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Guides
for Missouri Research
Vital
Records
Statewide
vital records are available generally beginning after 16 August 1909,
and they can be obtained from Vital Records; PO Box 570; Jefferson City,
MO 65102.
At the city level, deaths were recorded in St. Louis from 1850 - 1910,
and births from 12 July 1870 - 1910. Although the recording was quite
sporadic. These records can be obtained from St. Louis City Vital
Records; PO Box 14702; St. Louis, MO 63178. Marriage records from St.
Louis County are kept from 1876 to present day. These are in an archival
card file, with entries for brides and grooms.
In Kansas City, the birth and death records date from 1874, but
recording at this time was sparse. These records can be obtained from
Kansas City Vital Records, City Hall, 414 E. 12th Street, Kansas City,
MO 64106.
In 1863, a non-compulsory birth registration law was put into effect. It
stated that county recorders could upon request record births in the
regular deed books, sometimes they were recorded in the marriage books.
These records are not indexed and there was very little compliance.
A state law was passed in 1883 requiring the registration of all births
and deaths at a county level. In 1893, this law was inadvertently
repealed, and never reenacted. Some counties had high rates of
compliance, while other records are no where to be found. The records
that remain have been microfilmed and are available at the Missouri
State Archives, Jefferson City, MO 65102
Marriage records are generally available from the date of county
inception, although there was no law that required licensing until 26
June 1881. Prior to this date, the marriage could be recorded at any
convenient courthouse, there was no requirement to be married in the
county of residence. Most of these records are kept by the Recorder of
Deeds, and are consistently complete and indexed. These records have
also been filmed by the Missouri State Archives.
Many books have been published with compiled vital records for various
counties in Missouri. The Mid-Continent Public Library in Independence,
MO, has many of these books in the genealogy reference collection. Some
of them are available for inter-library loan in the AFRA Genealogy
circulating collection. A catalog lists the titles available called
"Genealogy from the Heartland".
State-wide references:
Guide to Public Vital Statistic Records in Missouri, Missouri Historical
Records Survey, WPA, (St. Louis, MO, 1941) lists Birth, Death, Marriage
and Divorce records available by county and at the state level.
Robert E. Parkin's Guide to Tracing Your Family Tree in Missouri, Robert
E. Parkin, Genealogical Research & Productions, (St. Louis, MO,
1979), is an excellent reference work. It lists the records available at
the county level. It also gives the titles of compiled books by county
for birth, death, and marriage records.
A Guide to County Records on Microfilm, Missouri State Archives,
(Jefferson City, MO, 1998
Federal
Census Schedules
Federal
census schedules for Missouri are available on microfilm for census
years 1830 through 1920. The exception is the 1890 census, which was
destroyed by fire. Census records are closed for 72 years after they are
created; the 1930 census will be opened for public use after 2002.
Statewide printed indexes are available for 1830 through 1870, and the
Soundex index on microfilm is available for 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920.
A Special Veterans Census for 1890 is available on microfilm, with a
printed index.
The 1830 and 1840 census reports only list the head of household, and
then indicate the number of people in the household by age and gender.
Beginning in 1850, census reports contain the name of each person in the
household, age, occupation, and place of birth. After 1880, the
relationship to the head of the household is shown, as well as the place
of birth for the parents. A variety of other information is available on
individual census reports, such as education level, occupation,
immigration dates, and more.
Source: Missouri Secretary of State
Microfilm
Records
Records
for all 114 Missouri counties are available on microfilm. These records
vary from county to county. Many begin with the formation of
the county and continue into the 20th century. Some counties have more
extensive records than others. Many of Missouri's courthouses were
destroyed by fire, resulting in numerous records being lost.
The information available on microfilm comes from the records of a
number of county offices. These offices include the following:
The
records contained within these offices are as follows:
Marriages, deeds, plat books -
Recorder of Deeds
Birth and death records, tax books,
county
court records - County Clerk
Naturalization records, civil and
criminal
court case records,
divorces-Circuit Court
Wills, settlements, inventories,
probate records - Probate Court
A more detailed look at what is available from each county office can be
found in the Guide to County Records on Microfilm, a publication of the
Missouri State Archives. The Guide also indicates what records are
available on microfilm for each county.
