Pottawattamie County IA

Biography of David H. Wixom

David H. Wixom, the tenth of a family of twelve children of Nathan J. and Betsy (Hadlock) Wixom, was born in 1848 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1850 his parents started with their family, consisting then of ten children, to cross the plains to California. They loaded three ox teams and one horse team with their effects, and brought fifty cows, ten head of horses and a small flock of sheep over as far as Salt Lake, where they spent the winter, and there their eleventh child, Charles W. Wixom, was born. In the spring of 1852 they resumed their … Read more

Biography of Joseph Thorn

Joseph Thorn, deceased, was a pioneer of 1854. He was born in New York State, December 22, 1811. His parents were Richard and Mary Ann (Armstrong) Thorn, the former a native of New York, the latter of England. Mr. Thorn was a blacksmith by trade. He was married at Niles, New York, June 19, 1836, to Lorana Camp, daughter of Jonah and Barbara (Keith) Camp, from near New Haven, Connecticut. About seven years after his marriage he moved with his wife and four children to Hancock County, Illinois, where he lived five years. He then moved to Council Bluffs and … Read more

Custer, John William – Obituary

John W. Custer, 89, died Saturday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Nancy Ormsby, 412 Big Horn. He had been in failing health for the past several months. Mr. Custer was a retired farmer and had lived with Mrs. Ormsby the past five years. He lived on a farm near Deadwood, S.D. for many years. Mr. Custer was born October 2, 1864 in Harlan, Ia., and married March 23, 1888 to Margaret Jones, who died December 30, 1935. Besides Mrs. Ormsby [Nancy], he is survived by two other daughters, Mrs. Leo Mooney [Clara], Spearfish, S. D., and Mrs. … Read more

Bloom, Sedric Cleo – Obituary

Sedric Cleo Bloom, the son of George Arthur and Rosetha E. Bloom was born May 8, 1896 in Carson, IA. He died September 3, 1980 in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 84 years. He received his elementary education in Carson, Iowa. In 1911 the family moved to LaPlata, Missouri were Cleo attended high school. Cleo went on to further his education at Kansas City Business College. Cleo was united in marriage to Esther Bell Dudley on September 24, 1919 in South Gifford, Missouri. To this union, two children were born, George Allen of Amarillo, Texas and Cleo Jr. of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of S. Altshuler

S. Altshuler, dealer in dry goods and clothing, came to Iowa in 1864, and located at Council Bluffs; established his present business in Missouri Valley in 1867. He has a fine store on the corner of Fourth and Erie streets, and carries a large stock of goods.

Biography of F. C. Amsbary

F. C. Amsbary, superintendent and manager of the Champaign Waterworks, has been superintending waterworks plants in different parts of the country for upwards of thirty years. It has in fact been his regular profession, though some of his younger years were devoted to railroading. Mr. Amsbary has numerous connections that identify him with the substantial interests of his home city. A native of Illinois, he was born at Pekin, January 24, 1863, a son of William Wallace and Harriet E. (Harlow) Amsbary, both of whom are natives of New York State. William W. Amsbary moved to Champaign in 1907, and … Read more

Wichman, Phyllis L. Olander Mrs. – Obituary

Phyllis L. Olander Wichman, 76, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, died March 6, 2005, at a Council Bluffs hospital. Her funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Broadway United Methodist in Council Bluffs. She was born on Oct. 6, 1928, to Carl Melvin and Myrtle Dorothea Swanson Olander at Stanton, Iowa. She was a 1946 graduate of Elliott, Iowa, High School and a 1950 graduate of Tarkio College at Tarkio, Mo. Her post-graduate work was done at the University of Nebraska at Omaha; the University of Northern Iowa at Cedar Falls, Iowa; Iowa State University at Ames; and the … Read more

Houses of the Oto Tribe

Oto dugout canoe, from Kurz's Sketchbook, May 15, 1851

When Lewis and Clark ascended the Missouri during the summer of 1804 they reached the mouth of the Platte July 21. At that time, so they entered in their journal, the Oto were living on the south side of the Platte, 10 leagues above its junction with the Missouri, and 5 leagues beyond, on the same bank, were the Pawnee. Living with the Oto were the remnants of the Missouri who had, a few years before, joined them. On August 3, 1804, the expedition having ascended the Missouri to about the location of the present city of Council Bluffs, Iowa, … Read more

Iowa Atlases, Farm Directories, and Plat Books

1859 Map of Washington County Iowa

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.

