DESCRIPTION:

This database contains information from the 1895 Iowa State Census for the counties of Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Delaware, Des Moines (Burlington City, and Augusta-Yellow Springs townships), Dickinson, Dubuque (Dubuque City wards 1-5, and Cascade-Whitewater townships), Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison (part), Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Lyon, Madison, Mahaska (Oskaloosa City, Ward 4 - Rose Hill Township), Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Muscatine, O'Brien, Osceola, Page, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Story, Tama, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, and Wright. Information listed includes the name of every member of the household, their sex, age, birthplace, and location (town and county).

Microfilmed copies of this census are held at the State Historical Society of Iowa and the LDS Family History Library. The 1890 U.S. Federal Census was damaged and destroyed by fire in 1921. Less than 1 percent of the schedules are available for research today. Because of this problem, the 1895 Iowa State Census has become a highly valuable source as it provides a wealth of information that would otherwise be found in the Federal Census.

Iowa joined the United States in 1803 in the Louisiana Purchase. As part of the United States, Iowa was first included in Illinois Territory (1808) and then Missouri Territory (1812). Migrating groups from the states began the first settlements in 1832. Before statehood was established in 1846, these settlements were included in Michigan Territory (1834), Wisconsin Territory (1836), and finally its own territory in 1838.

State censuses were often taken in years between the federal censuses. In some places, local censuses were designed to collect specific data such as the financial strengths and needs of communities; tallies of school-age children and potential school populations to predict needs for teachers and facilities; censuses of military strength, cavalry horse resources, and grain storage; enumeration for revenue assessment and urban planning; and lists to monitor African Americans moving into the northern cities.