MUSCATINE COUNTY RECORDERS' OFFICE
414 E. Third Street
First Floor - down the hall from the Treasurers office
(563) 263-7741
http://www.muscatinecountyiowa.gov/224/Recorders-Office

The office of the County Recorder will answer request for copies of vital records by mail, provided that payment is included and a self-addressed, return envelope with stamp.

For Research Services to obtain copies of vital records or land transactions one may contact:
MUSCATINE COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
c/o Lynn McCleary 906 Sunrise Circle, Muscatine, IA 52761

VITAL RECORDS COPIES: For Genealogical Purposes are $5.00. Certified copies are $20.00

• BIRTH


Registration of Births began at the State level, in the Assessors Office, on July 1, 1880. At the time the law was loosely enforced. It wasn’t mandated until January 1, 1917, when births were to become certified to the clerk of the district court. Click HERE to view announcement of "New Law Makes It Necessary To File A Record", published in the Muscatine Journal.
When the Social Security program was enacted, many people had to apply for a “Delayed Birth Certificate”. Applicants had to show three documents that attested to the who, where and when of their births. Acceptable were affidavits by those who had personal knowledge about the applicant such as page from a Family Bible, First Grade enrollment in school, insurance policy, marriage license, military papers, voting records or census records.


The Muscatine County Registrar will NOT HAVE:

Adoptions - sealed
Births between the years of 1921 - 1941
Delayed Birth Certificates
Record of Single parent births prior to July 1, 1995

For these records one must contact the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Statistics in Des Moines.
• MARRIAGE


Marriage Records in Muscatine County begin 1838. This was because couples were required to purchase a marriage license. Earlier years only recorded name of Groom and Bride, the date they were married and who performed the ceremony. In later years more information about the couple was noted.
Indexed from 1838 to 1920 and 1941 to present.
For the years of 1921 – 1941 one must contact the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Statistics in Des Moines.
• DEATH


Death Records begin July 1, 1880. Some years only recorded name of the deceased, date of death and attending physician. Then other years offered more information. (If death occurred before 1880, try searching Probate Records at the County Clerks Office.)
Indexed from 1880 to 1920 and 1941 to present.
For the years of 1921 – 1941 one must contact the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Statistics in Des Moines.

NATURALIZATION RECORDS
As of May, 2013, these records were moved from the County Clerks' Office to the Recorders' Office.


Petitions for Citizenship and Oaths of Allegiance are indexed. Records begin about 1840 and are on microfilm.

REAL ESTATE DEEDS AND LAND TRANSFERS
Copies are $0.50 per page

MUSCATINE COUNTY GENERAL INDEX OF LOTS - begins about 1839. Included is property located within the city limits of Muscatine, Atallisa, Wilton, West Liberty, Conesville and Fairport/Salem.

MUSCATINE COUNTY INDEX TO LANDS - begins about 1838. Includes real estate transactions throughout the county.


Both indexes sort transactions by first letter of the Surname of the Grantor [person(s) selling land] and Grantee [person(s) buying it]
Date of file (at county level)
Date of Instrument (date transaction actually occurred)
Transaction Type: Mortgage Agreements, Warranty Deeds, Quit Claim Deeds, Sheriff Sales, Assigning and Revocations of Agents to manage the Land, Leases and more.
The Volume Title and Page(s) where recorded
A brief description of the location and size of the land (Example: East 2/3, Lot 4 in Block 30, City of Muscatine)

BOOK OF ORIGINAL LAND GRANTS


This book records transactions where the U.S. Government (agents) was the Grantor. Some early settlers walked into the Land Office and made a purchase. For others, they were given a tract of land in payment for their service in the United States Armed Forces.

These Land Grants transactions are indexed by location ie. Range and Township. There is not a Grantee index.

These records may be found on-line by going to The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/default.aspx
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MUSCATINE COUNTY AUDITOR OFFICE
414 E. Third Street, 2nd floor
563-263-5821
http://www.muscatinecountyiowa.gov/144/Auditors-Office

MINUTE BOOKS OF COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS - Index begins 1853

PLAT MAPS

Internet access to information regarding Muscatine County property ownership by going to http://beacon.schneidercorp.com .

This site enables the general public, for free, to view appraisal information, tax information and digital maps of all properties in the county. Select Muscatine Area Geographic Information Consortium (MAGIC).

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MUSCATINE COUNTY CLERK OFFICE
Muscatine County Court House
401 East Third Street, 1st Floor
Muscatine, IA 52761
(563) 263-6511
https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/district-court/judicial-district-7/district/7/county/muscatine



Please note that the office of the County Clerk will NOT answer any inquiry, by phone or mail, pertaining to genealogical purposes. One must walk-in and conduct the search themself.


For Research Services to obtain copies of Divorce, Probate or Naturalization Records one may contact:


MUSCATINE COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
c/o or Lynn McCleary 906 Sunrise Circle, Muscatine, IA 52761

CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURT CASE RECORDS

DIVORCE RECORDS


Divorce decree was filed with the county clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. They were not filed at the State level until 1906.
Indexed - Sorted by Surname of Husband. Information includes:
Case Number
Name of Husband & Age
Marriage Date & Place
Grounds of Divorce
Name of Wife & Age
Date of Divorce Decree
Number of times married
Number of dependent children

PROBATE, WILLS AND GUARDIANSHIP RECORDS


Records begin about 1839 and are on microfilm. There is a Card File Index which is located in the basement of the Clerk’s Office.

For genealogists, Probate records are a great way to narrow in on a death date, especially if it occurred before 1880. At time of death if someone had any $$$ in their holdings, their Estate would be appraised through Probate and their Heirs taxed. Holdings would include household items, house, land, livestock, vehicles, bank accounts etc. Names of the heirs and their addresses may also be found.


NATURALIZATION RECORDS
As of May, 2013, these records were moved from the County Clerks' Office to the Recorders' Office.