Greene County, Missouri Genealogy
Guide to Greene County, Missouri ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Nathanael Greene. The County is located in the southwestern area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Greene County Courthouse
940 Boonville Avenue
Springfield, MO 65802
Phone: 417-868-4068
Greene County Website
County Archives and Recorder has probate, court, tax and land records from 1833, military discharge records, divorce records 1837-1950, birth and death records 1883-1890 and 1876 local census records.[3]
Greene County, Missouri Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1883 | 1833 | 1883 | 1833 | 1833 | 1833 | 1830 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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1861 Fire destroyed the Courthouse on October 28, 1861. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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For animated maps illustrating Missouri county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Missouri County Boundary Maps" (1804-1889) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places in Greene County, MO, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTownLocator.
The State Historical Society of Missouri has information on historical Missouri place names for all 114 Missouri Counties.
The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Greene County, Missouri published Greene County Archives Bulletins from at least 1988 to 1995. These bulletins included guides and indexes to several types of records for the county, including divorce records, Circuit Court records, naturalization records, coroner's record books, stray records, Alms House records, etc. A listing of the contents of these bulletins is available online. Most of the specific titles are included in the descriptions of the records under the appropriate record type below.
Many of the early records of Greene County have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- The autobiography of Mary R. Luster, Springfield, Missouri at Ancestry ($)
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has burial records for Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries including Springfield National Cemetery and Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Mo.
- Missouri Cemeteries Missouri Genealogy Cemeteries
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 5,372 | — |
| 1850 | 12,785 | 138.0% |
| 1860 | 13,186 | 3.1% |
| 1870 | 21,549 | 63.4% |
| 1880 | 28,801 | 33.7% |
| 1890 | 48,616 | 68.8% |
| 1900 | 52,713 | 8.4% |
| 1910 | 63,831 | 21.1% |
| 1920 | 68,698 | 7.6% |
| 1930 | 82,929 | 20.7% |
| 1940 | 90,541 | 9.2% |
| 1950 | 104,923 | 15.9% |
| 1960 | 126,276 | 20.4% |
| 1970 | 152,929 | 21.1% |
| 1980 | 185,302 | 21.2% |
| 1990 | 207,949 | 12.2% |
| 2000 | 240,391 | 15.6% |
| 2010 | 275,174 | 14.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1732-1933 Missouri State and Territorial Census Records, 1732-1933 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Missouri denominations, view the Missouri Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Catholic
Immaculate Conception, Springfield
- 1872-1876 Immaculate Conception, Springfield, Baptism Index 1872-1876. Batch C511781 at FamilySearch.[7]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Springfield
Court Records[edit | edit source]
When Greene County was formed in 1833, a Circuit Court was established and has continued to the present day. Historically there were at least four other courts in Greene County.[8] See Greene County, Missouri Court Records for a more complete description of these courts and their records.
- 1800-1991 Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Missouri Land and Property for information about records of land transfers from the government to private ownership. After that transfer, transactions were usually recorded and are currently housed at the county courthouse.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Greene County, Missouri Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the Wiki page section Missouri Local Histories.
- A Brief History of the First Baptist Church of Springfield, Missouri, 1852-1927. 1927. By M. M. Richardson. Springfield, Mo.: Elkins-Swyers Co. Online at: FamilySearch
- History of Greene County, Missouri. 1883. St. Louis: Western Historical Company. Online at: Google Books; and at Missouri Digital History
- History of Missouri's Counties, County Seats, and Courthouse Squares. 1983. by Marian M. Ohman. Missouri: Missouri State Library. Online at: Missouri Digital History
- Past and Present of Greene County, Missouri. 1915. By Jonathan Fairbanks and Clyde Edwin Tuck. Indianapolis, Indiana: A.W. Bowen & Co.
- Vol. 1 Online at: FamilySearch; and at Missouri Digital History
- Vol. 2 Online at: FamilySearch; and at Missouri Digital History
- Personal Reminiscences and Fragments of the Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Missouri. 1914. By Martin J. Hubble. Springfield, Missouri: Inland Printing Co. Online at: Family Search; and at Missouri Digital History
- Pictorial and Genealogical Record of Greene County, Missouri. 1893. Greene County Archives and Records Center. Chicago: Goodspeed Brothers Publishing. Available through the FamilySearch Catalog.
- Reminiscent History of the Ozark Region. 1884. Missouri: Missouri State Library. Online at: Missouri Digital History
- State of Missouri: an autobiography. 1904. By Walter Williams. Columbia, Mo: Press of E. W. Stephens. Online at: Missouri Digital History
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
- Map of Greene County townships (Histopolis)
- Missouri As It Is In 1867. 1867. by Nathan II. Parker. Philadelpia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. Online at: Missouri Digital History
- 1904 Plat Map of Greene County (Historic MapWorks)
- The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Greene County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.
