Welsh Settlers In Johnson & Iowa Counties, Iowa
Genealogies and Histories of some of the first Welsh Settlers
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Lookups and Research Notes

 


Volunteer Lookups

I have the following materials and will do lookups for you. - Steve - (E-mail)

Iowa State
1856 Iowa State Census, Iowa Co - (Digital Images)

Pioneer Recollections, 1941: Stories and Pictures depicting the early history and development of Iowa County - Ransom, Harley, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, reprinted by Iowa Co. Genealogy Society, 240p. - (Spiral-bound Book)

May Flower Edition, Willliamsburg Journal-Tribune, 1903: History, Ads, biographies and pictures of mostly current residents, etc.- reprinted by Iowa Co. Genealogy Society, 64p. - (Photocopies in Folder)

 
   Richard Williams Research - Looking for...

My research goals are to find parents and siblings of Richard Williams and trace him back to Wales, as well as to gather information to tell a more complete story of his life, his family, neighbors and friends.
(* Recently found that Richard had a brother William Williams, and at least one other brother and two sisters living in the old country! Now, to find more about them...)

I have not pursued the following source material yet. If you have access to any of this, I'd be grateful for a lookup. Suggestion for other resources will be very welcome - Steve


Marriage License/record - Richard WILLIAMS and Jane TUDOR were married, presumably in Ebensburg, Cambria Co. Pennsylvania, but may also have been married in Iowa. They will have married prior to the birth of the 1st Elizabeth Williams (b. Nov 12, 1843 d. July 31, 1845). Richard and Jane arrived in Iowa about 1843/4. The Tudor family lived in Cambria Co, Pennsylvania for 12 years. The Tudor's attend the Welsh Congregational Church in Ebensburg. Some of the early church records are said to have traveled with a former pastor.

Death record/Obituaries- Richard died in July 9th, 1860 in Williamsburg, Iowa Co, IA. Death records may not have been kept at this time. If they do exist, they might be found at the county seat in Marengo, Iowa Co. or in Iowa City, Johnson Co. No newspaper was published at the time in Williamsburg. Perhaps an obituary would have been posted in a Marengo, Iowa City, or Des Moines newspaper.
An obituary was found in "Y Cenhadwr Americanaidd" (The American Messenger") a Welsh-language Congregationalist paper published in Utica, New York. An obituary may also have been posted in "Y Drych" (the Mirror), a widely distributed Welsh-language newspaper.

Naturalization and Immigration records - Looking in the Passenger and Immigration list index, Vol. 3(edited by P. William Filby with Mary K. Meyes), I find:
Williams, Richard; Philadelphia, PA;  1838;  * 9312, p153
Williams, Richard; Philadelphia, PA;  1840;  * 9312
(from the 1988 supplement)
Williams, Richard; Philadelphia, PA;  1831;  * 1869, p150
(* source 9312: U.S. Index of Aliens' Declaration of Intention and/or Oath of Allegiance, 1789-1889, Philadelphia, PA.   * source 1869: Erie Co., PA Naturalizations 1825-1906. 1983, p179)

Land and Probate records in Johnson County, IA - hoping to find names of other family members.

Land and Probate records in Iowa County, IA - hoping to find names of other family members.

Land, Probate, Census records in and around Cambria County, PA - hoping to find records of the existence of Richard Williams in Pennsylvania.

Birth, Death, and Burial records for Elizabeth Williams - hoping to find records confirming the existence of daughter Elizabeth #1 and to help with locating Richard. Elizabeth was probably born, died, and buried in or around Ebensburg, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, or Union & Sharon Townships in Johnson County, Iowa.


Iowa State
1856 Iowa State Census, Johnson Co, SLC# 1021303
1854 Iowa Federal Census, Ia-Johnson Co, SLC# 1022206, at SJ FHC
1860 Iowa State Almanac & register, SLC# 1000026 itm 1, at SJ FHC
Wills 1726-1888 Iowa-Penn, SLC# 0824052, nothing found
Iowa Marriages Before Statehood 1835-1846, nothing found
1925 State census of Iowa Keokuk County v. 101-145 Townships: Sigourney (2nd ward cont) - West Lancaster , SLC# 1429401

