Mitchell County, Iowa Genealogical Records Information

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Mitchell County History and Information

Mitchell County Facts

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Mitchell was created on January 15, 1851 (Organized in 1854) from Unorganized Territory. The County was named for either John Mitchel, an Irish patriot, or John Mitchell, an early surveyor. The County Seat is Marshalltown.

Counties adjacent to Mitchell County are Mower County, Minnesota (north), Howard County (east), Floyd County (south), Cerro Gordo County (southwest), Worth County (west). Cities and Towns Include Carpenter, McIntire, Mitchell, Orchard, Osage, St. Ansgar, Stacyville.

Mitchell County was originally part of Fayette County until it was established in 1851 at a winter session of the Iowa legislature. The county was named either after John Mitchell, an Irish patriot and refugee of 1948, or after an early surveyor.

The first settlers of the county were Leonard Cutler and his son. They passed through Mitchell County in the fall of 1851 and returned the following spring to make a land claim. The first families to settle were the families of L. S. Hart and Orrin, his son, who came in the summer of 1852.

The county originated in 1854 and county officers were first elected August 7, 1854. Each newly-elected officer opened his county office in his own cabin until a building could be provided.

Perhaps the most interesting history of the county involves the battle of the county seats. The first county seat was located in Mitchell because it was centrally located in the county, a very important asset at this time. The people of Osage objected to Mitchell and called for an election. In this election Osage won, but the people of Mitchell contested the election. It was rumored that votes for Osage were bought and paid for with merchandise. The two towns now resorted to every trick known to politicians to gain the county seat.

In 1858 Osage agreed to build a courthouse and jail, and give them to the county. At the same time Mitchell built a courthouse and agreed to give it to the county, but it never did.

Later Osage and Charles City joined forces, since Charles City also wanted to be a county seat, of Floyd County. To better locate both cities centrally in their respective counties, Floyd County gave Mitchell County a three-mile strip of territory on the north end of Floyd County.

This controversy was taken to the courts and arguments were thrown back and forth between the two towns. Finally the matter was called up to trial in a adjoining county. The people of Mitchell were not given notice of this and thus failed to appear for the trial. The judge ruled in favor of the town of Osage. Then, in the middle of the night the county records were moved to Osage, before a contest could be filed. They have been there ever since.

The courthouse that Osage built in 1858 is still in use today. Except for a $100,000 addition in 1976, the red brick building is unchanged and has become one of the oldest courthouses in the state.

Originally, the Mitchell County Board of Supervisors was a body of 17; one from each township. In 1875, the Board was reduced to five members. In 1926, the county was redistricted, and the number of Board numbers changed to three. The first Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, Oran Faville, came from Mitchell County. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Mitchell County Official Government Website
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Mitchell County, Iowa History Books at Amazon.com
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Records at the Mitchell 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 Mitchell County Courthouse at 508 State Street, Osage 50461-1250; Tel: 641-732-3726. 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. Mitchell County was attached to Jasper County for a breif time. Some early records may be found there.

Mitchell County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1880, Marriage Records from 1850, Death Records from 1880 and Land Records from 1850.
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.

Mitchell County Clerk of Court Office has Probate Records from 1851 and Court Records from 1854.
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 Mitchell County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Mitchell County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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

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

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

Marshall County/central Iowa Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 945, Marshalltown 50158-0945
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

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

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Mitchell County USGenweb Archives
Mitchell 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 situated very near the center of the state, being in the fifth tier from the north and south boundaries, the sixth west from the Mississippi and the seventh east from the Missouri River. In size it is twenty-four miles square, embracing sixteen congressional or land survey townships, equal to 368,640 acres. The forth-second parallel of latitude passes through the middle of the county. Being thus situated, it possesses natural advantages superior to many and surpassed by no county in the fair, populous and rapidly growing Empire State of the West.

