Gasconade County, Missouri
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

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Gasconade County Missouri Map

Gasconade County was organized November 25, 1820, (effective January 1, 1821) from Franklin County and named for the Gasconade River. Gasconade may be one of the early satirical nicknames, like Paincourt, meaning "short of bread" for St. Louis, which has survived. It probably derived from the French word gascon meaning "boaster, braggart" which may have been applied to the people who lived along the river and who may have been inclined to brag about their exploits when they returned to St. Louis. The County Seat is Hermann.

The first county seat was located in Gasconade City, near the mouth of the Gasconade River, but due to frequent flooding was moved to Bartonville, also on the Gasconade River and what is now part of Osage County. In 1830, also due to flooding it was moved to higher elevations at Mt. Sterling where it remained until 1842 when by a county wide vote it was moved to Hermann.

Daniel M. Boone, son of the famous pioneer Daniel Boone, was appointed one of the Commissioners of the Territorial Legislature in December, 1820, to locate the "most suitable place for the erection of a courthouse and jail in the County of Gasconade." It was this commission that located the county seat at Gasconade City. Daniel M. Boone also served as one of the first justices of the Gasconade County Court.

The present courthouse is the second building on the same site to serve as the courthouse. The first, a square two story brick building with a hip roof, cost $3,000.00 and was paid for by the City of Hermann. The building was used until 1896 when it was razed to make a site for the present building.

The present courthouse building, a gift to the county from a local Hermann merchant, Charles D. Eitzen, was built 1896-1898 and is probably the only privately gifted courthouse in the United States. His gift consisted of appx. $48,000.00. A large portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Eitzen hangs in the Circuit Court room on the second floor. On February 3rd, 1905, the building was heavily damaged by fire, as a result of which the entire dome, the roof, and a large portion of the second floor were destroyed. See also County History or Courthouse History for more historical details.

Gasconade County has records of genealogical interest available: Recorder of Deeds: Index to deeds, 1821-1888; Deed records, 1821-1889; Marriage records, 1822-1920; Marriage register, 1883-1916. Clerk of the County Court: Permanent record of births, 1867-1896; Register of births and stillbirths, 1883-1891; Permanent record of deaths, 1883-1896. Clerk of the Circuit Court: Index to circuit court records, 1868-1875 and 1877-1888; Circuit court records, 1821-1888; Naturalization records, 1894-1904. Clerk of the Probate Court: Index to probate records, (no dates); Probate records, 1827-1891; Probate minutes, 1875-1892; Administrator’s/executor’s letters, bonds and records, 1825-1903; Inventories, appraisements and sale bills, 1866-1893; Guardian’s! curator’s records, 1841-1907; Probate ledger, 1849-1867; Index to will records, (no dates); Will records, 1849-1918. The Health Department has Birth & Death Records from 1910-Present. See Court Records for more details on whats available from the courthouse.

Counties adjacent to Gasconade County are Montgomery County (north), Warren County (northeast), Franklin County (east), Crawford County (southeast), Phelps County (south), Maries County (southwest), Osage County (west). Cities and Towns include Bland, Gasconade, Hermann, Morrison, Mount Sterling, Owensville, Rosebud

  • Gasconade 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!
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  • 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.
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Gasconade 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 Gasconade County Courthouse located at 119 E. 1st St., Rm. # 2, Hermann, MO 65041; Telephone: (573) 486-5427 , unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://www.gscnd.com/ . 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.

Gasconade County Clerk of the Court has Birth & Death Records from 1876-96. 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.”

Gasconade Register of Deeds / Recorder has Marriage Records from 1822 and Land Records from 1821. 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.

Gasconade County Probate Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1821. 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).

Gasconade County Circuit Court Clerk has Court Records from 1821. 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 Gasconade County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Gasconade County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Gasconade 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 Gasconade County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Gasconade County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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Gasconade 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 Gasconade County, Missouri are 1830, 1840, 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 Gasconade 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 Gasconade County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Gasconade 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.
  • Gasconade 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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Gasconade 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 Gasconade County Maps. Email us with websites containing Gasconade County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Gasconade 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 Gasconade County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Gasconade County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Gasconade 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 Gasconade County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Gasconade County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Gasconade County, Missouri Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Gasconade 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 Gasconade County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Gasconade County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Gasconade County Historical Society, P.O. Box 131, Hermann, MO 65041-0131; Phone: (573) 437-5617:
  • Historic Hermann, 312 Schiller Street, Hermann, MO 65041; Phone: (573) 486-2017
  • Daniel Boone and Frontier Families Research Association, 1770 Little Bay Road, Hermann, MO 65041; Phone: (573) 291-0737
  • Deutschheim Verein (Deutschheim Association), P.O. Box 16, 109 W. Second Street, Hermann, MO 65041; Phone: (573) 486-2200
  • 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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Gasconade 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 Gasconade County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Gasconade 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 Gasconade County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Gasconade 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 Gasconade County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Gasconade County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

Gasconade County, a part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1804 was created by an act of the Missouri Territorial Legislature on November 25th, 1820. At that time and in 1821 when Missouri was admitted as the 24th state, Gasconade County, was one of only 25 Missouri counties and one of the largest consisting of a large part of the southern half of Missouri. The present Gasconade County, slightly smaller than the average Missouri county was established by the legislature in 1869.

