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Hi I am the County Coordinator for Monroe County. My name is Sue Claman and I have lived in the Des Moines metro area all my life. My Mom was born and raised in Monroe county (Cedar township-she was a Beary). You can contact me and let me know what you would like to see.

If you would like to contribute to Monroe County's IAGenWeb site, contact Sue Claman. Be sure to note Monroe County in the subject line. Thank you!!

Vintage Postcard, Monroe County Courthouse

Courtesy of Sharon R. Becker

Several years prior to the admission of Iowa as a State, the Territorial Council had passed an act to organize new counties, as will be seen in Chapter 34 of the Revised Statutes of Iowa, 1843: "An Act to establish new counties and define their boundaries, in the late cession from the Sac and Fox Indians, and for other purposes.

"Sec. 4. The following boundaries shall constitute a new county, to be called Kishkekosh, to-wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of Wapello County; thence west on township line dividing townships 73 and 74, to range 20, west; thence south on said line to the northwest corner of Appanoose County; thence on the township line dividing townships 70 and 71; thence east to the southwest corner of Wapello County; thence north to the place of Beginning; which county, with Wapello and the territory lying west, shall be attached to Jefferson County for judicial, revenue, and election purposes."

This same bill provided for the creation of ten other counties, and also made provision for their survey as soon as the Indian treaty could be ratified.

The first measure to conserve the peace in these newly organized counties was the appointment, by the Governor, of justices of the peace for the various precincts throughout the counties so created.

On the 1st of May, 1843, the Indian title became extinct, and immediately followed an influx of sturdy pioneers, a further account of whose incursion and pioneer life will be found elsewhere in this volume.

The name Kishkekosh seemed harsh to the ears of the white settlers, and the name was subsequently changed to that of Monroe County. (read further about Kishkekosh here)

from "An Illustrated History of Monroe County, Iowa" by Frank Hickenlooper