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Scott County, Iowa

County Court, Probate, Land & Tax Records  •  County Census Records
County Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records and Death Records
County Cemeteries & Graveyards  •  County Church & Bible Records
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Scott was created on 1837 from Cook, Dubuque & Muscatine Counties. The County was named for Winfield Scott, the general and commander of the U. S. Army in the years leading up to the American Civil War. The County Seat is Davenport .

Counties adjacent to Scott County are Clinton County (north), Rock Island County, Illinois (east & south), Muscatine County (southwest), Cedar County (northwest). Cities and Towns Include Bettendorf, Blue Grass, Buffalo, Davenport, Dixon, Donahue, Eldridge, Le Claire, Long Grove, Maysville, McCausland, New Liberty, Panorama Park, Park View, Princeton, Riverdale, Walcott.

For thousands of years native Americans lived on the land which we now call Scott County. In the early 1830s non-natives of European ancestry began to arrive and settle in the area. Scott County as a political subdivision was established by an act of the territorial legislature of Wisconsin in 1837. By this time the county had been completely surveyed, and copies of the original survey are still available for study. The new county was named in honor of Major General Winfield Scott, Commander-In-Chief of the U.S. Army from 1841 until the beginning of the Civil War, and the presiding officer at the signing of the peace treaty ending the Black Hawk War. He negotiated the first treaty purchasing lands in Iowa from Indians.

Located in eastern-most Iowa, Scott County is bordered on three sides by water, the Mississippi River on two sides, and the Wapsipinicon River on the third.

The first election of county officers took place in February of 1838. Also in that election voters were charged with the responsibility of choosing a county seat and the newly incorporated city of Davenport eventually won out, but only after losing the first time to a town called Rockingham in a rigged election. Davenport maintains its original Charter City designation, meaning it was a city prior to Iowa statehood.

From 1838 until 1850 county commissioners were elected annually and in 1861 the commissioners officially became the Board of Supervisors. In 1874 the number of supervisor positions was set at five, which it still is today , almost 130 years later.

Early white settler Antoine LeClaire donated the land for the first, and subsequent, courthouses. With the addition of county treasurer, recorder, auditor, prosecuting attorney, and trial courts the courthouse building quickly became inadequate and in 1886 a magnificent stone, brick, and mortar courthouse was built at what was then an astronomical sum of $125,000. Even before the building was complete it was evident there were problems; the entire structure was sinking in the sandy soil upon which it was built. After a while even the huge dome was removed in an effort to lesson the weight of the structure. County government managed to endure in that building until finally, in 1955 a new courthouse was constructed, an aluminum-clad structure typical of government architecture at the time.

From the mid 1950s until today Scott County's population has increased by 50%, and more people means more services to the citizens. Consequently the county added an annex building which has been remodeled a couple of times, acquired a six story building called the Bicentennial Building which has been utilized by various offices over the years, and renovated the jail in 1980, something which hadn't been done since it's erection in 1897.

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Records at the Scott County Courthouse

See Also Iowa Land Records, Marriage Records, Court, Tax & Probate Records

PLEASE READ FIRST!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link below, calling or visiting the Scott County Courthouse at 416 West Fourth Street, Davenport 52801; Tel: 563-326-8648. 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.

Scott County Recorder's Office has Birth Records from 1880, Marriage Records from 1838, Death Records from 1880 and Land Records from 1838.

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.

Scott County Clerk of Court Office has Probate Records from 1838 and Court Records from 1838.

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.

Scott County Tax Assesors Office, Phone: (563) 326-8664. 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 Scott County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Scott County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Scott County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Research In Vital Records or Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records in Iowa

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:

  • Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates: In Iowa, official registration of births, deaths, and marriages began July 1, 1880. All original records that have been registered are on file with the Iowa Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. $15.00 per birth certificate & $10.00 per death certificate.
  • Divorces: Divorces on file are Brief statistical records only since 1906.

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

  • Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Certificates to mail. Order Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records or Death Records.

    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 Scott County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Scott County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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    Scott County Census Records

    See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Iowa

    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 Scott County, Iowa are 1840, 1850, 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 Scott 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 Scott County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Scott County Census Records by clicking the link below:

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    Scott County Military Records

    See Also Research In Military Records or Military Records in Iowa

    Below is a list of online resources for Scott County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Scott County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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    Scott County Genealogical Addresses

    See Also Other Iowa Genealogical Addresses

    Below is a list of online resources for Scott County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Scott County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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    Scott County Cemeteries & Graveyards

    See Also Research In Cemetery Records or Cemetery Records in Iowa

    There are many churches and cemeteries in Scott County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Scott County Tombstone Transcription Project.

    Below is a list of online resources for Scott County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Scott County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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    County Church & Bible Records

    See Also Research In Church Records or Church & Bible Records in Iowa

     

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    Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

     

    Below is a list of online resources for Scott County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Scott County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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