Iowa County History and Genealogy Books Online
These are free books online where you can research your Iowa ancestry. This list contains county and local history, genealogical and biographical books, as well as atlases and farm plats.
Des Moines County IA
Iowa Atlases, Farm Directories, and Plat Books
This collection contains digital atlases, farm directories, and plat books for all 99 Iowa counties. We have collated these from a variety of online sources, and provide them here as a single source for all online Iowa County Atlases, Farm Directories, and Plat Books.
Peace Attempts with Western Prairie Indians, 1833
In 1830, the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek initiated the relocation of the Choctaw Indians to territories between the Canadian and Red rivers. However, the Choctaw faced threats from Comanche, Kiowa, and Wichita tribes, who attacked traders and settlers. In May 1833, Colonel Arbuckle sent a military expedition to protect the traveling Choctaw and assert U.S. power. Despite efforts, the expedition suffered losses, including ranger George B. Abbay, who was captured, and ultimately failed to achieve its objectives, highlighting the challenges of westward expansion.
Biography of John Shackford Kimball
John Shackford Kimball, born April 28, 1812, in Pembroke, New Hampshire, was a prominent lawyer and businessman. Orphaned at thirteen, he worked various jobs before studying law at Harvard. In 1838, he moved to Burlington, Iowa, where he transformed his brother’s store into a thriving business. Kimball’s firm became a leading enterprise in Iowa, generating substantial profits. He was a civic leader, contributing to local developments and charities, and served in the legislature. Married to Mary E. Stevens, he had five children and passed away in Boston, where he is buried.
Biographical Sketch of Eugene F. Ware
Eugene F. Ware, born in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 29, 1841, was an influential figure in Iowa and Kansas as a soldier, lawyer, editor, and author. Educated in Burlington, Iowa, he served as a captain in the Fourth Iowa Cavalry during the Civil War. After moving to Kansas in 1867, he practiced law and held two terms in the Kansas Legislature. Ware was also a U.S. pension commissioner and active in various organizations. He authored several notable works and passed away on July 1, 1911, in Cascade, Colorado.
Biography of Gray C. Briggs, M.D.
Dr. Gray C. Briggs, born in Burlington, Iowa, on June 30, 1882, was the son of renowned surgeon Dr. Waldo Briggs. After earning his M.D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of St. Louis in 1909, he initially practiced medicine before specializing in X-ray work, establishing himself as a prominent Roentgenologist. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War I and held various academic positions, including professor and dean. Married to Edith Ingram in 1919, he remains active in medical societies and has published extensively on his specialty.
Biography of Justin E. Joy
Justin E. Joy, born on June 17, 1844, in Iowa, was a significant figure in Missouri’s lumber industry and the development of Webster Groves. Educated in Burlington and Denmark, Iowa, he co-founded Joy Brothers Company, where his leadership drove success. A pioneer, he played a crucial role in establishing Webster Groves as a suburban community. Married to Elizabeth Amelia Anderson, he had two sons. Joy’s character was marked by integrity, community involvement, and a deep commitment to his faith, guiding his interactions with others until his death on August 5, 1919.
Biography of Col. Homer F. Fellows
Col. Homer F. Fellows, a prominent figure in Springfield, was deeply involved in the city’s public enterprises and established the Springfield Wagon Company, a leader in manufacturing farm wagons. Born in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, he shifted from various business ventures and military service to become a significant industrial contributor. A staunch advocate for education and community development, he held multiple public offices, including mayor, and was instrumental in establishing the first telegraph and telephone lines in Springfield. He was married three times and had several children.
Biography of Samuel H. Waddle
Samuel H. Waddle, born November 22, 1844, in Iowa, became the oldest original settler in Saline County, Kansas, after arriving in 1866. A Civil War veteran, he faced significant hardships, including droughts and prairie fires, while building a successful farming and stock-raising business. He married Carrie E. Kelley in 1872, with whom he had seven children. Deeply involved in his community, Waddle was a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is recognized for his contributions to the local area.
