Names/County Seats/Numbers & Origins

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County Number

County Name

County Seat

Origin Date

Origin of County Name

01 Adair Greenfield 1855 John Adair who was a general during War of 1812
02 Adams Corning 1853 John Adams, 2nd president of U.S.
03 Allamakee Waukon 1849 Allan Makee a local Indian trader.
04 Appanoose Centerville 1846 Sac Indian chief.
05 Audubon Audubon 1855 John James Audubon, artist and naturalist.
06 Benton Vinton 1846 Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri.
07 Black Hawk Waterloo 1853 Sac Indian chief.
08 Boone Boone 1849 Nathan Boone an army officer in the Iowa Territory.
09 Bremer Waverly 1853 Fredricka Bremer a Swedish traveler and author.
10 Buchanan Independence 1846 James Buchanan, 15th president of U.S.
11 Buena Vista Storm Lake 1859 Final victory field of General Zachary Taylor in the Mexican War.
12 Butler Allison 1854 William O. Butler, general in the Mexican War.
13 Calhoun Rockwell City 1855 John Calhoun, vice president of the U.S. (1825-1832).
14 Carroll Carroll 1855 Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence.
15 Cass Atlantic 1853 Senator Lewis Cass of Michigan.
16 Cedar Tipton 1838 Red Cedar River running through the county.
17 Cerro Gordo Mason City 1855 Famous battlefield of the Mexican War.
18 Cherokee Cherokee 1857 Famous southern Indian tribe.
19 Chickasaw New Hampton 1853 Prominent Indian nation located in the south.
20 Clarke Osceola 1851 James Clarke, last governor of the Iowa Territory.
21 Clay Spencer 1858 Lt. Col. Henry Clay, Jr. of Kentucky, who fell at the battle of Buena Vista.
22 Clayton Eldader 1838 Senator John Middleton Clayton of Delaware.
23 Clinton Clinton 1840 DeWitt Clinton, 5th governor of New York.
24 Crawford Denison 1855 William H. Crawford, secretary of the U.S. treasury (1817-1825).
25 Dallas Adel 1847 George Mifflin Dallas, vice president of U.S. (1845-1849).
26 Davis Bloomfield 1844 Garret Davis, representative from Kentucky.
27 Decatur Leon 1850 Stephen Decatur, American naval officer.
28 Delaware Manchester 1844 The state of Delaware.
29 Des Moines Burlington 1834 Des Moines River which runs through southeastern Iowa.
30 Dickinson Spirit Lake 1858 Senator Daniel S. Dickinson of New York.
31 Dubuque Dubuque 1834 Julien Du Buque, 1st white settler in Iowa.
32 Emmet Estherville 1859 Robert Emmet, Irish nationalist (1778-1803).
33 Fayette West Union 1851 Marquises de Lafayette, French general and statesman.
34 Floyd Charles City 1854 Sgt. Charles Floyd of Lewis and Clarke's expedition. Died 1804 and was buried on the banks of Missouri River. First white man whose death and burial in Iowa are on record.
35 Franklin Hampton 1855 Benjamin Franling, American statesman and philosopher.
36 Fremont Sidney 1850 John Charles Fremont, lieutenant colonel in the Mexican War.
37 Greene Jefferson 1854 Nathaniel Greene, general in the Revolutionary War.
38 Grundy Grundy Center 1856 Felix Grundy, chief justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court and U.S. representative and senator from Tennessee.
39 Guthrie Guthrie Center 1851 Edwin Guthrie, captain in the Iowa volunteers during the Mexican War.
40 Hamilton Webster City 1857 William W. Hamilton, president of the Iowa Senate (1856-1857).
41 Hancock Garner 1858 John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress.
42 Hardin Eldora 1853 John J. Hardin, Illinois colonel killed in the Mexican War.
43 Harrison Logan 1853 William Henry Harrison, 9th president of U.S.
44 Henry Mount Pleasant 1837 Gen. Henry Dodge, governor of Wisconsin Territory.
45 Howard Cresco 1855 Tighlman A. Howard, general from Indiana.
46 Humboldt Dakota City 1857 Baron Friedrich Alexander von Humboldt, German scientist.
47 Ida Ida Grove 1855 or 1858 Ida Smith, first white child born in what is now Ida Grove (1856).
48 Iowa Marengo 1845 Iowa River running through the county.
49 Jackson Maquoketa 1837 Andrew Jackson, 7th president of U.S.
50 Jasper Newton 1846 William Jasper, sergeant in the Revolutionary War.
51 Jefferson Fairfield 1839 Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of U.S.
52 Johnson Iowa City 1838 Richard Mentor Johnson, vice president of U.S. (1837-1841).
53 Jones Anamosa 1838-1847 George Wallace Jones, 1st delegate in Congress from the Wisconsin Territory.
54 Keokuk Sigourney 1844 Sac Indian chief.
55 Kossuth Algona 1855 Lajos Kossuth, Hungarian patriot and statesman (1802-1894).
