Buchanan County, Missouri Genealogical Records Information

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Buchanan County History and Information

Buchanan County Facts

Buchanan County was organized December 31, 1838, from the Platte Purchase and named for James Buchanan, senator from Pennsylvania and later United States president. The County Seat is St. Joseph. See also County History or Courthouse History for more historical details.

Buchanan County has records of genealogical interest available: Recorder of Deeds: Index to deeds, 1839-1890; Deed records, 1839-1889; Index to marriage records, 1839-1927; Marriage records, 1839-1916. Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas and Chancery Court: Court order books, 1853-1873. Clerk of the County Court: Permanent record of deaths, 1883-1893; Tax books, 1840-1842; General Election, 1882-1884. Clerk of the Circuit Court: Index to circuit court records, 1869-1907; Circuit court records, 1839-1886; Index to naturalizations, 1839-1921; Naturalization records, 1867-1906. Clerk of the Probate Court: Probate records, 1839-1886; Administrator’s/executor’s letters, bonds and records, 1839-1907; Settlement records, 1862-1881; Index to will records, 1842-1921; Will records, 1839-1921. 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 Buchanan County are Andrew County (north), DeKalb County (northeast), Clinton County (east), Platte County (south), Atchison County, Kansas (southwest), Doniphan County, Kansas (northwest). Cities and Towns include Agency, De Kalb, Easton, Faucett, Gower, Lewis and Clark Village, Rushville, Saint Joseph, Wallace

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There are free downloadable and printable forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms, U.K. Census Extraction Forms, Research Calendar, Ancestral Chart, Research Extract, Correspondence Record , Family Group Sheet , Source Summary Form.

Buchanan County Court Records

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

PLEASE READ!! 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.

All Departments below are in the Buchanan County Courthouse located at 411 Jules, Saint Joseph, MO 64501-1789; Telephone: (816) 271-1437 , unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://www.co.buchanan.mo.us/ . See also Courthouse History. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Buchanan County Clerk of the Court has Birth & Death Records from 1883-93. Room: 121, Phone: (816)271-1412, Fax: (816) 271-1535
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.”

Buchanan Register of Deeds / Recorder Marriage Records from 1839 and Land Records from 1849 .
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.

Buchanan County Probate Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1849.
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).

Buchanan County Circuit Court Clerk Court Records from 1849 .
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.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include:Missouri Marriages, 1766-1983, Missouri Marriages to 1850, Missouri Marriages, 1851-1900. You may also search the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or Land Patents: 1831 - 1969. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.

Click Here to Search Missouri Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

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

Buchanan County, Missouri Court Books at Amazon.com
Missouri Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.

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

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Buchanan 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 Buchanan County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Buchanan County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

Benton County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1646, Philomath, OR 97370; e-mail
Saint Joseph Historical Society, P.O. Box 246, Third and Poulin Streets, St. Joseph, MO 64502; Phone: (816) 232-5861
River Bluffs Regional Library, Central Branch, 927 Felix Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501-2799; (816) 232-7729
Northwest Missouri Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 382, 412 Felix Street, St. Joseph, MO 64502; (816) 233-0524
St. Joseph Museum, P.O. Box 128, 1100 Charles, St. Joseph, MO 64502; Phone: (816) 232-8471, [EMAIL]
Pony Express Historical Association, Box 1022, 1202 Penn Street, St. Joseph, MO 64503; Phone: (816) 232-8206
Knea-Von Black Archive and Museum, 1901 Messanie Street, St. Joseph, MO 64507; Phone: (816) 233-6211
National Military Heritage Society, 701 Messanie Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501-2200, Phone: (816) 233-4321, Fax: (816) 279-9667
Local Missouri Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
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
Missouri Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
See the Society page for more statewide Societies and archives
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Buchanan County Church & Cemeteries

Click Here to Search Missouri Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. 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 Buchanan County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Buchanan 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 Buchanan County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Buchanan County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

Missouri Bible Records, Volume 1: The database is the first volume in a series of Bible records that includes such information as births, marriages, probate information, and deaths of individuals who settled in Missouri.
Buchanan County, Missouri Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
Buchanan County, Missouri Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Click Here to Search Missouri Family Tree Records! - 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 Buchanan County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Buchanan County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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County History

Organized December 31, 1838, from the Platte Purchase and named for James Buchanan, senator from Pennsylvania and later United States president.

