Jackson County Helps

The state of MO is relatively rich in genealogical source materials, although there are some gaps in the early years and there are some problems with the loss of records in court house (CH) fires, which were fairly common in the 19th century. A great deal of work has been done in accumulating, preserving, photocopying, transcribing, and indexing records, and therefore many are readily available. The best overall collections of MO materials are to be found in the following repositories:

(MSA) MO State Archives, 600 W. Main St., Jefferson City, MO 65102 (Mailing address is PO Box 778).
(SHSM) State Historical Society of MO, 1020 Lowery St., Columbia, MO 65201
(MHS) Mo Historical Society, Library of Collections Center, 225 S. Skinker Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63015
(FHL) Family History Library, Genealogical Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 35 N. West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150
(FHC) Family History Center(s), over 2500 of them, located all over the world. They are local branch affiliates of the Family History Library (FHL). They can be found in most major US cities, including these larger ones in MO: Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Farmington, Frontenac, Hazelwood, Independence, Joplin, Kansas City, Liberty, Springfield and St. Joseph

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Kansas City Area Obituaries
Information submitted by Krystina Reese

Here’s how to research The Kansas City Star and The Kansas City Times.

The library at The Kansas City Star is not open to the public; 
however, you may research The Kansas City Star and 
The Kansas City Times at the Kansas City Public Library, 
14 W 10th St, KCMO, 816-701-3400, 
and on our website: www.kansascity.com/archives/.

 Obituaries from the past year are available online at 
http://www.legacy.com/KansasCity/DeathNotices.asp.


Obituaries from 1991 to the present can be searched at
  http://www.kansascity.com/archives/.

Obituaries prior to 1991 are only available on microfilm.

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CITIES AND TOWNS
 

Kansas City, Independence (county seat), Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Oak Grove, Buckner, and Greenwood.

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NEWSPAPERS

MO Newspaper Archives
The URL for the State Historical Society of MO is http://www.coin.missouri.edu/community/state-hist/ index.htm there is a section on MO newspapers. If you write to them and request a list of newspapers they have for a particular county, they will send you a print-out at a charge of 10 cents per copy. Once you have the list, you can order the microfilm through interlibrary loan. It only costs $6.00. The phone number is (573)882-7083 and their Fax is (573) 884-4950. Their address is: State Historical Society of Missouri, 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, MO 65201.

The Blue Springs Examiner (newspaper)
500 NW R.D. Mize Road
BlueSprings, MO 64014
816 229 9161
www.examiner.net

Blue Springs Historical Society & Museum
500 SW 15th Street
Blue Springs, MO 64015
816 224 8979

Jackson County Historial Society
Administrative Office
129 W. Lexington
Independence, MO 64050
816 461 1897
Archives & Library
Independence Square Courthouse
816 252 7454

Jackson County Genealogical Society Research Library
420 S. Main
Independence, MO 64050
816 252 8128

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LIBRARIES

Mid-Continent Library
24 Highway and Spring
Independence, Missouri 64050

Mid-Continent Public Library
Buckner Library
19 East Jefferson
Buckner, MO 64016
816 650 3212

Mid-Continent Public Library
Blue Springs North
850 NW Hunter Drive
Blue Springs, MO 64015
816 224 8772

Mid-Continent Public Library
Blue Springs South
2220 SW 7 Highway
Blue Springs, MO 64014
816 229 3571

Mid-Continent Public Library
North Independence Branch
317 W. 24 Highway
Independence, MO 64050
Genealogy - 816 252 7228

Also the URL for the Mid-Continent Library is: http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us/
Also, this URL lists State libraries and their websites: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/wwwstatelib.html

Missouri State Archives
P.O. Box 778
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102

National Archives E-Mail Address
inquire@arch2.nara.gov. This  address can be used to order blank form 80's. It can also be used to order Form 81 also. Form 81 is for passgener lists. You can receive the forms in about 5 days.

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RECORDS LOCATIONS

County clerks were required to register births and deaths from 1883 to 1893. Records still existent can be obtained from the county clerk or the Missouri State Archives, 1001 Industrial Drive, P.O. Box 778, Jefferson City, MO 65102. State registration of births and deaths began in 1863, but did not reach full compliance until 1911. The records after 1910 can be obtained from the Bureau of Vital Records, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102. To verify current fees for birth records, call (314) 751-6387.

Some marriages from 1825 to the present may be obtained at the office of the Recorder of Deeds in each county. some of the earliest land claims and grants have been published. Records of the local land offices are in the Missouri State Archives, Tract book, plat maps, and land patents are at the BLM Eastern States Office, 350 South Pickett Street, Alexandria, VA 22304. Divorce proceedings were filed with a court of common pleas, a circuit court, or the state legislature. Most can be obtained from the circuit court clerk. Unfortunately, many of the county courthouses in Missouri, along with their records, have been burned.

The link for the information regarding the State Historical Society is: http://www.system.missouri/shs/procedures.html 

For more information you need to access this site. 

The homepage for the Society is: http://www.system.missouri/shs

Missouri State Census

There was a fire that burned part of the state census and there are only a few counties left. Those counties are: Benton, Butler, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Christian, Franklin, Greene, Holt, Howard, Iron, McDonald, Montgomery, Osage, Phelps, Reynolds, St. Francois and Texas counties. The originals are in the individual county's Clerk of the County Court. There are also microfilm at the Missouri State Archives. There are also copies available through the LDS Family History Centers. This information was provided by a book by Ann S. Lainhart, State Census Records, published by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.

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This page was last updated March 9, 2010.