A body of Mormon Pilgrims in their hegira from Nauvoo, spent the Winter of 1847 in this county, having their encampment in the timber just north of where Marshalltown now stands. Many of them died from starvation and exposure, being so destitute of the means of subsistence that they peeled the bark from the red elm trees for food. In the Spring those who survived folded their tents and journeyed westward to assist in establishing the Earthly Paradise of Latter Day Saints in Utah.

Prior to the settlement of this county by whites it was inhabited by the Sacs and Foxes, now called Musquakas, remnants of the once powerful nations presided over by the warlike Black Hawk. They were generally friendly to the white settlers, but in May, 1850, some trouble occurred with them, which resulted in no little excitement and alarm in the infant settlement. The difficulty, it appears, commenced between Samuel Davison, a son of William Davison, and the Musquakas, growing out of some alleged depredations upon stock belonging to the whites, they having killed some hogs and driven off some cattle belonging to John Campbell, one of the settlers, and made some unpleasant threats. By way of retaliation the whites went to the Indian village on the river, while they were absent on a hunting excursion, and burnt their wigwams, corn and other effects. This deed, perpetrated by a portion of the whites, caused the settlers generally to entertain serious apprehensions that the Indians on their return would wreak their vengeance indiscriminately on the whites. The Chief of the Musquakas was at that time absent at Washington. So great was the apprehension of danger upon the return of the chief that the settlers, after consultation, deemed it prudent to prepare for any emergency that might arise. They sent messengers for arms and ammunition, while the rest set about the erection of a stockade fort. It was built of split timbers, or puncheons, and was called Fort Robinson. It was commenced June 11, and as soon as finished twenty-four families took refuge in it. At this time Major Wood was stationed at Fort Dodge with a force of United States troops. The settlers petitioned him for assistance, but he could spare no troops at the time, leaving to the settlers the alternative of helping themselves or removing from the country.

Before the completion of Fort Robinson, it is stated that a few of the Indians returned from their hunting party and finding their village burned, went to the white settlement to find out if their suspicions were correct as to who committed the act. The whites told them they were building the fort as a protection against the Sioux, of whom the Musquakas were the hereditary enemies. Upon hearing this the latter offered their services to assist in defense of the whites. This offer, so generously made, was declined, as the whites feared treachery. The Indians, however, instructed the whites how to make loop-holes and then went away.

Among those who took refuge in Fort Robinson were the following; W. C. Smith, John Campbell, A. J. Smith, John Braddy, William Ralls, G. S. Ralls, James A. Logan, Thomas Pearson, James Pearson, Blakely Brush, Joseph Cooper, J. Ferguson, S. Myers, Carpenter Geer, Thomas Sherman, William Asher, Washington Asher, John Duck, Riley Majors, Samuel Bowman, and two men named Clifton and Crowder. Perhaps these embraced most of the settlers of the county at that time. James A. Logan was selected as captain of the garrison. After occupying the fort about a month a battalion of United States Dragoon relieved them by removing the Indians west of the Missouri River, after which the heroes of Fort Robinson returned to their farms.

The first permanent white settler in Marshall County was Jos. Davison, who located in what is now LeGrand Township in the east part of the county in 1847. He was soon followed by his brother, William, who settled in the same vicinity. In 1848 a number of persons erected their pioneer cabins in what is now Timber Creek Township on the south side of the large grove. Among these settlers were Joseph M. Ferguson and Josiah Cooper. During this and the next year, small settlements were made in various parts of the county.

In 1851 Wm. Dishon brought a small stock of goods to Marietta, which had been located that year, and commenced business as the first merchant. He was also the first post master. Mahlon Collins followed soon after with a lot of Yankee notions; and then a merchant by the name of Darlington opened a small store. Doctors Whealen and Nixon located at Marietta, and were the first physicians in the county.

A county organization was effected in 1849, J. M. Ferguson acting as Organizing Sheriff; J. Hobbs was the first Probate Judge; Jacob Hauser, first Clerk, Zeno Freeman, first Treasurer; and John Amos, Greenburg Ralls, and William Ballard, first County Commissioners.