Iowa County
History of Iowa Co - published 1881, SLC# 934945 itm 1
Iowa Co index of Bio's, SLC# 989446 itm 5
Iowa Co Atlas - Surveys - 1874, SLC# 1003424 itm 1
Iowa Co General Probate: records, 1848-1932; index 1855-1924; journal v.2 1860-66, SLC# 988212
Iowa Co Probate: Administrators' and guardians' bonds v. 1 1864-1878 Administrators', petitions, bonds, 1848-1886 oaths, letters Administrators' deeds v. 1 1865-1886 Record of heirs and estates of 1861-1879 descendants v. 1, SLC# 988218

Iowa Co Will records, 1853-1929; v.1-2 1853-1879, SLC# 988210
Iowa Co Marriage records, 1847-1931; index to 1881, SLC# 988202
Iowa Co Deeds, Index to deed lots 1855-1885, SLC# 988360
Iowa Co Deeds, Index to deed lands 1851-1871
, SLC# 988361
Iowa Co Deeds, 1847-1855 (v.1,3, no v.2), SLC# 988363
Iowa Co Deeds, v. 10-11 1860-1862, SLC# 988367 (Richard Willams' unnamed brother ...
Iowa Co Deeds, v. 10-11 1862-1864, SLC# 988368 (... may have bought a piece of his land)
Iowa Co Original entries, 1847-1855 (land by township), SLC# 1003423 item 2
Land: Co Recorders Office, Iowa Co Courthouse, Marengo, Iowa, 1838-
Tax: Co Assessors Office, Iowa Co Courthouse, Marengo, Iowa, 1838-


Johnson County
Welsh Congregational Church (Iowa City, Iowa). Contains information on the Welsh Church on Old Man's Creek. SLC# 986172 Item 1
History of Johnson County, Iowa containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882, together with biographical sketches. SCL# 934948 Item 4 (See 989446, item 7 for Index of names.)
History: Early settlement of Johnson County Sanders, Cyrus

This is Johnson County, Iowa : historical narrative with county and township maps and many unique aerial photographs of cities, towns, villages, and farmsteads. Drury, John, 1898-
History - Index of Johnson County Iowa, from 1836-1882

Land and Property
Assessor's book, 1840-1853. County Assessor
Bill of sale record, vol. 5, 1872-1877; Deeds, 1839-1906, index, 1839-1905; Early county officers and land transfers, 1842-1846 - Johnson County (Iowa). County Recorder
Mortgage index, 1840-1891; Original entries, 1840-1859; Plat book, 1843-1926 - Johnson County (Iowa). County Recorder
Maps
Atlas of Johnson County, Iowa : farmer's directory. published: Davenport, Ia : Huebinger, c1900. 130 p. Township maps show property owners. SLC# 989476 Item 3
Land atlas and plat book, Johnson County, Iowa Rockford Map Publishers (Rockford, Illinois)
Index to 1859 landowners map, Johnson County, Iowa - Iowa City Genealogical Society (Iowa City, Iowa)
Naturalization and citizenship
Johnson County, Iowa naturalization books, 1857-1887 - Iowa Genealogical Society (Des Moines, Iowa)
Naturalization records, 1855-1954 - Iowa. District Court (Johnson County)
Probate and Court records
Court records, 1839-1943; indexes 1842-1934. Iowa City, Iowa. Justice dockets contain marriage records ; courthouse minutes include naturalizations and marriages. Index to appearance and judgement dockets 1869 Index to judgement dockets 1842-1845, SLC# 1738602 Itms 2-4
Court dockets 1840-1950, SCL# 986168 Item 2
Index to minute books 1867-1875, SLC# 1738738 Item 1
Court records p. 1-540 1842-1845, SLC# 738602 Item 5
Court records p. 584-end 1842-1845 1858-1866, SLC# 1738737
Johnson County, Iowa, probate index - Iowa City Genealogical Society (Iowa City, Iowa)
Probate records, 1851-1914 Johnson County (Iowa). Clerk of the District Court:, SLC# 1728227 Item 2
Probate records, 1847-1919; Probate records, 1851-1914; Wills, 1852-1912 - Iowa. District Court (Johnson County)
School records, 1880-1902; Names of persons examined, 1858-1880 - Johnson County (Iowa). County school superintendent
Assessor's book, 1840-1845 - County Assessor, SLC# 1728630 item 4
Includes 1844 census of Johnson County.
Assessor's book (unbound files), 1841-1853 - County Assessor, SLC# 1728635 item 3
Tax records, 1856-1937 - County Recorder
Name index to the year books of the Old Settlers' Association of Johnson County, Iowa, 1866-1925 - Daughters of the American Revolution (Iowa)