What's New 2012-2014

What's New Archives

December 1, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for the letters "Mc" and "P" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Deb Henry and Richard Williamson for transcribing these!

November 16, 2014 - Added the work, Josiah Hopkins, Polk County Abolitionist to the site. This paper was graciously donated by its author, Daniel Higginbottom. Thanks, Dan!

November 15, 2014 - Began an alphabetized Index of World War I Draft Registration Cards with the 1,100+ listings of letter A surnames, and the 3,100+ listings of letter B surnames.

November 5, 2014 - Added a map of Mount Zion Cemetery, created by Daniel Higgenbottom. This map has plots numbered, matching his "Gone but not Forgotten" photo study he has posted on the Iowa Gravestone Photo Project for this cemetery. Thanks for all of this, Daniel!!!

October 17, 2014 - Added my transcription of the book "The Des Moines Illustrated Souvenir," © 1896, Iowa Historical Illustrative Co., Des Moines, Iowa. This interesting work contains roughly 185 High quality photographs.

October 11, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "K" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Richard Williamson for transcribing this!

October 10, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for the County Residents of Bushnell's 1891 Directory, except the letters I, J, and K. Thanks to everyone who helped in transcribing these!

September 30, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "C" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Richard Williamson for transcribing this!

September 26, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for the letter "S" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Richard Brady and Richard Williamson for transcribing this!

September 22, 2014 - Added "Wives of the 1850 Census," a work created and donated by Patrick Murray. This work notes the marriages and maiden names of 287 of the married women in this census, and includes the companion works "Marriages Listed in the 1850 Census," "Miscellaneous Polk County Marriages," and an "Index to Husbands of the 1850 Census," all also created and donated by Patrick Murray. I sincerely thank Patrick for the donation of his works!

September 13, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for the letter "D" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Dessa Fountaine for transcribing this!

September 12, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for the letters "W," "Y" and "Z" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Nancy Montague for transcribing these!

September 10, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for the letters "U" and "V" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Richard Brady for transcribing these!

September 09, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for the letter "T" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Richard Brady for transcribing this!

September 08, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letters "Q" and "R" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Nancy Montague for transcribing these!

September 02, 2014 - Added a complete transcription of the 1850 Federal Census. Created by Patrick H. Murray and Robert Fisher, and donated by Patrick Murray, this wonderful work includes links to census images on archive.org.

August 26, 2014 - Added the 1912 photo essay book, Night in Des Moines, on 5 web pages.

August 25, 2014 - Added a photo of the 1948 Runnels High Football Squad, donated by Jim Tingle.
Added two new databases for Polk City Cemetery, Old Section & Main Section. Thanks to Diane Conway, contributor.

August 21, 2014 - Added a new database for Greenwood Friends Cemetery. This work is a compilation from different sources, created and donated by Rebecca Foster.

August 19, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "O" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Richard Williamson for transcribing this!

August 17, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "N" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Rebecca Foster for transcribing this!

August 11, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "L" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Richard Williamson for transcribing this!

July 24, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "M" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Rebecca Foster for transcribing this!

June 22, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "J" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Richard Williamson for transcribing this!

June 2, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "F" and "H" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Deb Henry and Nancy Jackson for transcribing these!

May 4, 2014 - Added a transcription entitled "Persons Performing Early Marriages in Polk Co. Iowa - 1849 to 1855," donated by Patrick Murray.

May 2, 2014 - Added a transcription of an old burial list for Powers-Warren Cemetery, donated by Patrick Murray.

April 30, 2014 - Began a new section, entitled "Organizations," with an index for the Polk County Association of Early Settlers, compiled by Ethel McGlothlen, foreword by Lida Lisle Greene, and donated by Patrick Murray.

April 7, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "I" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Richard Williamson for transcribing this!

March 5, 2014 - Added alphabetical listings for letter "G" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. Thanks to Nancy Jackson for transcribing this!

March 2, 2014 - Completed the 1866/67 Directory with the addition of S, T, UV, and WXYZ.

February 20, 2014 - Completed the Death Certificate Index - Polk County (1917-1935) with the addition of letters S, T, U, V, W, Y, and Z.

February 17, 2014 - Added the final 27 biographies to Volume I of PIONEERS OF POLK COUNTY, IOWA and Rememberances of Early Days.

February 3, 2014 - Added letters N, O, P, Q, and R of the Death Certificate Index - Polk County (1917-1935).

February 1, 2014 - Added letters O, P, and QR to the 1866 Directory.

January 30, 2014 - Added 15 more biographies to PIONEERS OF POLK COUNTY, IOWA and Rememberances of Early Days.

January 23, 2014 - Added letters I, J, K, L, and M of the Death Certificate Index - Polk County (1917-1935).

January 20, 2014 - Added letters F, G and H of the Death Certificate Index - Polk County (1917-1935).

