory, in 1843. Dr. T. D Porter was the first practicing physician in the place. The first school taught here was by Samuel W. Caldwell, in the Winter of 1844-5.

The town has had a steady and continuous growth and improvement since 1844, never outrunning the development of the country in speculative improvements, but fully keeping pace with it in substantial business enterprise and prosperity. Since the completion of the Central Railroad, its progress has been materially quickened and its business much increased. Around the Court House Square, in the center of the town, are ranged handsome and costly business blocks, excellent and well filled store roooms, fine hotels, and all the evidences of a large and thriving business. Almost every department of mercantile and professional business is well represented. The manufacturing interests are represented by extensive flouring mills, woolen mills and foundry and machine shops, besides numerous minor establishments. The city is duly incorporated under the general incoorporation law of the state.

NEW SHARON - This is a thriving town on the line of the Central Railroad of Iowa, in the northern part of the county. It is surrounded by a rich farming region in a high state of cultivation, and enjoys quite an important local trade in merchandise and produce. It is building and improving with considerable rapidity and enterprise. The New Sharon Star is an enterprising Republican newspaper, published every Friday by H. J. Vail, by whom it was established in 1873. It is an eight-column to the page follo sheet, of creditable appearance.

OSKALOOSA STATION is a shipping point on the Keokuk & Des Moines Railroad, two and a half miles from the city. Quite a village has grown up here, and considerable manufacturing is carried on.

The other villages and post offices are: Agricola, Auburn, Belle Fountain, Buck Horn, Cedar, Eveland Grove, Ferry, Flint, Fremont, Givin, Granville, Hopewell, Indianapolis, Leighton, Mauch Chunk, Peoria, Union Mills and White Oak.

Mahaska County Courthouse

The first courthouse was built during the winter of 1844-1845. Settlers raised the timbers that were to serve as the superstructure for the two-story frame courthouse. When finished, it measured 28 by 50 feet, and served as the courtroom, church, and opera house. The courtroom was not used by the county after 1855.

Office space was rented in various parts of town until the present courthouse was built. This courthouse is over three stories high and is made of brick which rests upon a stone foundation. It is built on what used to be the north half of the east side of the Oskaloosa public park. The building, which cost the county $132,500, was dedicated in 1886. A bronze statue of Chief Mahaska faces west on the courthouse grounds to symbolize the spirit of the pioneer.

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