Atchison County, Missouri
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

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Atchison County Missouri Map

Atchison County was organized February 14, 1845, from Holt County and named for David Rice Atchison, a U. S. senator from Missouri. The boundaries for Allen County were defined by the legislature in 1843 and attached to Holt County in 1845. Atchison County was organized out of this territory and the act defining Allen County repealed. The County Seat is Rock Port. See also County History or Courthouse History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Atchison County are Fremont County, Iowa (north), Page County, Iowa (northeast), Nodaway County (east), Holt County (south), Richardson County, Nebraska (southwest), Nemaha County, Nebraska (west), Otoe County, Nebraska (northwest).

Cities and Towns include Fairfax (645), Langdon, Rock Port (1,395), Tarkio (1,935), Watson (121), Westboro (163)

  • Atchison County, Missouri History Books at Amazon.com
  • Search Historical Newspapers from Missouri (1808 - 1922) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
  • Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
  • Search Missouri Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

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Atchison County Court Records

See Also Missouri Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

All Departments below are in the Atchison County Courthouse located at P.O. Box 280, Rock Port, MO 64482; Telephone: (660) 744-6214, unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://www.atchisoncounty.org . See also Courthouse History.

PLEASE READ FIRST: Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Atchison County Clerk of the Court has birth and death records from 1883-95, county court records from 1845 , also has tax books. In this office in each county is located an index to common pleas, records of all extant proceedings, chancery minute books, records of births and deaths, county court records, right-of-way and road records, as well as surveyor's records (including field notes and plats made by the county surveyor). This office usually holds the county treasurer's notes, bonds and commissions, records of marks and brands, wolf scalps, stray notices, real estate assessments, and tax books. In some counties, early terms for this court included “Chancery” or the “Court of Common Pleas.”

Atchison Register of Deeds / Recorder has Marriages from 1845 , Land Records from 1845 and has Plat Books . The Office of Recorder of Deeds records and files instruments of writing affecting real property or personal property, subdivision plats, federal and state tax liens, and other instruments of writing. Also, the Recorder’s Office issues marriage licenses, and in accordance with the Uniform Commercial Code files termination statements. All recorded instruments are available for public research.

In the smaller counties, probate matters are handled in the same office as the associate circuit court office. (In larger counties, there will be a separate probate court clerk's office and separate probate judges/commissioners).

Atchison County Probate Court Clerk has Wills, settlements, inventories, probate records from 1845 .

Atchison County Circuit Court Clerk has civil (including small claims) and criminal court records from starting in 1845, as well as all cases filed within the Probate Court. This office holds the direct index to records such as divorces, debt, dissolution of partnerships, adoptions, judgment, and tax fee books including direct and indirect indexes. They also retain the index to criminal records and criminal files of the circuit court. Adoptions are under the jurisdiction of the circuit court. Naturalization records, including petitions, declarations of intention, certificates, and certificates of allegiance, and granting of citizenship are also located in the clerk's office, as well as an index to civil case files. Some naturalization records have been found with the deeds.

Below is a list of online resources for Atchison County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Atchison County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Atchison County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Missouri

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102, Please allow up to approximately 6-8 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. They have the following records:

  • Birth & Death Certificates: Birth records maintained by Bureau of Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health since 1903 through the present. For births that occurred within the past 75 years, copies can be requested only by the immediate family of the person whose name is on the birth certificate.
    • Cost: The cost of a birth record is $15 per record, $15 for each additional copy. The cost of a death record is $13 per record, $10 for each additional copy. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $22.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: 6-8 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
    • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: To request a certified copy of a marriage license contact the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the license was obtained.To request a certified copy of a divorce decree contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the decree was granted.
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

Order In Person:To request a birth or death certificate from a local health department, you may download the application and submit it in person or by mail to the nearest local health department.

Order By Mail: Make check or money order payable to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Checks must be drawn on a United States bank. A money order must be drawn on a United States bank or issued by the United States Postal Service. Do not send cash. Mail to the following address:Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Please include return address on envelope and application form.

Below is a list of online resources for Atchison County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Atchison County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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Atchison County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Missouri

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Atchison County, Missouri are 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. The censuses for the years 1810 and 1820 are lost. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Atchison County, Missouri are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, , 1870 and 1880.There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

Below is a list of online resources for Atchison County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Atchison County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Missouri Census, 1830-70: This collection contains the following indexes: 1830 Federal Census Index; 1830-39 Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1850 Slave Schedules; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1860 Slave Schedules; 1870 Federal Census Index; Early Census Index.
  • Atchison County, Missouri Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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Atchison County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Missouri and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Missouri showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps.