56 Lee Fort Madison 1838 A New York land company that owned extensive interests in the half breed tract.
57 Linn Cedar Rapids 1839 Senator Lewis Field Linn of Missouri.
58 Louisa Wapello 1837 Louisa Massey, area folk heroine who avenged her brother's murder by slaying his assassin.
59 Lucas Chariton 1894 Robert Lucas, 1st governor of Iowa Territory.
60 Lyon Rock Rapids 1872 Nathaniel Lyon, brigadier general in the Mexican and Seminole Wars.
61 Madison Winterset 1849 James Madison, 4th president of U.S.
62 Mahaska Oskaloosa 1844 Chief of the Iowa tribe. Name is interpreted as "White Cloud."
63 Marion Knoxville 1845 Francis Marion, American commander in the Revolutionary War.
64 Marshall Marshalltown 1849 John Marshall, 4th chief justice of U.S.
65 Mills Glenwood 1851 Major Frederick Mills, Iowa officer in the Mexican War.
66 Mitchell Osage 1854 John Mitchell, Irish refugee of 1848.
67 Monona Onawa 1854 An Indian girl who, believing her white lover was killed by her people, jumped from a high rock into the Mississippi River.
68 Monroe Albia 1845 James Monroe, 5th president of U.S.
69 Montgomery Red Oak 1853 Richard Montgomery, general killed at the Assault at Quebec (1775).
70 Muscatine Muscatine 1837 Indian word thought to mean "prairie."
71 O'Brien Primghar 1860 William Smith O'Brien, leader for Irish independence in 1848.
72 Osceola Sibley 1871 Seminole Indian chief.
73 Page Clarinda 1851 John Page, captain in the 4th U.S. Infantry and fatally wounded in the battle of Palo Alto.
74 Palo Alto Emmetsburg 1858 First battlefield victory in the Mexican War.
75 Plymouth LeMars 1858 Landing place of the Mayflower pilgrims.
76 Pocahontas Pocahontas 1859 Virginia Indian princess.
77 Polk Des Moines 1846 James Knox Polk, 11th president of the U.S.
78 Pottawattamie Council Bluffs 1837 Indian tribe and former possessor of Iowa Territory.
79 Poweshiek Montezuma 1837 Fox-Mesquaki Indian chief.
80 Ringgold Mount Ayr 1855 Major Samuel Ringgold, fatally wounded in the Mexican War.
81 Sac Sac City 1856 Indigenous Iowa Indian tribe. Name means "red bank."
82 Scott Davenport 1837 Major General Winfield Scott, negotiated 1st treaty purchasing lands in Iowa from Indians.
83 Shelby Harlan 1853 General Isaac Shelby, 1st governor of Kentucky.
84 Sioux Orange City 1860 Indian tribe indigenous to what is now Iowa and Minnesota. Also known as the Dakota tribe.
85 Story Nevada 1853 Joseph Story, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
86 Tama Toledo 1853 A Fox Indian chief. Also believed to be the name of Chief Poweshiek's wife.
87 Taylor Bedford 1851 General Zachary Taylor, 12th president of U.S.
88 Union Creston 1853 Union of the states.
89 Van Buren Keosauqua 1838 Martin Van Buren, 8th president of U.S.
90 Wapello Ottumwa 1844 Fox Indian tribes chief.
91 Warren Indianola 1849 General Joseph Warren of the Revolutionary War.
92 Washington Washington 1839 George Washington, 1st president of U.S.
93 Wayne Corydon 1851 General Anthony Wayne of the Revolutionary War.
94 Webster Fort Dodge 1857 Daniel Webster, American statesman and orator.
95 Winnebago Forest City 1857 Indigenous Iowa Indian tribe.
96 Winneshiek Decorah 1851 Winnebago Indian chief.
97 Woodbury Sioux City 1853 Levi Woodbury, New Hampshire and U.S. statesman.
98 Worth Northwood 1858 William J. Worth, major general in the Mexican War.
99 Wright Clarion 1855 Silas Wright, 12th governor of New York; and Joseph A. Wright, governor of Indiana.

Abolished/Renamed and/or disbanded Iowa Counties

Name Created Discontinued, Renamed or Abolished Parent Counties (Organized or Unorganized)
Bancroft 1851 1855 Unorganized (Delaware, Polk), *Boone
Buncombe 1851 1861- Renamed
to Lyon County
Woodbury
Cook 1836 1838 -abolished Des Moines, *Muscatine
Crocker 1870 1871 - Abolished Kossuth
Fox 1851 1853 - Renamed to Calhoun County Unorganized (Delaware, Polk)
Howard 1816 Became part of Missouri territory St. Louis, Washington, Unorganized (St. Charles)
Kishkekush 1843 1846 - renamed to Monroe County Unorganized (Henry), *Jefferson, *Wapello
Risley 1851 1853 - Abolished Unorganized (Delaware, Polk)
Slaughter 1838 1853 - Renamed to Washington Cty Henry, Louisa, Muscatine, Unorganized
Wahkaw 1851 1853 - Renamed to Woodbury Cty Unorganized (Delaware, Polk)
Yell 1851 1853 - Abolished Unorganized (Delaware, Polk)

(Most of this information is compiled from information available from the State of Iowa)

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