Although the entire area of present-day Missouri was included in the Louisiana Purchase, the western border of Missouri was set on the North-South line passing through the Arkansas western corner. This left an area west of this line and east of the Missouri River that was ceded to the indian tribes by the Prarie du Chien treaty. Subsequently, however, it became apparent that this was a mistake. This area was ripe for settlement and nothing could stop the displacement of the indians by the whites. Consequently the area became the subject of the 1836 Platte Purchase. Thus it was that in 1837, the Pottawatomie tribe, the Sac and Fox band, and the Ioway tribe, were located westward of Missouri and the land was opened for settlement.

On January 8, 1840, Matthew Hughes, appointed to the task by Governor Boggs, reported on his survey of Buchanan county. The western border ran northward from the corner of Platte County 42 miles and 52 chains in the center of the Missouri River. Thence eastward fourteen miles and 27 chains. Then Southward on the line of Clinton county 20 miles and 52 chains, and then westward along the northern border of Platte county to the point of beginning, twenty seven miles and 47 chains. Hughes reported this contained 400 square miles. Initially there were eight townships as seen in the 1840 census report. Later the number was increased to 12.

St. Joseph History

The State of Missouri was organized in 1821 and Joseph Robidoux established the Blacksnake Hills trading post with the Indians in 1826. Robidoux's trading post soon became a fur-trading empire stretching to the southern Rocky Mountains. The Platte Purchase joined his land to the state of Missouri in 1837. Ideally situated, Robidoux's trading post became the City of St. Joseph in 1843 and remained relatively small until the discovery of gold in California in 1848 which greatly altered and accelerated westward migration. St. Joseph became the head water for the journey west picture of Jesse James homeas hundreds of thousands of settlers arrived by steamboat and hundreds of wagon trains lined the streets waiting to be ferried across the Missouri River. The covered wagons, oxen, and supplies purchased by the emigrants established the economic foundation of the City.

Additional growth commenced in 1859 when the railroad reached St. Joseph assuring its role as a supply and distribution point to the entire western half of the country. St. Joseph's proximity to the Missouri River and accessibility by way of river, rail, and land, was to be the impetus for phenomenal growth throughout the 19th century.picture of Patee House

Political tension leading up to the Civil War led to the establishment of the Pony Express in 1860 and 1861, with St. Joseph becoming the eastern terminus. The war years were very difficult, with divided loyalties and violence, but after 1865 recovery was rapid.

Principal channels of distribution were established in the 1870's with St. Joseph becoming a leading wholesale center for the building of the West. The 1880's and 1890's were the Golden Age of prosperity, whose mansions and traditions remain a part of the City. In 1886, the Chicago Times reported that "St. Joseph is a modern wonder--a city of 60,000 inhabitants, eleven railroads, 70 passenger trains each day, 170 factories, thirteen miles of the best paved streets, the largest stockyards west of Chicago, a wholesale trade as large as that of Kansas City and Omaha combined..." One count of the U.S. Census had the City's population in 1900 at 102,000.

picture of Lake Contrary midwayMeat packing had been active in St. Joseph from the early days. With the opening of the St. Joseph Stockyards in 1887 and the opening of several new packing houses from then through 1923, St. Joseph became an important meat packing center becoming one of the leading sources of revenue of the City and its surrounding agricultural area. As the City grew and industries were established, neighborhoods developed in close proximity to the factories, stockyards, and railroads.

The City of St. Joseph is the county seat of Buchanan County and the sixth largest city in Missouri with 73,990 residents as of the 2000 Census. St. Joseph is the central service provider for a seven county area of northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas with a combined population of over 155,000. The City's population represents 47.7% of that of the total service area.

St. Joseph maintains an average civilian labor force of 35,357 with approximately 30,501 employed at June 30, 1999. The picture of old City Halllocal economy has reflected the events of the last few months with the unemployment rate rising from 2.4% in 2000 to 5.6% in 2001.

The City is less reliant today on the prominent industries operating during the late 1800's and early 1900's. The City's job base has become more diversified with the ten largest employers comprising ten different industries. The ten largest companies and organizations employ 26.8% of the total employed work force. The City's largest employer provides 7.13% of total jobs in the community.