Iowa Death Records by County

Many experts recommend starting your research with the death records first. The death record is the most recent record, so it will more likely be available to you. Death records are kept in the state where your ancestor died, not where they were buried. However these records can provide a burial location. Death records are especially helpful because they may provide important information on a person’s birth, spouse, and parents. Some researchers look first for death records because there are often death records for persons who have no birth or marriage records. Early death records, like cemetery records, generally give … Read more

Biography of Joseph Camp Thorn

Joseph Camp Thorn, residing four miles east of San Bernardino on the Base Line, is one of the pioneers of this county. He was born in New York, January 2, 1839, the son of Joseph and Lorana (Camp) Thorn. When the subject of this sketch was three years of age his father moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. The next year he removed to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and the following year he moved to Salt Lake. Our subject was then eight years old and he drove an ox team all the way from Council Bluffs to Salt Lake. Mr. Thorn lived at … Read more

Biography of Joseph Hancock

Joseph Hancock, a rancher near San Bernardino, was born near Cleveland, Ohio, in 1822, and is the son of Solomon and Alta (Adams) Hancock, natives of Massachusetts and Vermont respectively. His father was born in 1793, and his mother in 1795, and were of English descent. The great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  His paternal great-grandmother was the daughter of General Ward. Solomon Hancock was a frontiersman in the Buckeye State, a farmer, but in his early days spent much time in hunting deer and wild turkey, with which … Read more

Biography of William Chester

The substantial rewards that come to the able and upright man as the result of well-doing, small as they may be in comparison with the fortunes and apparent honors won by questionable methods, bring With them a sense of satisfaction to which the sharp financier and the corrupt politician live and die as strangers. A man who wisely and honestly adjudicated the small misunderstandings of his fellow citizens for sixteen years, and who has the respect of all those for or against whom he has decided, as has Justice Chester, of Soda Springs, Idaho, has a greater reward than the … Read more

Everson, Idella G. Newman Ouren – Obituary

The body of Mrs. Idella G. Everson, 63, former resident of Pottawattamie County, who died Sunday [December 6, 1931] at El Reno, Oklahoma will be shipped to Council Bluffs for burial. Short services at the grave at Silver City will be held Thursday morning. The funeral cortege will leave Cutler’s funeral home at 10 a.m. Mrs. Everson is survived by her mother, Mrs. Lawrence Newman of El Reno, and three sons, L. H. and E. M. Everson of Omaha, and John Everson of El Reno. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Everson, Lillie A. Swanson – Obituary

Lillie A. Everson, 84, 2307 S. 6th St., died Thursday [April 13, 1989] at an Omaha care center. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Howard, died in 1982. Survivors include four sons, Charles of Omaha, Robert of Dayton, Ohio, Howard of Hartselle, Ala., and James of Mead, Neb.; daughter Rose Lengyel of Omaha; three sisters, Louise Stewart of Columbia, Mo., Virgie Wilcox of Fresno, Calif., and Rosie Thompson of Macon, Mo.; 17 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Funeral will be 10 a.m. Monday at the McCurdy Chapel with the Rev. David Grimm, pastor of Bethany United Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Abner McCrary

Abner McCrary is a native of Union County, Illinois, born in 1835. His parents, John and Mary (Kellar) McCrary, natives of North Carolina and South Carolina respectively, moved to Hancock County in 1844. Next they moved to Wash vine, Iowa, and in 1846 to Council Bluffs, where they remained five years. In 1851 he moved to Utah, where he remained two years, and June 5, 1854, came to California, and bought forty acres of land three miles northeast of San Bernardino, where he now lives. Mr. McCrary has dealt some in buying and selling land, and has today a fine … Read more

Biography of Almon S. Senter

An eventful career was that of Colonel Almon S. Senter, who for some years figured conspicuously in connection with the mercantile and official interests of Lincoln County. At the time of his death, March 6, 1899, he was serving as district-court clerk and ex-officio auditor and recorder of Lincoln County, and he was also an enterprising and prominent merchant of Shoshone. A native of the old Granite state, he was born February 18, 1845, and is a representative of one of the old and honored families of New Hampshire, of English descent. His ancestors were early settlers of Londonderry, that … Read more

Everson, Howard W. Sr. – Obituary

Howard W. Everson, 78, 2307 S. 6th St., died early today [March 19, 1982] at a local hospital after and extended illness. He was born and raised at Carson and had resided 40 years in Council Bluffs. He was a former employee of the city of Council Bluffs, and also had worked for Brandels Department Store and Yellow Cab. Mr. Everson was a member of Bethany United Presbyterian Church. Surviving are his wife, Lilly [Swanson].; a daughter, Mrs. Raymond (Rose) Lengyel of Omaha; four sons, Charles and James, both of Omaha, Robert of Dayton, Ohio and Howard of Warrensburg, MO.; … Read more

WPA Iowa Graves Registration Survey

WPA – Work Projects Administration – 1930’s Iowa Graves Registration Survey Adair County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Adams County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Allamakee County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Audubon County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Black Hawk County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Boone County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Bremer County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Buchanan County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Buena Vista County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Butler County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Calhoun County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Carroll County Iowa – WPA Grave Registration Cass County Iowa … Read more