January 19, 2014 - I have added the remaing portions of "American Patriotism or Memoirs of the 'Common Man.' "

December 26, 2013 - Added more WWII information: State Summary of War Casualties - Iowa - US Navy 1946. Includes Navy, Marines, Coast Guard casualties.

November 18, 2013 - Added alphabetical listings for the letters "B" and "E" of Bushnell's 1891 Des Moines City Directory. A huge thank you to Deb Henry for transcribing letter E!

November 17, 2013 - Added another 169 memoir pages to "American Patriotism or Memoirs of the 'Common Man.' "

November 4, 2013 - Added "11,000 Army Names," which is a transcribed list of WWII Army and Army Reserve enlistments, 1938-1946.

November 1, 2013 - Added "World War II Army, Army Air Force, Honor List of Dead and Missing." Foreword, Surnames A - F, G - L, M - R, S - Z.

October 31, 2013 - Added a page identifying the true location of the former Fort Des Moines Cemetery.

October 17, 2013 - Added 15 more biographies to PIONEERS OF POLK COUNTY, IOWA and Rememberances of Early Days.

October 10, 2013 - "Historical reminiscences of the city of Des Moines, together with a full description of the city and county." by H. B. Turrill, 1857, has been added to the site.

October 1, 2013 - Added letter E of Death Certificate Index - Polk County (1917-1935).

September 29, 2013 - added another 59 memoir pages on 4 web pages to "American Patriotism or Memoirs of the 'Common Man."

September 28, 2013 - Began another project, "American Patriotism or Memoirs of the 'Common Man' " —
I believe this book, written by Des Moines poet Leonard Brown and published in 1869 by Redhead and Wellslager, 41 Court Ave., Des Moines, contains at least the name and rank of every soldier who left Polk County to fight in the Civil War, with individual memoirs of most who died as a result. Wonderful, informative publication. A list of names of those included in this book begins here.

September 20, 2013 - Added a page to "contact me", which includes a list of all the many, many, projects I have for volunteers to assist with transcription and/or proofreading.
Added letter D of Death Certificate Index - Polk County (1917-1935).

September 9, 2013 - Finished the redesign of the site! I hope you all like the new look of your Polk County, IAGenWeb site!

August 31, 2013 - Finished letter N of the 1866-67 Directory of Des Moines, as well as adding page numbers on all transcriptions completed on this project.

August 30, 2013 - Added 73 lithographs to the 1875 A. T. Andreas Atlas in the Directories & Maps section, which includes the township maps from this excellent atlas.
Added a patron's directory for Beaver Township in the 1875 A. T. Andreas Atlas.

August 26, 2013 - Began the introduction of the new site design with the Home Page, this page, and several others. Thank you for your patience as I slowly change all pages to this design.
Began another project, Death Certificate Index - Polk County (1917-1935), with the letters A, B, and C.
Added a historic newspaper article about an Automobile Tour which ends in Des Moines.

April 17, 2013 - Began a transcription of Bushnell's Des Moines City and Polk County Directory - 1891 with an Index page and transcription of the entries for the letter A.

March 22, 2013 - Began a transcription of PIONEERS OF POLK COUNTY, IOWA and Rememberances of Early Days, with 12 biographies.

November 11, 2012 - See Cemetery Data Bases and Maps for WHITE OAK CEMETERY, Elkhart Township, Polk Co.
Cemetery Map of Burials and Surname Index by Marker No., submitted by Daniel Higginbottom

November 4, 2012 - Daniel Higginbottom has submitted over 790 gravestone photos from Elkhart Cemetery, Elkhart Township, Polk Co. We greatly appreciate all of his efforts! To view them see the IAGenWeb Gravestone Project at ELKHART CEMETERY, Elkhart Twp., Polk Co.

October 29, 2012 - James Mincks has submitted over 740 gravestone photos from Lincoln Township Cemetery. We greatly appreciate all of his efforts! To view them see the IAGenWeb Gravestone Project at LINCOLN TOWNSHIP CEMETERY, Polk Co.

August 8, 2012 - See Cemetery Data Bases and Maps for HOPKINS GROVE CEMETERY, Union Township, Polk Co.
History and Cemetery Maps submitted by Daniel Higginbottom
Transcription submitted by Kathy Foote

July 30, 2012 - POST OFFICES Submitted by Shirley Plumb

July 14, 2012 - See Cemeteries pagefor cemetery lists and maps ~ Updated
Submitted by Lynn McCleary

June 7, 2012 - See Obituaries & Death Notices for Link to State Historical Society of Iowa, Index of Polk County Deaths Certificates 1917-1933
Submitted by Lynn McCleary

June 7, 2012 - Added DEATH OF MRS. LENA DAGGY
Submitted by Kathy Foote

May 21, 2012 - Added News ~ ANNUAL HOOSIER PICNIC AT UNION PARK, DES MOINES, 1900
Submitted by Lynn McCleary

May 16, 2012 - See Land Records for Link to the Bureau of Land Management for Book of Orginal Land Grants.
Submitted by Lynn McCleary