The office of Secretary of the Territory was created by the Organic Act of 1838, which established the Iowa Territory. Later, the Office of Secretary of State was created in 1846 under Article V of the Constitution of 1846. The Secretary of State has been responsible for numerous state functions.
The records of the office have been divided into seven subgroups:
1. General
2. Corporations
3. Census Records
4. Election Records
5. Land Records - Surveyor General
6. Land Records - State Land Office
7. Legislature.
Some or all of these records are available to search in the Iowa History Collections Catalog.
| General | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Agreements - 28E | 1966-1999 |
| Agricultural Reports/ Fiduciary Agricultural Reports | 1976-2000 |
| Bids, Specifications and Contracts | 1857-1871, Undated |
| Certificates - Notaries Public | 1855-1873 |
| City Boundary Adjustments | 1947-1996 |
| Correspondence | 1839-2008 |
| Criminal Matters - Discharge Warrants | 1851-1904 |
| Iowa Department Rules | 1952-1978 |
| Miscellaneous Records: Attorney General Opinions | 1941-1964 |
| Miscellaneous Records: Justice of the Peace | 1900-1907 |
| Miscellaneous Records: Railroads | 1857-1874, Undated |
| Miscellaneous Records: Record of Blind Asylum | 1853-1883 |
| Miscellaneous Records: Semi-Centennial of Iowa | 1896 |
| Miscellaneous Records: Township Clerks | 1903-1907 |
| Oaths of Office | 1846-1904 |
| Official Bonds | 1838-1908 |
| Original Notices | 1923-1997 |
| Proclamations - Governors | 1838-1904 |
| Record of Official Bonds | 1846-1919 |
| Register of Motor Vehicles | 1904-1908 |
| Reports: Corporation Mergers | 1890-1891 |
| Reports: County Criminal Returns | Undated |
| Reports: County Officers | 1858-1884 |
| Reports: County Officers Elected | 1857-1890 |
| Reports: Crop Statistics | 1901-1907 |
| Reports: District Courts | 1870-1903 |
| Reports: Oil Inspections and Oil Inspectors | 1897-1909 |
| Reports: Railroads | 1856-1904 |
| Reports: Requisitions and Orders | 1853-1897 |
| Reports: State Officers and Institutions | 1877-1900 |
| Reports: Vouchers | 1851-1910 |
| Census Records | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Federal Census Returns - Agriculture | 1850-1870 |
| Federal Census Returns - Industrial | 1850-1870 |
| Federal Census Returns - Mortality | 1850-1870 |
| Federal Census Returns - Population | 1850-1870 |
| Federal Census Returns - Social Statistics | 1850-1870 |
| Corporations | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Affidavits of Withdrawal (Foreign) | 1907-1964 |
| Applications for Certificates of Authority (Foreign) | 1910-1982 |
| Applications for Certificates of Authority to Use Trade Name, Renew Trade Name or Renew Assumed Name (Foreign) | 1864-1876 |
| Applications for Registration of Label, Trademark or Form of Advertising | 1918-1998 |
| Applications to Adopt or Renew an Assumed Name (Foreign), Dead | 1969-1973, 1978 |
| Applications to Elect or Renew an Assumed Name (Domestic) | 1961-1983 |
| Articles of Incorporation Books, Businesses | 1935-1965 |
| Articles of Incorporation Books, Non-Pecuniary | 1943-1965 |
| Articles of Incorporation, Cities and Towns | 1859-1941 |
| Assignment of Trademarks | 1948-1965 |
| Certificates of Assignment of Label, Trademark or Form of Advertising | 1948-1970 |
| Certificates of Authority and Withdrawal (Foreign) | Unknown-1983 |
| Certificates of Authority/Incorporation | 1931-1984 |
| Certificates of Registration of Label, Trademark or Form of Advertising | 1848-1988 |
| Correspondence, Corporations | Undated |
| Correspondence, Letters | 1874-1904 |
| Domestic Cooperative Register | 1947-1949 |
| Executive Council Resolutions - Stock Issues | 1940s-1960s |
| Incorporation Records of Businesses - Banks | c.1870-c.1909 |
| Incorporation Records of Businesses - Bridges, Ferries and Construction Companies | c.1850-c.1909 |
| Incorporation Records of Businesses - Building, Loan, Investment and Trust Companies | c.1870-c.1909 |
| Incorporation Records of Businesses - Electric, Gas and Power Companies | c.1855-c.1909 |
| Incorporation Records of Businesses - Insurance Companies | c.1857-1909 |
| Incorporation Records of Businesses - Manufacturing and Mercantile | c.1866-1909 |
| Incorporation Records of Businesses - Railroads | 1851-1909 |
| Incorporation Records of Businesses - Telegraph and Telephone | 1858-1909 |
| Incorporation Records of Businesses - Water Companies | 1855-1909 |
| Incorporation Records, Non-Pecuniary - Cemeteries | 1860-1883 |
| Incorporation Records, Non-Pecuniary - Churches and Religious Societies | c.1854-c.1873 |
| Incorporation Records, Non-Pecuniary - Colleges and Seminaries | 1852-1876 |
| Incorporation Records, Non-Pecuniary - Libraries | 1853-1878 |
| Incorporation Records, Non-Pecuniary - Lodges and Orders | 1859-1895 |
| Proof of Publications | 1959-1979 |
| Public Utility Agreements | 1940s-1960s |
| Receipts | 1957-1959, 1976-1979 |
| Reinstatements - All Chapters | 1968-1975 |
| Reinstatements - Cooperatives | 1939-1983 |
| Election Records | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Abstract Record of Soldiers Vote | 1862-1864 |
| Candidates Sworn Statements of Election Expenses | 1908, 1944-1972 |
| Canvass and Abstracts | |
| Correspondence, Elections, Correspondence, Elections, Soldiers Vote | 1862-1864 |
| Correspondence, Elections, General | 1847-1910 |
| Election Returns, General | 1887-2004 |
| Election Returns, Primary | 1908-2004 |
| Election Returns, Special | 1916-1940 |
| Elections, Superintendent of Public Education | 1918 |
| Elections, Treasurer | 1918 |
| Minutes and Proceedings of the Electoral College | 1874-1885 |
| Minutes and Proceedings of the State Board of Canvassers & Soldiers Votes During Civil War | |
| Minutes of Executive Council as Board of Canvassers | |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Nomination Papers Filed for Primary Election | 1907-1916 |
| Nominations - Congressional | 1918 |
| Nominations - Judges of Supreme Court | 1918 |
| Nominations - Judicial | 1918 |
| Nominations - Railroad Commissioners | 1918 |
| Nominations - Representatives | 1918 |
| Poll Records of Civil War Soldiers | 1862-1865 |
| Precinct Boundaries and Maps, Counties | 1972-1992 |
| Precinct Boundaries and Maps, Schools | 1983-1992 |
| Record of Contested Elections | 1885-1938 |
| Land Records: Surveyor General's Office | Date Span |
|---|---|
| Account Books | 1847-1866 |
| Correspondence, Commissioner of the General Land Office | 1843-1884 |
| Correspondence, Deputy Surveyor General to Surveyor General | 1832-1858 |
| 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 | 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 | 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 |