Clayton county Soldiers' Cenotaph Association
The Cenotaph association struggled to raise funds for a monument to honor the county's dead Civil War soldiers, while others argued that money was better spent to help their widows and orphans

Clayton county Poor Farm & Asylum - Did your ancestor live at the County Home?

State Insane & Inebriate Asylums and State Asylum for Feeble-minded Children

These state facilities were located at Independence, Buchanan co. & Cherokee, Cherokee co. or Glenwood, Mills co. IA
Mental health issues were diagnosed & treated much differently in past years; 'Odd or insane' behaviors were poorly understood by citizens and physicians alike. Occasionally Clayton county residents were taken to a State facility for treatment of behavioral or alcohol issues. Prior to 1902, they were sent to the Independence facility. When the Cherokee facility was opened in 1902, some Clayton co. residents were placed there as well. On occasion when a child couldn't be cared for at home due to various issues they were placed in the institution for Feeble-minded Children located at Glenwood, Mills co. IA

Clayton County Orphan children - includes children abandoned by parents or removed by the courts
Miscellaneous compiled information

County Aide to paupers & others - misc. years
When residents fell on hard times, were aged, infirm or otherwise unable to support themselves or their children, the County stepped in to help out.

Clayton Co. Polio outbreak summer-fall 1949 - Five children died, several others afflicted during 1949

Uncalled for letters at the county postoffices, 1855, 1881,1882, 1883
A good resource to find people who lived in the county for only a short time or who had recently arrived

Mississippi River Pirates, Robbers & Ruffians
News articles about a ring of pirates & thieves who were operating in the upper Mississippi near McGregor, late 1850s.

Pioneers and Old Settlers Festival, 1872
* Page 1: Festival Proclamation, background info. and name lists for the townships of Jefferson, Farmersburg, Monona, Elk, Read & Lodomillo
* Page 2: Name lists for the townships of Cass, Clayton, Marion, Giard, Garnavillo & Mendon

1901 Cass twp. Old Settler's Reunion
A peek at pioneer life and the earliest settlers in Cass and adjoining townships in Clayton county

Tales Told by the Sturdy Men and Women of Pioneer Days
1903 Old Settlers Edition, North Iowa Times

Pugh Hollow and Chipman Hollow, by C.B. Hughes, 1907 New! June 2024
History & the pioneers of Pugh & Chipman Hollows, Lodomillo twp.

Iowa Picnics Held in California by former residents
1911 Iowa Society Picnic, Los Angeles
1928 Iowa Picnic, Los Angeles
1929 Annual Iowa Picnic, Los Angeles
1930 Elkader Reunion, Pasadena, California

Moonshine & Bootleggers - Was your ancestor a bootlegger?
.. additional prohibition-related information is found in the District Court proceedings for various years

History of the Communia Colony, by Mrs. Frank Liers in 1930

McGregor Sketches - by Iola B. Quigley
The sketches include the 'Giard Tract' and 'The McGregor Estate'

McGregor, 1857
North Iowa Times, January 9, 1857

County Board of supervisors
* Claims paid for May 1861
* Proceedings, September 1899

Alaska Gold! 1898 - Letters & articles from Clayton co. men seeking their fortunes

Early Days in Clayton co. - by Amelia Murdock Wing

County & Courthouse history - from 'The Counties and Courthouses of Iowa'

Emma Big Bear, the last Winnebago in NE Iowa - by Mary R. Carman in the 'Journal of the Iowa Archeological Society'

H.D. Brown, the Turkey Valley Poet
A collection of poems by Dr. Harrison Douglas Brown

A Backroads Tour of Little Switzerland - Take day trips on the back roads of Clayton & Allamakee counties (written in 1957, but with an up-to-date map you can still follow this guide)

Document Board Odds & Ends
Lots of miscellaneous articles, records, stories have been posted on the Document Board - Check them out!