Source: Secretary of State of Missouri
Research
in Missouri: Links to Online Guides
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Beginner's
Guide to Family History Research
- If you can't even spell the word g-e-n-e-a-l-o-g-y, this is the
place for you to start - a great place to learn how to begin your
search
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What
Can I Do First? -Follow five basic steps to get started in
discovering your
family history.
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FamilyTree
Maker - online guide to research in MO-mainly addresses and
how to obtain vital records
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What
is a
Family History Center? - Discover the records and services
available at your Family History Center
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Everton's
Guide to Sources for Missouri -
includes a county map, links to Library of Congress for MO books,
list of Family History Centers, and list of their CD's about MO
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Family
History Centers in
Missouri - Locate the Family History Center closest to you.
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Missouri
State Historical Society - collection of Missouri newspapers,
dating from 1808 to the present, is the largest repository
of state newspapers in the nation - includes a "how-to"
on what to look for in a newspaper when researching
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National
Archives - provides many of the finding aids, guides,
and research tools that can prepare you for a visit to one of our
facilities or for requesting records from NARA
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Missouri
State Historical Society - general guide to resources useful
in historical and genealogical research, such as county histories
and atlases, city directories, cemetery inscriptions, and
compiled family histories
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Beginning
Genealogy - A How-to-guide from the
Newberry Library
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Genealogical
Dictionary - look here for the definitions of unfamiliar terms
and words
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Census
Bureau - Search tips for research using the census
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20
Ways to Avoid Genealogical Grief - some suggestions to help
researchers prevent misfortune when learning how to do
genealogical research
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State
Historical Society of Missouri - Suggestions for tracing your
family tree
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Hints
for Researching Your Family History - getting started,
beginning and continuing your research, many references to
Missouri sources
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State
Historical Society of Missouri - Basic reference tools for
genealogical and historical research
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St.
Louis Mo Resources for Family History - many sources listed to
be used for research in St. Louis including microfilm,
directories, and major repositories for other reference material
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State
Historical Society of Missouri - Adoptions in Missouri
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Missouri
Department of Health Certified Copies of Birth or Death
Certificates -
how to obtain death and birth certificates from the state
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State
Historical Society of Missouri - Orphan Train adoptions
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The
Genealogist's Internet Guide - Genealogy Seminar for Southeast
Missouri's Online Community includes many links
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State
Historical Society of Missouri -Selected list of sources on
early Missouri History to statehood
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Deciphering
Old Handwriting - on-line tutorial will help you understand
these old records better and how to read them
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State
Historical Society of Missouri - Military records
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Genealogy
Helplist for Missouri - If you need a lookup, check here
for a list of volunteers who own or have access to a variety of
material for Missouri counties
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State
Historical Society of Missouri - Suggestions for obtaining
marriage and divorce records in Missouri
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Ancestry.Com
- lists types of records available for Missouri including census,
court, vital, land, and military
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Missouri
State Archives - how to conduct genealogical
research by mail
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Sources
for Military Records
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African-American
Research - list indicates the variety of primary
historical records
available at the Missouri State Archives for African-American
research.
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Missouri
and Freedom of Information Act -
Vital Records - Documents such as birth and death records are not,
per se, open records in Missouri. A court ruling and a subsequent
rule by the Department of Health does give journalists and other
persons involved in "legitimate research," the right to
inspect and copy birth and death certificates of third-person
parties.
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World
War I Draft Registration Cards -
index of draft cards for the city of St. Louis - available at the
St. Louis Public Library
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Certified
Copies of Birth & Death Certificates
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Genealogy
in St. Louis -
lists many resources for research
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Suggestions
For Establishing Fact Of Birth & Death In Missouri
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Missouri:
Crossroads For Tracking Ancestors
- article by Myra Vanderpool Gormley
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