COUNTY COURTHOUSE RESEARCH POINTERS & TIPS
Brenda Kellow,
B.A., CG, CGISM
The County Court House contains some of the most important records in
existence that a genealogist can use. These records deal with many people,
thereby acquainting the researcher with the subject's family, friends,
neighbors and townspeople. They are primary records that are usually
recorded at the time of the event. Our ancestors went to their local
courthouse to record marriages, file deeds, probate wills, pay taxes, vote in
the elections, sit as jurors, sign as witnesses, apply for citizenship and be
appointed to office. The court administers the behavior of the people within
its jurisdiction. Barring a catastrophe, the records in the county court house
document the life of the people from its beginning. If a court house burned,
or was destroyed by an earthquake as was southeast Missouri in the early
1800's, efforts were made to reconstruct the records.
The genealogist must be
familiar with the state laws as well as the hours of operation to better
access the mass amounts of information available. It is not uncommon for the
genealogist to leave the problems unsolved because they have not studied the
laws that govern the legal instruments; or, they have either failed to budget
enough time to search the records thoroughly. Courtesy, a bright smile and a
well-groomed professional appearance are imperative for every genealogist
while working in public.
The records discussed here
will be the vital records usually found in this state's County Clerk's Office
or Clerk of the Circuit Court and the civil and criminal records found in the
District Clerk's Office. The indexes are in running alphabetical order with
instructions in the front of each book.
REMEMBER TO ALWAYS CHECK
THE INDEXES FIRST BEFORE GOING TO ANY RECORDS. ALSO, LOOK AT THE FRONT OF THE
INDEX BOOKS FOR ANY INSTRUCTIONS TO HELP USE THE SPECIAL CODES BY LARGE
CITIES.
VITAL STATISTICS
County Clerk's Office
BIRTH RECORDS
-
Birth Record Index
-
Birth Records
-
Delayed Birth Records
MARRIAGE RECORDS
Marriage Records Index
DIVORCE —
See Civil Court Proceedings
LISTED BELOW
DEATH
RECORDS
ESTATE
AND PROBATE RECORDS
Testate Estate
Wills and
Will Index
Recorded
Unrecorded
Codicils
Three Kinds of Wills
Attested
Holographic
Noncupative
Intestate Estate
Probate
Letters
Partition
To Determine Heirs
Letters
Testamentary
Administrative
Inventories
Appraisements
Sales of goods
Estate Accounts
Reports
Receipts
Vouchers
Relinquishments
Affidavits
Lunacy Documents
Subpoenas
Probate Court Minutes
Probate Dockets
Journals
Decrees
Final
Reports
Settlements
Divisions
Partitions
Distributions
Bonds
LAND AND PROPERTY
Deeds
Grantor Index
(Direct) — the seller
Grantee Index
(Indirect) — the buyer
Warranty
Quitclaims
Sheriff
Trust
Partition
Tax
Forced Sales
Grants
Patents
Lotteries
Military
Bounty
Donation
Headright
Land
Entry
Reconstructed records
When Records are Destroyed
Survey, Plat and Township Maps
Observe items hanging on walls
Mortgages Leases
Real
Personal
Bills of Sale
MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
Soldiers and Sailors Records
Soldiers and Sailors
Records Index
Military Discharges
Military Discharges Index
Veterans of Foreign Wars Office
Biographies of those who enlisted
Pictures
Voter Registration Records
Election Records
Commissioners Records
Marks
and Brands (livestock)
WPA
Project Records
Releases
Assignments
Powers of Attorney
Deeds
of Adoption
Tax Records and
Assessments
*General
Information which may be obtained from County Clerk
Where is
?
How do I find ?
Local Cemeteries and Caretakers?
Civil and Criminal Court Records
(District Court Clerk's Office)
GUARDIANSHIPS
Petitions
Letters
Bonds
Accounts
Reports
Releases (may
overlap w/probate records)
ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS
Usually Sealed
BONDS
INVENTORIES
ACCOUNTS
PETITIONS
Adults or
Children
Divorce
Lack of Payment
LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION
DIVORCE
RECORDS
Petitions
Affidavits
Subpoenas
Decrees
Annulments
Declares Marriage
Null and Void
Religious Reasons
Closer Than Third
Cousins
Bigamy by One
Party
Legal Separation
Minute Books
Affidavits
Subpoenas
Decrees
CRIMINAL COURT RECORDS
Fines
Murder
Crimes against
persons
Pardons
by the Governor
MISCELLANEOUS COURT
RECORDS
Jury Lists
Jury Records
Bastardy
Road Improvement
Licenses
Disbursements
County Officers Registers
Slander
Stray Animal Notices
Name changes
Naturalization Records
Dockets
Minutes
Orders and Decrees
Sheriff's Records
Justice of the Peace Records
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Brenda Burns Kellow,
B.A., CG, CGI
Cerny, Johni and Arlene
Eakle. Ancestry's Guide to Research, Case Studies in American Genealogy.
Salt Lake City: Ancestry Incorporated, 1985.
Cocke, William Ronald,
Jr. “Genealogical Notes from Supreme Court Reports.” William and Mary
Quarterly, 2nd series. v. 12 (1932), pps. 167-72; v.13 (1933),
pps. 49-54.
Greenwood, Val D. "Court
Records in the United States." Genealogical Journal 6(1977): 159-68.
Greenwood, Val D.
Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing
Company, 2nd Ed., 1990.
Nichols, Elizabeth L.
“Statewide Vital Registration in the United States.” Genealogical Helper,
v. 34, No. 3 (May-June 1980).
Stryker-Rodda, Kenn. “Our
Willing Ancestors.” NGSQ, v. 52 (March 1964).
Szucs, Loretto Dennis and
Sandra Hargreaves Luebking. The Source. Revised edition. Salt Lake City:
Ancestry Publishing Company, 1997.
SM Service
mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists that identifies its programs
of genealogical competency evaluation—used under license by associates who meet
standards prescribed for particular programs.
Recommended
citation:
"County Courthouse Research Pointers and Tips," by Brenda Kellow, B.A., CG,
CGI, Texas History and Genealogy
Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
Accessed: [Today's date.]
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