Gasconade County, a third class county, is approximately 15 miles in width, 36 miles in length, and consists of 510 square miles or 325,400 acres.The first settlers came to the area of what is now Gasconade County in about 1812. The highest point in the county is Canaan with an elevation of 1047 ft. The largest town in the county is Hermann. Other towns are Owensville, Bland, Rosebud, Gasconade, and Morrison.

The first county seat was located in Gasconade City, near the mouth of the Gasconade River, but due to frequent flooding was moved to Bartonville, also on the Gasconade River and what is now part of Osage County. In 1830, also due to flooding it was moved to higher elevations at Mt. Sterling where it remained until 1842 when by a county wide vote it was moved to Hermann.

Daniel M. Boone, son of the famous pioneer Daniel Boone, was appointed one of the Commissioners of the Territorial Legislature in December, 1820, to locate the "most suitable place for the erection of a courthouse and jail in the County of Gasconade." It was this commission that located the county seat at Gasconade City. Daniel M. Boone also served as one of the first justices of the Gasconade County Court.

The present courthouse is the second building on the same site to serve as the courthouse. The first, a square two story brick building with a hip roof, cost $3,000.00 and was paid for by the City of Hermann. The building was used until 1896 when it was razed to make a site for the present building.

The present courthouse building, a gift to the county from a local Hermann merchant, Charles D. Eitzen, was built 1896-1898 and is probably the only privately gifted courthouse in the United States. His gift consisted of appx. $48,000.00. A large portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Eitzen hangs in the Circuit Court room on the second floor. On February 3rd, 1905, the building was heavily damaged by fire, as a result of which the entire dome, the roof, and a large portion of the second floor were destroyed.

The building repairs were completed in December, 1905, but because of financial consideration, the dome was not reconstructed to the original specifications. The building remains in almost its original design and construction with only a few minor alterations necessary for more efficient usage and continues to house most of the county offices. The building is now undergoing restoration under a long range master restoration plan.

Courthouse History

Gasconade City, Bartonville and Mount Sterling were early locations of Gasconade's county seat. Courts began meeting in Gasconade City, located on the Gasconade River, in 1821 and continued meeting there until 1825, when flooding caused relocation. The second site, Bartonville, was also located on the Gasconade River, in what later became Osage County. It, too, flooded, and the county seat next moved to Mount Sterling in 1832.

Volume A of the County Court Record indicates that the court planned a one-story, 22-foot-square, hewn-log building; however Goodspeed's History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and Gasconade Counties of 1886 describes a 20-by-24 foot, log, two-story building on stone foundation, with a stone chimney and two fireplaces. The courtroom was on the first floor. Joshua Cox contracted the building for about $300.

After an election on March 14, 1842, the county seat moved to Hermann. The town paid for the courthouse, which was built in the center of a block on East Front Street (see Figure 1). This site, high on a bluff above the Missouri River, is one of few courthouse sites that takes advantage of a natural vista. The square, two-story, brick building with hip roof cost about $3,000. The County Court used this courthouse until 1896 when they ordered it razed.

The present courthouse, a gift to the county from Charles D. Eitzen, was built in 1896-98. Architects were J. B. Legg, St. Louis, and A. W. Elsner, Jefferson City, who originally presented plans calling for a 143-by-88-foot building. The two-story courthouse had a finished basement and a dome that rose 120 feet. Originally, the building was to be constructed of light-gray or medium-buff brick with matching terra cotta trim. The main roof was to be dark Pennsylvania slate, the dome roofs of tin, painted a copper color. The rotunda and corridors were to be tiled in Italian marble and mosaic.

In February 1897 the court called for bids. Thirty contractors responded, but all bids for the Legg-Elsner design were too high. The architects then modified the plans, eliminating some of the more costly specifications. Red brick with white stone trim was substituted for the gray or buff brick. Again the court called for bids; H. J. Wallau received the building contract for $41,500 and completed his work in 1898. On the first floor, offices open off a long east-west hall; the 41-by-44-foot Circuit Court room is located on the west end of the second story. Dedication took place May 25, 1898. Fire damaged the building February 3, 1905.

This courthouse may be compared with two similar courthouses Legg designed a few years later: Mississippi County, also of red brick, and St. Charles County, done in gray stone.

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