St. Joseph possesses a number of assets that can assure the success of the community. St. Joseph is a unique community famous for its historical link to the Pony Express and Jesse James and for its many fine museums. These long-time assets, the more recent opening of the Frontier Casino Riverboat and related river front development, and the establishment of the County Tourism Bureau increase the importance of tourism as one of the City's major new growth industries. St. Joseph is rich in urban resources including exquisite historic architecture; continuous 26-mile parkwaypicture of current City Hall system with picturesque landscapes, vast wooded areas, hike and bike trails, and family oriented parks. St. Joseph's educational opportunities are many including a four-year state college, a two-year private community college, and a privately operated post-secondary vocational/technical school. The City also has a well-regarded public school system and many fine private and parochial elementary, middle and high schools. St. Joseph is large enough to sustain its economic base and support its diverse entertainment. St. Joseph's close proximity to the Kansas City metropolitan area and Kansas City International Airport, its relatively low cost of living, and its low crime rate make the City an attractive location for families and businesses.

Courthouse History
After organization of Buchanan County in 1839, first courts met in St. Joseph. When appointed commissioners selected the county seat for Buchanan County, they chose a quarter section about seven miles south of St. Joseph, where the court convened in 1840 in a private home. The county seat was named Benton first, in honor of Sen. Thomas Hart Benton, but this did not meet with popular approval, so the court changed the name to Sparta.

On January 4, 1841, the court ordered construction of a building to be used as a courthouse and clerk's office until a more suitable building could be provided. The county clerk recorded explicit plans and specifications for the two-room, 18-by-36-foot, log structure in the County Court Record. John Sampson acted as superintendent. Guilford Moultray, the builder, completed the work in July 1841 for approximately $300. This structure remained standing as late as 1898 or 1899, used as a granary.

Although Sparta was located near the geographical center of the county, the trading center development arose in St. Joseph. Citizens petitioned for removal of the county seat to that city in 1843. After several legal complications regarding rights to the section and a challenged election, citizens voted on February 28, 1846, to remove the seat to St. Joseph. Joseph Robidoux donated land for use as the public square.

For this commanding site overlooking the growing settlement below, the County Court accepted a temple-type courthouse design submitted by Lewis Stigers, originally from Delaware, and William J. Taylor, born in Pennsylvania. The court appropriated $10,000 in April 1846. On June 5 the contract was given to Stigers and Taylor for $6,280. John Carby superintended the beginning work and was succeeded by James Anthony, who reported the work completed in October 1847.

The two-story, nine-room building measured 50 by 75 feet, including the portico. The contemporary drawing shows a central dome with a much larger base diameter than typical cupolas on other temple-type Missouri examples, and resembles the courthouse dome in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ca. 1843, a possible source of influence.

Less than 25 years later, the same architect-builder, Stigers, had the unfortunate task of submitting a report on the condition of the building in August 1871. He concluded, ". . . the building in its present condition is dangerous and unsafe and unfit for the purpose for which it is used." County officials vacated the building in October 1871.

County government grew rapidly from the 1840s until 1870, and even before the architects examined the deteriorating courthouse, citizens called for a new and larger one. John C. Cochrane from Chicago, Illinois, who designed the Saline County courthouse in 1881, submitted a proposal for the court's consideration, but the court accepted the preferred design of P. F. Meagher on March 28, 1873. A complete description of Meagher's plans was published in the St. Joseph Weekly Gazette, April 2, 1873.

County Court officials signed a building contract with John DeClue in July 1873 for about $175,000 to build on the same site after grading the hill 35 feet. Cornerstone ceremonies took place August 20, 1873, and contractors completed the building in August 1876, although it had been occupied in part since the beginning of that year (see Figure 2). The brick building is trimmed with cut stone. Three porticoes project from facades which measure 235 feet and face east, west and south. The original Greek cross plan measured 235 by 205 feet and featured a dome 40 feet in circumference. The dome rose at the crossing 145 feet from the first floor and 60 feet from the roof. The effect suggests a county capitol image. A fire on March 28, 1885, destroyed the dome and gutted the interior.

The building was covered by insurance, but a settlement proved difficult because county officials demanded cash for the amount of the policies so they might begin on a new building. The insurance companies refused, attempting to reach a partial settlement, since they did not regard the building as a total loss. The court reached an agreement with the insurers when they obligated themselves to place the building in the same condition it was before the fire.

R. K. Allen, architect of the reconstruction, altered the dome design. After minor interior changes, there were 41 rooms in the two upper stories, with an additional 11 rooms in the basement. The Circuit Court room is on the second floor. For a number of years the building was painted white, but then restored to the natural red brick color during extensive restoration in 1979. This is an important and rare example of courthouse design from this period of Missouri's architectural history; it has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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