In the Fall of 1851, the first District Court was held in the county by Judge William H. McKay. Among the attorneys present were Enoch Eastman, Judge Seevers, of Oskaloosa, and Judge Casady, of Des Moines, all of whom have since ranked high in the profession. This court was held in a little log cabin that stood at the edge of the timber just north of the site of the present city of Marshalltown, and was owned by William Ralls. The grand jury met over the slough from the cabin, and were only in session about five minutes. No bill of indictment was found, and only one case tried, which was a divorce suit, and resulted in making William Davison and his wife twain.

Some amusing anecdotes are related concerning Judge McFarland, who succeeded McKay in 1853, and was said to be a very strange and excentric man and judge. He once had a divorce suit on the docket where both parties were anxious for a separation. The court was opened in due form, the case called, and the first witness being asked what he knew about the parties, said; "Oh! Not much; they are always a fuddling around." At this Judge McFarland half aroused himself from a sleepy stupor, and, with emphasis, exclaimed; "Fuddling around, and around! Clerk, I grant a decree for divorce. Call the next case."

In attendance upon court at the same term was a lawyer from Burlington, who was facetiously named by his professional brethren, "Old Timber." This lawyer was submitting a cause to the jury with fine rhetoric and forensic eloquence, when a large mule, thrusting his head through the court house window, brayed loudly. The judge cried out; "Hold on, Old Timber; this honorable court can not entertain both of your opinions on this question at the same time." The effect was such on the jury that "Old Timber" lost his case, to his infinite disgust and chagrin. Another day the judge came in so drunk he could scarcely sit on the bench. The court was called in due form, when his honor, staring vacantly around, exclaimed; "Well, gentlemen, (hic) adjourn this court till to-morrow morning at 8 o'clock," and walked out.

In September, 1855, an attorney in arguing a demurrer, made frequent use of the Latin quotation, "Ad quod damnum," was stopped by the judge who vehemently exclaimed; "I am going to knock your case higher than a liberty pole. Get out of court with your ad God damn 'em, and don't you ever use so much profanity in my presence again." The attorney attempted to sustain his point by a decision of the Supreme Court, when he was summarily stopped by the judge, who said "he did not care a d—n for the Supreme Court," and ordered the Clerk to call the next case.

The county seat was located at Marietta in 1851, by commissioners appointed by the Legislature for that purpose. It was surveyed the same year by Hobbs & Dawson, and receiving numerous accessions from the East was for some time the most important place in the county. Two years had however, scarcely passed before it was drawn into one of the most fierce and bitter county seat fights that the historian of Iowa has been called upon to relate, which was waged with a determination worthy of a better cause, until December 31, 1859, when, in accordance with a decision of the Supreme Court, the records and county property were removed to Marshalltown, where they have since quietly remained. Arguments more forcible than words were often used, and at one time hundreds of armed men, with an order they had forcibly exacted from the county judge for the removal of the records, went to Marietta with the intention of taking forcible possession of the county property. The Marietta people, not to be outdone, had placed a keg of gunpowder under the safe containing the county records, and would have fired it had not the Marshalltown forces been stopped at the critical moment by an injunction from Judge Thompson, of the District Court, restraining the removal of the records.

MARSHALLTOWN - This city is situated on a high rolling prairie, on the east side of the Iowa River, and near the center of Marshall County, of which it is the seat of justice. The general appearance of the town is fine, being regularly laid out in handsome, wide, and well-graded streets, and for natural beauty of location, character of improvements, and attractiveness of appearance, it is not surpassed by any other city in Central Iowa.

It was surveyed and laid out in the Summer of 1853 by -- Risdue, of Iowa City, under the direction of Henry Anson and John Childs. It was named after Marshall, Michigan, by Henry Anson, who had some pleasant memories of that place. The terminus "town" was afterwards affixed in order to remedy difficulties which sometimes occurred in securing mail matter, as there was a post office of the same name in Henry County.

