Iowa Pioneer Certificate

The Iowa Genealogical Society will issue a Pioneer Certificate to individuals who can prove an ancestor settled in Iowa before 1856. Applications must provide proof that a pioneer lived in Iowa and provide a pedigree chart showing the line of descent from the qualifying ancestor to the applicant.  

 

 

Tone and Ole Lee

 

Tone and Ole Lee are qualifying ancestors. The following two documents can be printed and provided as proof of Ole & Tone's residence in Iowa in 1853

 1. "Nordmaendene i Amerika"  by Martin Ulvestad. 

Published 1907, Minneapolis MN by the History Book Company  

Page 71  

The translation is as follows:"Anna Oline Lee, daughter of Ole A. Lee, was the first child born in Mitchell County. She was born on August 14, 1853". Excerpt only

The Genealogical Society is looking for "primary source" material - i.e., church or public records.  In support of  the information in the "Norwegians in America" citation, the following transcription of baptism records for Worth County may also be printed and attached to the application:

 

2. "Baptisms in Worth County  1853-1881"   The Digitalarkivet - University of Bergen, Norway.                                                 Webpage   

John and Carrie Kroshus

 

John Anderson and Carrie Pedersdtr Kroshus were early settlers in Highland Township, Winnishiek County.  The following three sources can be printed and presented as proof of pioneer status:

 1. "Past and Present of Winnishiek County, Iowa"  by Edwin C. Bailey. 

Published 1913, Chicago IL by the S. J. Park Publishing Company  

Page 257-258  

 2. 1855 Land Patent -  Bureau of Land Management

                                                Land Patent  May 1, 1855 (pdf file) 

                                                Township Map

 

 3. Cemetery Record for John Anderson Kroshus (confirms his surname at time of death)

First generation proof of descendancy (proofs of succeeding generations are also required)

 

                4. 1860 Census  (Oline, Halvor, Mary, and Anne)  or

                    1870 Census  (Halvor, Mary, Anne, Pauline and Albert)

 

Descendants of Alexander and Pauline (Kroshus) Grover:

               

                5. Children of Alexander and Pauline

                             1910 Census

                   

                    6. Children of Clarence Grover

                             1930 Census

                     Children of Elmer Grover

                             1930 Census

 

For more information about applying for 

a Pioneer Certificate, visit the Iowa Genealogical Society website:

http://iowagenealogy.org/?page_id=110