- Map of 1904 Greene County with numerous small settlements (My Genealogy Hound)
- An Illustrated historical atlas map of Greene County, Mo at Missouri Digital Heritage
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- 1900-1941 Missouri, Pre-WWII Adjutant General Enlistment Contracts, 1900-1941 at FamilySearch — images - How to Use this Collection
- Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Hulston Library
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 1861-1865 Missouri, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1865 Missouri, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1911-1938 Missouri, Confederate Pension Applications and Soldiers Home Applications, 1911-1938 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- Confederate pension rolls on microfilm for Missouri at the Local History and Genealogy Department of The Library Center (Springfield-Greene County Library District)
Regiments
Service men in Greene County, Missouri served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Greene County, Missouri:
Civil War Battles
The following Civil War Battles were fought in Greene County:
- August 10, 1861 Wilson’s Creek[9] also known as Oak Hills
- October 25, 1861 Springfield I[10] also known as Zagonyi’s Charge
- January 8, 1863 Springfield II[11]
- Map showing Civil War battles in Missouri
World War II[edit | edit source]
- 1940-1945 Missouri, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1941-1946 Missouri, Reports of Separation Notices, 1941-1946 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1800-1991 Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Local History and Genealogy Department at the Springfield-Greene County Library has Springfield newspapers on microfilm back well into the 1800s.
- Missouri Digital Newspaper Project at Missouri State Historical Society
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Poorhouse
Greene County had a poor farm that was a support for ill or indigent people of the county. It was initially called the County Poor Farm, then the County Home, and in 1955 became Sunshine Acres. It was closed in 1978. Registers of those who were cared for by this facility have been indexed for the years 1875 to 1955. The index is available online in two parts:
- An Index to the Register of the Alms House, 1875-1923
- An Index to the Register of the Alms House, 1916-1955
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records include wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. For further information, see United States Probate Records.
In Missouri, probate records have usually been recorded by the clerks of the probate courts, but in some counties the common pleas or circuit courts handled this function. They are frequently indexed.
A Guide to the Records of the Probate Court of Greene County is available online as published in the County Archives Bulletins. These records, including wills, inventories, settlements, and other probate documents, are part of the records of the Circuit Court and its divisions. Many have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and through their family history centers.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1750-1988 Missouri Probate Records 1750-1998 at FamilySearch — images - How to Use this Collection
- 1766-1988 Missouri Wills and Probate Records 1766-1988 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Taxes were levied on free white males over 21 and slaves aged 21 to 60. These persons are referred to as "polls." Tax listings, or digests, of a county generally list the taxable landowners and other polls and the amount of tax. The records for each county are divided by militia district. For more information see the wiki page Missouri Taxation.
Tax lists have been abstracted for 1833-1835, 1843, 1851, 1856, and 1890. These can be found at the Local History & Genealogy department at The Library Center (Springfield-Greene County Library).
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths. For additional guidance on researching and using vital records, see United States Vital Records or How to order Missouri Vital Records.
St. Louis and Kansas City recorded births and deaths starting as early as 1850 for deaths and 1870 for births. The Missouri Department of Health began keeping birth and death records in 1909. County records vary by year and the county. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Missouri Vital Records State Department of Health, the County Clerk's office or order electronically online.
The vital records kept by the courts and other offices in Greene County include documents relating to marriages, divorces, and deaths. See Greene County, Missouri Vital Records for a more complete description of these records and their indexes.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- Pre-1910 Missouri Birth and Death Records Database, Pre-1910 at Missouri Digital Heritage - index.
- 1817-1939 Missouri Births, 1817-1939 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1827-1935 Missouri, Births and Christenings, 1827-1935 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1851-1910 Missouri Birth Records, 1851-1910 at Ancestry — index/images ($)
- 1920-2015 Reclaim the Records: Missouri Birth Index at Archive.org - images of index
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1750-1920 Missouri, Marriages, 1750-1920 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1776-1988 Missouri, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1800-1991 Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1805-2002 Missouri, Marriage Records, 1805-2002 at Ancestry ($)
- 1850 Missouri Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
- Marriage records, Greene County, Missouri at Ancestry ($)
- Marriage records, Greene County, Missouri at Greene County Recorder's Office
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1834-1910 Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910 at Ancestry — index/images ($)
- 1867-1976 Missouri, Deaths and Burials, 1867-1976 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1883-1930 Missouri Deaths, 1883-1930 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1910-1960 Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1969 at Missouri Digital Heritage - index and images.
- 1968-2015 Reclaim the Records: Missouri Death Index at Archive.org - images of index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Greene County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Missouri Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Springfield Missouri Family History Center
- Springfield Missouri South Family History Center
- Willard Missouri Family History Center
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Greene County. For state-wide library facilities, see Missouri Archives and Libraries.
- List of Missouri Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
- Local History and Genealogy Department at the Springfield-Greene County Library - a Family History Library affiliate.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Greene County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Missouri Societies.
- Greene County Historical Society
P.O. 3466
Springfield, Missouri, 65808
Email: gcmohs@gmail.com
Website Facebook
- Ozarks Genealogical Society
P. O. Box 3945
Springfield, MO 65808
(417) 831-2773
Email: ogs@ozarksgs.org
Website Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Missouri Digital Heritage. Free. digital images of many types of records from institutions across the State
- Greene County Genealogy Research Free. Data and sources of data for researching Greene County genealogy.
- MOGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
- USGenWeb Archives. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
- FamilySearch Catalog . Free. - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
- RootsWeb resources. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
- Linkpendium. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
- CyndisList. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
- StateofUS. Free. family history resources and government records
- Missouri Genealogy. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Missouri. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Greene, Missouri," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greene_County,_Missouri. accessed 9/11/2018
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Missouri. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Greene County, Missouri. Page 397-407 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 393-397.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Missouri. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Greene County, Missouri," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, Greene County Missouri, accessed Sep 2019.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/5/5a/Igimissouria.pdf.
- ↑ Guide to the Courts of Greene County, Missouri available online.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 15 August 2012)
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 15 August 2012)
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 15 August 2012)