You can view rotating animated maps for Missouri showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries.

Below is a list of online resources for Atchison County Maps. Email us with websites containing Atchison County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Atchison County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Missouri

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Atchison County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Atchison County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Atchison County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

The Missouri Historical Society has some original tax records; others can be found in the Western Historical Manuscript Collection at the University of Missouri, but most extant records remain in the office of the clerk of the county court. The Missouri State Archives has microfilmed some tax records for the counties of Boone, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Chariton, Clay, Cooper, Franklin, Howard, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, St. Charles, St. Francois, and Ste. Genevieve.

Prior to 1850, purchasers of the federal lands in Missouri were exempt from land taxes for five years after purchase. If one finds an ancestor on a Missouri tax list with livestock, etc., but no land being taxed, the individual may have purchased his land from the government within the preceding five years.

Some early delinquent tax lists were sent to the state auditor's office and are now located in the Capitol Fire Documents held by the Missouri State Archives

Below is a list of online resources for Atchison County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Atchison County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Atchison County, Missouri Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Atchison County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Missouri Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Atchison County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Atchison County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Atchison County Historical Society, 210 South Main Street, Rock Port, MO 64482; Phone: (660) 744-5800
  • Atchison County and Tarkio College Alumni Historical Museum
    402 Main Street, Tarkio, MO 64491; Phone: (660) 736-5530
  • Northwest Missouri Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 382, St. Joseph, MO 64502; Phone: (816) 233-0524
  • Missouri State Archives, Missouri State Information Center, [EMAIL]
    P.O. Box 1747, 600 West Main Str, Jefferson City, MO 65102; Phone:(573) 751-3280, Fax: (573) 526-7333
  • State Historical Society of Missouri, 1020 Lowry Str., Columbia, MO 65201-7298; (573) 882-7083, [EMAIL]
  • Missouri State Genealogical Association, P.O. Box 833, Columbia, MO 65205-0833
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • See the Society page for more statewide Societies and archives
  • Missouri Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Atchison County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Missouri

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Atchison County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Atchison County Tombstone Transcription Project.

The Missouri State Archives has published A Brief Guide to Church Records on Microfilm which is a county by county listing, but it is currently out of print. The available church records can be located by using the Archives' Manuscript Register. Church microfilm rolls are not available for purchase, without written consent of the individual church, and must otherwise be used at the Missouri State Archives. The Western Historical Manuscript Collection on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus holds some church records. These can be located by using their descriptive catalogue or microfiche guide. Most church records in Missouri are scattered and remain in private hands

There is no central registry for cemeteries located in Missouri. The following national cemeteries are located in Missouri:

  • Springfield National Cemetery, 1702 E. Seminole Street, Springfield, Missouri 65804. All known soldiers buried there, including those transferred from towns throughout southwest Missouri were published in Ozar'kin
  • Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, 101 Memorial Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63125. There is a card file reference to persons interred there. Inquiries may be made by phone or mail.
  • Jefferson City National Cemetery, 1024 E. McCarty Street, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101. The researcher may phone or write the Jefferson Barracks for information.

Below is a list of online resources for Atchison County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Atchison County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Atchison County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Atchison County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

The County was named for David Rice Atchison, a Major General of the Missouri State Militia. The actual organization of Atchison County occurred in February, 1845 at the home of Conrad Cloepfil, with Alexander McElroy, David Hunsaker and Elijah Needles acting in the authorized capacity of commissioners of the county court. The officers of the court were appointed as the first step; McElroy as President, A. A. Bradford as clerk and Lite T. Tate as sheriff. They divided the county into 5 Townships: Clark, Polk, Tarkio, Nishnabotna and Bluff. It should be noted that Tarkio, Bluff and Polk Townships had over one half of their land in what later became the State of Iowa. This area was lost when the U.S. Supreme Court established the boundary line.

Atchison County, during the 1800's, was in the middle of a great period of expansion of the west. The Missouri River, known as the "Big Muddy", provided access and transportation across the Great Plains. It was used by the Indians and trappers and later by Lewis and Clark in their 1804 expedition. The U S Government established Forts in the area because of troubles with the Indians. Military supply roads connected these to the burgeoning east. These roads were heavily used by the westward bound wagon trains.

