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State Historical Society of Iowa

RG 081 Secretary of State

The office of Secretary of the Territory was created by the Organic Act of 1838, which established the Iowa Territory, while the Office of Secretary of State was created in 1846 under Article V of the Constitution of 1846. Over the years, the Secretary of States Office has been responsible for numerous state functions. The records of the office have been divided into five subgroups (Corporation Records, Census Records, Election Returns, State Land Records, and Records of the Legislature). The following is a partial list of records in our holdings arranged by subgroup:

Land Records: Surveyor General's Office
Title Date Span
Correspondence, Surveyor General Letter Books 1828-1866
Description of Lands on the Interior Sectional Lines
General Land Office, Federal Tract Books
Land Grants, School Lands - 16th Section Grant, Index 1849-1892
Land Grants, School Lands, 500,000 Grant, Index 1949-1892
Original Survey Plats
Original Survey Plats (Copies)
Original Surveyors Field Notes (WPA Copies), Subdivisions
Original Surveyors Field Notes (WPA), Town Lines
Original Surveyors Field Notes, Subdivisions (Section Lines)
Original Surveyors Field Notes, Town Lines
Survey Records, Administrative - Contracts and Bonds of Deputy Surveyors 1831-1864
Survey Records, Administrative - Recommendations for Positions 1832-1853
Surveyor General's Office
Land Records: Register of State Land Office
Title Date Span
Accounts 1841-1853
Board of Public Works - Account Books 1847-1855
Board of Public Works - Letter Book 1847-1852
Board of Public Works - Proceedings of Meetings 1847-1854
Board of Public Works - Reports 1848-1850
Correspondence, Letter Books 1863-1883
Correspondence, Register of Land Office, Letter Books 1855-1906
Correspondence, Relative to Land Claims 1854-1890
Des Moines River Improvement Commission c.1856-1858
Iowa City Lots (Certificates and Sales Book)
Land Grants, Agricultural College Grant - Certificates of Final Payment 1864-1911
Land Grants, Agricultural College Grant - Miscellaneous Papers Pertaining to Grant 1862-1869
Land Grants, Agricultural College Grant - Tract Book 1861-1899
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Certificates of Which Deeds were to be issued 1847-1850
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Deeds (Des Moines River Land Company) 1850-1859
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Land Claims 1849-1872
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Land Grants, Saline Land Grant
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - List of Land Sold for the Improvement of the Des Moines River 1848-1853
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Patents Delivered
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Record of Patents (Certificates of Final Payment) 1854-1937
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Register of Certificates and Sales
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Register of Receipts 1847-1851
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Tract Book
Land Grants, Des Moines River Grant - Tract Book 1853-1915
Land Grants, School Lands - 16th Section Grant and 500,000 Acre Grant, Sale of School Lands 1848-1888
Land Grants, School Lands - 16th Section Grant, Certificates of Final Payment (Numerical Listing) 1849-1936
Land Grants, School Lands - 16th Section Grant, Certificates of Final Payment (Record of Patents) 1849-1937
Land Grants, School Lands - 16th Section Grant, List of Errors in 16th Sections 1847-1860
Land Grants, School Lands - 16th Section Grant, Township Plats, T65-71 R5-8W 1847-1855
Land Grants, School Lands - 16th Section Grant, Tract Books 1849-1896
Land Grants, School Lands - 500,000 Acre Grant, Certificates of Final Payments (Numerical Listing) 1848-1934
Land Grants, School Lands - 500,000 Acre Grant, Certificates of Final Payments (Record of Patents) 1849-1937
Land Grants, School Lands - 500,000 Acre Grant, Lands Selected Under Grant
Land Grants, School Lands - 500,000 Acre Grant, Tract Book 1854-1896
Land Grants, School Lands - Mortgaged School Lands, Patents Issued (#1-562) 1863-1927
Land Grants, Swamp Lands - Correspondence 1849-1889
Land Grants, Swamp Lands - Indemnity Swamp Lands for which Idemnity has been allowed by U.S. (1850-1877) 1878
Land Grants, Swamp Lands - Record of Patents, Idemnity Swamp Lands, Federal Patents to State 1862-1898
Land Grants, Swamp Lands - Record of Patents, Idemnity Swamp Lands, State to Counties 1859-1867
Land Grants, Swamp Lands - Record of Swamp Land Selections 1853-1858
Land Grants, Swamp Lands - U.S. Idemnity Swamp Land Patents 1863-1867
Land Grants, University Grant - Certificates of Final Payment 1854-1897
Land Grants, University Grant - Record of Patents 1853-1920
Land Grants, University Grant - Tract Book 1850-1915
Legislature
Title Date Span
Bill Register, House 1858-1984
Bill Register, Senate 1858-1984
Bills - Council Files 1838-1845
Bills - House Files 1838-1945
Bills - House, Adopted 1947-1978
Bills - House, Enrolled 1979-2010
Bills - House, Not Adopted 1949-1974
Bills - Printed (House and Senate) 1880-1919
Bills - Senate Files 1846-1937
Bills - Senate Files, Not Adopted 1947-1974
Bills - Senate, Adopted 1949-1978
Bills - Senate, Enrolled 1979-2010
Committee Books, House 1898, 1917-1937
Committee Books, Senate 1898, 1917-1937
Enrolled Bills, House and Senate 1953-2012
Journals, House 1838-1842, 1860-1970, 1989-2010
Journals, Senate 1854-1970, 1989-2010
Journals, Territorial Council 1838-1840
Laws of Iowa 1838-2010
Minutes, House Committees 1860-1939
Minutes, Senate Committees 1860-1945
Petitions to the General Assembly 1839-1979
Reports 1835-1941