The first settlement was made in the Spring of 1851 by Henry Anson, who built a small log cabin, made a claim, and afterward, the same year, entered the land at the land office in Des Moines. There had been, however, previous to this, a squatter who had made a claim and erected a rude cabin near the south side of the town, which claim Anson had purchased, paying for it $50. The land on the north side of what is now Main Street, was first owned by William Ralls, who sold to John Kelley, and he in turn to John Childs, who, as before stated, with H. Anson laid out the original town. It is reported that he arrived here after traveling over a considerable portion of Iowa, and was so pleased with the natural beauty of the spot, that, in a fit of enthusiasm, he caught his hat from his head, and throwing it high in the air, exclaimed; "I've found the prettiest place in Iowa, and here I'll live and lay my bones."

A post office was established in the Fall of 1854, and Wells Rice was the first post master. The first white child born in Marshalltown was Adrian, a son of Henry Anson, in 1851; while the first death was a daughter of Silas Shorn, who passed away August 10, 1853. The first wedding was a double one, the happy parties being Miles Rice and Miss Anson, and Horace Anson and Miss E. Smith. They took a short bridal tour in a two-horse open buggy, which was considered very stylish at that time. That same Fall W. Rice started a couple of deer near Lime Creek, which, turning westward, galloped down Main Street, now the busy mart of a city of some six thousand inhabitants. Little more than a score of years have passed, and yet how changed. Where then stood the traditional log cabin, with its puncheon floor and glassless windows, now stands the palatial residence, the home of wealth and refinement; where then roamed with unrestrained liberty those wild animals that habitually shun the habitations of men; where the painted warriors performed the wildly savage and weird war dance, and where the young braves wooed and won the dusky maidens of the forest, now stand in architectural beauty massive stone and brick blocks, crowded with costly merchandise from all parts of the known world.

Marshalltown is settled by a class of liberal spirited, enterprising men, who always "go in to win," never recognizing such a word as fail in their public enterprises or private undertakings. Elegant and commodious school buildings have been erected, while teachers of acknowledged ability and experience render the schools of this city equal to any in the state. The leading religious denominations all have organizations, and many of them large memberships, while a number of handsome church edifices adorn and beautify the city. They have just secured the location of the machine shops of the Central Railroad of Iowa, for which the city gave $75,000 in bonds. There are a number of expensive buildings among which may be mentioned the Boardman House, which cost $80,000, and is one of the finest hotels in the state, the post office block, and many others.

A severe fire occurred May 4, 1872, which burned over about fifteen acres, consuming five elevators, three lumber yards, two hotels, and a large number of stores and dwellings, causing a total loss of nearly $200,000. Most of the buildings have been re-built, so that the city is really handsomer now than before the fire. Situated near the center of the state, surrounded by an agricultural region unsurpassed in the West, having good railroad communication, and possessing a class of business men who have no superiors, the future of Marshalltown, as one of the principal cities of Iowa, is an assured certainty.

STATE CENTER. – This is a thriving town and good shipping point on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, in the western part of the county.

The other villages and post offices are; Albion, Bangor, Bivin's Grove, Edenville, Gilman, Green Mountain, Illinois Grove, Lamoille, Laurel, LeGrand, Liscomb, Marietta, Minerva, Quarry, Stanford, Timber Creek, and Vienna.

Mitchell County Courthouse

From 1855 to 1857 there was a dispute between Osage and Mitchell as to which town should be the county seat. A commission of delegates from other counties eventually decided on Osage. Construction of a courthouse began, but another election for the county seat was soon held and construction was delayed. It was not until the fall of 1870 when the final decision from the courts was made in favor of Osage.

The courthouse had been completed in 1858. This red brick building has a silver-topped cupola. The original cost of $25,000 was well worth it since this building still serves as the courthouse for Mitchell County.

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