The first officially listed settler in the area was Major Stephen Cooper who arrived in the spring of 1836 with a permit from the Governor to carry on farming for the Pottawatamie Indians. He was located about 4 miles south of what is now Sidney, Iowa.

Also at the time there was a "French Colony" on the Nishnabotna River. Their settlement extended well into present-day Iowa from about two miles south of the state line.

In 1839 Hank Roberts and Thomas Wilson built sod houses near the town of Sonora. They were followed by Callaway Millsaps, Charles Beauchamp, Archibald and Alexander Handley.

In the 1840s, Charles Fanning built a grist mill in the Tarkio area. He planted some trees that are still standing in the South City Park.

Courthouse History

Linden, about five miles north of Rock Port, became the first county seat of Atchison County in 1846 and remained so until 1856. A two-story, frame courthouse, built of dressed walnut weatherboarding, measured 20 by 30 feet. Exterior stairs provided access to the second story. On the lower story, five windows framed in walnut featured window shutters. A complete description may be found in the County Court Record. Jesse Cole was superintendent, Isaac F. Wallis the contractor, and the building was apparently completed in May 1848 at a cost of $475.

After the northern boundary of Missouri was permanently established by a Supreme Court decision in 1849, 10 miles of Atchison County became part of Iowa. Linden then was considered too far from the center of the county, and after bitter arguments the seat of justice was moved to Rock Port in 1855. In August 1856, the commissioner of the former seat of justice was ordered to sell the remaining lots, courthouse and jail in Linden.

The court accepted a donation of land for the site of the county building in the Nuckoll and White addition at the western edge of Rock Port.

W.H. Dunbar, commissioner of the new Rock Port courthouse, received instructions from the court to submit a plan and cost estimate in September 1856. Dunbar visited Oregon, in neighboring Holt County, as instructed, to make a draft of the courthouse there. Dunbar offered this draft, along with another plan which he personally preferred, to the court with specifications and cost estimates. The court accepted Dunbar's preferred plan and made an initial appropriation of $6,000 for the construction of the building on the city square, which was situated on a lofty hill west of the city.

The two-story brick structure was approximately 50 by 60 feet. Pilasters (rectangular columns projecting slightly from walls) with cast-iron caps extended the height of the two stories and encircled the building. Lintels (horizontal crosspieces over doors) were also of cast iron. There were seven rooms, large and well lighted, plus the jury room. A zinc-covered cupola rose from a base on the roof but was later destroyed by wind.

In spite of flooring that did not meet specifications because of improper seasoning, the superintendent recommended the court receive the building on February 16, 1858. Final costs were estimated between $12,000-$15,000. Several contractors were identified. A privy in the courthouse yard, built in 1859, and a fence around the square in 1860 completed the public square.

During the Civil War the courthouse sheltered soldiers in the upper level and horses in the lower. In the 1880s the building was condemned and sold to John Dopf for $600.

Once again a fierce struggle ensued for the location of the seat of justice, as Tarkio offered to donate a new courthouse. But Tarkio's challenge was to no avail; the seat remained at Rock Port.

The members of the County Court visited neighboring Nodaway County to inspect its courthouse. Then they contacted architects Edmund J. Eckel and George R. Mann of St. Joseph to discuss a proposed courthouse for Atchison County. The court accepted the architects; plans on December 26, 1881, but then citizens rejected bond issues in January and March of 1882 in the amount of $40,000 for construction.

Determined to proceed, the court set aside $15,000 of the general revenue fund in May 1882. They appointed F. A. Foster superintendent and ordered the construction of the Eckel- and Mann-proposed design. Private subscriptions amounted to $10,000.

In June the court accepted the bid of R.K. Allen, who had built the Nodaway courthouse. The court rejected a lower bid because they questioned its validity. Cornerstone ceremonies were conducted October 19, 1882. The shell of the building was erected first, and the interior was finished as finances allowed. The court received the building May 9, 1883.

The imposing two-story brick building, 75 by 91 feet, sits on an elevated spot with spacious surrounding grounds and still serves as the Atchison County courthouse. The tall, square tower above the entry, as shown in Figure 2, is no longer there. Decorative brick corbeling just below the eaves provides a transition from wall to roof. The steeply sloped mansard roofs and projecting dormer windows are covered with slate and metal roofing. Cresting originally crowned the roof line.

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