Biography of Samuel R. Dillinger
Samuel R. Dillinger, born on July 15, 1855, in Des Moines County, Iowa, became a prominent figure in the grain elevator industry as manager of the Farmers Elevator Company in Bennington, Kansas. His family has deep roots in Pennsylvania, tracing back to a Hessian soldier. Dillinger transitioned from farming to grain merchandising, eventually settling in Kansas. He married Melissa Belle Gallentine in 1880, and they had six children. Active in his community, Dillinger served on the school board and was affiliated with local Masonic and Woodmen organizations.
Biography of Samuel R. Dillinger, Jr.
Samuel R. Dillinger, Jr., born on September 23, 1880, in Hamilton County, Nebraska, is a prominent figure in the grain trade as the manager of the Co-operative Grain Association in Green, Kansas. Raised in a family involved in agriculture, he gained extensive experience in grain handling from his father. Dillinger has overseen the modernization of the company’s operations and is known for his expertise. He married Luetta Craft and is active in his community and local fraternal organizations, maintaining an independent political stance.
Biography of Henry J. Calnan
Henry J. Calnan, born in 1857 in Massachusetts, became the publisher and editor of the Weekly Kansas Chief in 1904. He transformed the paper, enhancing its influence as Kansas’s oldest continuously named journal. Originally founded in 1857, the Chief became notable amid the state’s tumultuous newspaper history. Calnan’s early career included roles as a journeyman printer and railroad engineer before entering journalism. He served as mayor of Troy and actively supported the Republican Party. Calnan’s home, combining agricultural elements with urban comfort, reflects his success and commitment to community.
Biography of Julius S. Waters
Julius S. Waters, born in Indiana in 1838, exemplified the virtues of self-reliance and determination throughout his life. Orphaned young, he worked various jobs to fund his education and eventually pursued a legal career, becoming a prominent attorney and political figure. He was actively involved in the abolitionist movement and helped establish the Republican Party in Kansas. Throughout his career, Waters held multiple public offices, including county attorney and presidential elector, gaining respect for his legal expertise and commitment to public service in Idaho.
Biography of Joseph Carman Pence
Joseph Carman Pence, born on May 28, 1844, in Des Moines County, Iowa, has significantly impacted Idaho’s stock-raising industry over three decades. A descendant of a Pennsylvania-Dutch family with Revolutionary War ties, he served in the Union Army during the Civil War. After the war, Pence ventured west, engaging in freighting and cattle ranching before transitioning to sheep farming. A successful businessman and founding director of the Capital State Bank in Boise, he married Susan M. Keene, with whom he had five children. Pence has been an active Republican and community member.
Biography of William W. Woods
William W. Woods, born January 24, 1841, in Burlington, Iowa, was a prominent Idaho lawyer known for his expertise in mining litigation. After enlisting in the Fourth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry during the Civil War and achieving the rank of major, he resumed law studies and was admitted to the bar in 1866. Woods practiced in Iowa before moving to Salt Lake City, and later to Idaho, where he gained high standing in the legal community. A committed Democrat, he participated in the 1890 constitutional convention but preferred to focus on his legal career.
Biographical Sketch of Franklyn Evans McClure
Franklyn Evans McClure, born on November 27, 1877, in Mediapolis, Iowa, was the son of Isaac Newton and Susan Elizabeth Parrett McClure. He graduated from Parsons College in 1899 and Rush Medical College in 1903. McClure married Marjorie Balkley in 1905 and had one daughter. He served as an assistant surgeon in the Wisconsin National Guard and practiced medicine in various locations, including Cherokee, Iowa, and Detroit, Michigan. In 1910, he became the manager of the U.S. Motor Co. in Cleveland and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce.
Biography of Thomas Jefferson Booth
Thomas Jefferson Booth, born on January 4, 1856, in Illinois, grew up in Iowa and Kansas, where he developed a strong work ethic on his father’s farms. After marrying at 23, he farmed before transitioning to cattle trading, and later to the oil industry. In 1894, he moved to Independence, Kansas, where he became a significant business figure, founding the Union Implement Hardware Company and owning the Hotel Booth. Booth, respected for his integrity, has also been involved in various fraternal organizations and enjoyed a fulfilling family life.