Page was created on February 24, 1847 (Organized in 1852) from Unorganized Territory. The County was named for John Page, a captain in the Mexican-American War. The County Seat is Clarinda. The Courthouse and the records were destroyed in an 1858 fire.
Counties adjacent to Page County are Montgomery County (north), Taylor County (east), Nodaway County, Missouri, Atchison County, Missouri (southwest), Fremont County (west). Cities and Towns Include Blanchard, Braddyville, Clarinda, Coin, College Springs, Essex, Hepburn, Northboro, Shambaugh, Shenandoah, Yorktown.
The first district court was located at Boulware’s Mill on the Nodaway River. Court was held on September 22, 1851, in the home of Philip Boulware, in the mill, a small shanty, in Cottonwood Schoolhouse and even in the general store.
The General Assembly declared Clarinda the county seat on December 22, 1852. The town is named for Clarinda Buck, who carried water to the surveyors and was popular amongst the early settlers. A temporary courthouse was built in 1856. It was a two-story, wood frame building that also housed the post office. In 1873 the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to erect a two-story courthouse at a cost of $7,456.16.
In 1885 a contract was awarded for the amount of $71,000. The third courthouse was constructed of brick and stone. The building was completed on December 19, 1887 with an actual cost of $86,500. A four-faced clock sat on top of a large tower. The tower was removed in 1950. In 1985, the cornerstone was removed, and the papers and documents contained within were placed on display. The cornerstone was relaid by the Grand Lodge of Masons of Iowa on July 4, 1985, 100 years after the original laying date.
On December 11, 1991 this courthouse was involved in a fire possibly caused by faulty wiring. In the fire the county lost its ornate judge’s bench and all the furniture that sat in the 19th century courtroom, a collection of presidential portraits, law books and a large stained glass window. All records were saved, but some were water damaged from the 500,000 gallons of water used to extinguish the blaze. Those records went through a freeze-dry process and are still in use.

The Courthouse and the records were destroyed in an 1858 fire.
All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link below, calling or visiting the Page County Courthouse at 112 East Main St, PO Box 263, Clarinda 51632; Tel: 712-542-3214. See Also Courthouse Street Addresses for current courthouse addresses for all Iowa Counties. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. ? County was attached to ? County for a breif time. Some early records may be found there.
Page County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1880, Marriage Records from 1852, Death Records from 1880 and Land Records from 1854.
The Recorder's Office was created in 1839 by the First Legislative Assembly. The Recorder continues to maintain official records of documents affecting title to real estate. Every real estate transaction that takes place begins in the Recorder's Office. One of the major duties of the office is the management of public records. As a result, accuracy and preservation of records are a must in the Recorder's Office. Instruments that are recorded are not only important for today, but serve as a historical library for all of the tomorrows.
In addition to real estate transactions, the Recorder's Office issues titles and liens; records veterans discharge papers; processes passport applications; accepts marriage applications and issues the subsequent license; issues certified copies of birth, death and marriage records as well as other numerous duties.
Page County Clerk of Court Office has Probate Records from ? and Court Records from ?.
In each of Iowa's 99 counties, a clerk of district court office manages and maintains all trial court records, including pleadings, evidence and orders. The clerks of court have hundreds of administrative duties. They accept and process fines, fees and court costs owed to the state, child support checks, and civil judgments owed to litigants. They maintain a record of liens on all real estate in the county. Clerks help with involuntary hospitalization cases. They have the authority to dispose of scheduled violations which are not contested and do not require a court hearing. Clerks are also responsible for informing state and local government agencies of court orders.
The Iowa district court has general jurisdiction of all civil, criminal and juvenile cases and probate matters in the state. The district court, which is also known as the trial court, is the point of entry in the court system for most cases. The Iowa district court is composed of different kinds of judicial officers with varying amounts of jurisdiction-judicial magistrates, associate juvenile judges, associate probate judges, district associate judges, and district court judges.
Page County Tax Assesors Office. The Treasurer is responsible for collection of property taxes and other fees for state, county, city, school districts, community colleges, and other taxing entities such as townships, fire districts, and drainage districts.
The tax rolls for personal property and real estate were kept by the auditor or the treasurer of each county. A few of these records have been microfilmed and are available at the State Historical Society of Iowa. Original county tax rolls are usually not transferred.
Search Local County Court Records - Many court records are not digitized yet, which means the only way to obtain these records is by going to the actual courthouses. Someone from our network of court-runners will go retrieve the records and then send you the results. Average response time is 38 hours. Civil Records include Lawsuits, Bankruptcies, Liens and judgments, Marriage/divorce litigation, Child custody, Civil rights violations ands Other. Criminal Records include Violent crimes, Theft and robbery, DUI/DWI's, Drugs and alcohol, Sexual offenses, Some traffic violations, Behavioral.
Below is a list of online resources for Page County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Page County Court Records by clicking the link below:
Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.
Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor, 321 East 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319, (515) 281-4944 recording, Iowa prefers you get all Vital Records from the State Office in Des Moines and NOT at the County Clerk's office. They have the following records:
Local registrars are located in county recorders offices and maintain records of birth, death and marriages that have occurred in that county. County registrars do not have code authority to have Birth, death, and marriage records between the years 1921 to 1941.
Ordering Vital Records - You can also order
Ordering Vital Records by Mail - $15.00 per birth certificate & $10.00 per death certificate. Fees are payable by check or money order made out to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Checks must be drawn from the applicant's account; money orders must be in the name of the applicant. Fees must be paid at the time of the application. Filled requests take 30-45 days, depending on seasonal demands and mail service. Genealogy requests take least 60 days. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates or Death Certificates.
Walk-In Service: Walk-in service is available for in-person requests at the state vital records office between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for state-observed holidays. The office is located at the address listed below, just inside the main north entrance and to the right of the main lobby. The Lucas building is the first state office building east of the state Capitol building, on the south side of Grand Avenue. Written applications must be satisfactorily completed and signed. Applicants must also provide valid, current government-issued photo identification. Copies may either be picked up after two days or mailed to an entitled person. In-person requests may also be paid in cash.
Below is a list of online resources for Page County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Page County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable
Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Page County, Iowa are1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1910, 1920 and 1940.Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Page County, Iowa are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.
Below is a list of online resources for Page County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Page County Census Records by clicking the link below:
Below is a list of online resources for Page County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Page County Military Records by clicking the link below:
Below is a list of online resources for Page County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Page County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
There are many churches and cemeteries in Page County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Page County Tombstone Transcription Project.
Below is a list of online resources for Page County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Page County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Below is a list of online resources for Page County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Page County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below: