Howard County Facts

Howard County was organized January 23, 1816, (effective March 1, 1816) from St. Charles and St. Louis counties and named for Benjamin Howard, governor of the Missouri Territory. The County Seat is Fayette. Courthouse burned in 1887. See also County History or Courthouse History for more historical details. Howard County has records of genealogical interest available: Recorder of Deeds: Index to deeds, 1816-1889; Deed records, 1816-1924; Index to marriage records, 1816-1972; Marriage records, 1816-1919; Negro/colored marriage records, 1865-1879. Clerk of the County Court: Register of births and stillbirths, 1883-1893; Permanent record of deaths, 1883-1888; State census, 1876. Clerk of the Circuit Court: Index to circuit court records, 1831-1896; Circuit court records, 1816-1889. Clerk of the Probate Court: Probate records, 1821-1887; Administrator’s/executor’s letters, bonds and records, 1880-1900; Inventories, appraisements and sale bills, 1868-1892; Settlement records, 1836-1891; Index to will records, 1818-1896; Will records, 1818-1918. 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 Howard County are Chariton County (northwest), Randolph County (northeast), Boone County (southeast), Cooper County (south), Saline County (west). Cities and Towns include Armstrong, Fayette, Franklin, Glasgow, New Franklin Howard County, Missouri History Books at Amazon.com Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

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.

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Howard 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. Fire destroyed the courthouse December 1, 1886. No recorde were lost.

All Departments below are in the Howard County Courthouse located at 1 Courthouse located at Square, Fayette, MO 65248; Telephone: (660) 248-2194 , unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at ? . See also Courthouse History. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

   Howard County Clerk of the Court has Birth & Death Records from 1883-88. County Clerk has state census for 1876
   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.”

   Howard Register of Deeds / Recorder has Marriage Records from 1816 and Land Records from 1816.
   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.

   Howard County Probate Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1818.
   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).

   Howard County Circuit Court Clerk has Court Records from 1816.
   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 Howard County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Howard County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Howard 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.

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Howard County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Missouri

Click Here to Search Missouri Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Often in as few as three business days!

• 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 FREE
• 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 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.
Order On-Line:  To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek

There are a few online marriage databases which include: Missouri Marriages, 1766-1983, Missouri Marriages to 1850, Missouri Marriages, 1851-1900,

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

• Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
• Search Missouri Birth and Death Database, pre-1910
• Search Missouri Death Certificate Database, 1910-1956
• Missouri Newspaper Death Index: Spanning over 150 years with over 50,000 records from three Missouri counties, this updated version of the Missouri Newspaper Index is a wonderful resource for the researcher with ancestors in this area.
• Howard County, Missouri Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com

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Howard County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Click Here to Search Missouri Voter Lists & Census Records! - 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 Howard 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 Howard 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

See Also Statewide Records that exist for Missouri

Below is a list of online resources for Howard County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Howard 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.
• Howard County, Missouri Census Books at Amazon.com

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Howard County Maps & Atlases

   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 Howard County Maps. Email us with websites containing Howard County Maps by clicking the link below:

• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Missouri Maps
• Missouri State University Libraries: Map Resources
• Howard County, Missouri Map Books at Amazon.com

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Howard County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Missouri

Click Here to Search Missouri Military Records! - 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 Howard County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Howard County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Missouri Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
• Missouri Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Missouri (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Missouri (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the CSA (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from southern units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier.
• Missouri Confederate Death Records: This list, originally published in the St. Louis Republic in the spring of 1895, reveals important information regarding many of these volunteers
• Missouri Confederate Volunteers: Taken from the History of the First and Second Missouri Confederate Brigades, 1861-1865 published in 1879, this database lists over 1600 men who volunteered to fight in the 1st and 2nd Missouri Confederate Brigades.
• Search the Soldiers Database: War of 1812-World War I
• Civil War Refugees in the Ozarks
• Civil War Provost Marshal Index Database
• Howard County, Missouri Military Books at Amazon.com

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

• Howard County, Missouri Tax Books at Amazon.com

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

• South Howard County Historical Society, P.O. Box 201, 110 East Broadway, New Franklin, MO 65274
• Howard County Genealogical Society , 201 South Main Street, Fayette, MO 65248; Phone: (660) 248-3348
• Genealogical Society of Central Missouri, P.O. Box 26, 3801 Ponderosa, Columbia, MO 65205; Phone: (573) 443-8936
• Boonslick Historical Society of Cooper and Howard Counties, 811 7th Street Terrace, Boonville, MO 65233; (660) 882-6370
• Fayette Area Heritage Association, P.O. Box 124, 120 North Church Street, Fayette, MO 65248; Phone: (660) 248-2200
• United Methodist Church-Missouri West Conference Central Methodist College, Smiley Library, Fayette, MO 65248 Phone: (660) 248-6279; E-mail: elcumc@juno.com
• 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
• Missouri Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

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Howard County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Missouri

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 Howard County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Howard 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 Howard County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Howard 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.
• Howard County, Missouri Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Howard County, Missouri Church Books at Amazon.com

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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 Howard County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Howard County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Howard County ] [ Missouri ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• Meet your ancestors. Learn their stories. Start your FREE family tree.
• Missouri Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
• Howard County, Missouri Family Books at Amazon.com

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County History

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Courthouse History
After the county seat of Howard County moved to Fayette from Franklin, court officials planned to build the shell of a courthouse. Advertisements in July 1823 asked for bids on a brick, 35-by-45-foot, two-story building with stone foundation. The first stage of construction was reported near completion in June 1826. J. W. Garner and Stephen Trigg were contractors. Bids for finishing and interior work were solicited in August 1827.

A year later plastering was completed and 30 pairs of window shutters were hung.

Joseph Megraw, an Irishman, built Howard County's second courthouse in 1857. Megraw had come to Howard County in 1852; previously he studied carpentry in Pittsburgh. The court appropriated $25,000 for the two-story, brick porticoed building. A balustrade concealed the tin-covered roof. A cupola with a clock, weathervane and decorative eagle sat toward the front. The courtroom and jury room were on the second floor; eight offices were on the first floor. Wings were added sometime before 1883. Fire destroyed the building December 1, 1886.

After the fire the neighboring town of Glasgow publicly expressed hope of having the county seat moved there, but Fayette residents were confident that Glasgow could not muster the necessary two-thirds vote required to relocate the county seat.

Representatives from the townships met in Fayette during February 1887 to consider the indebtedness they would incur for reconstruction. In a petition, they requested that the voters consider the sum of $25,000. Proceeds from an insurance policy on the destroyed building assured $10,000.

In an election held the following month, voters approved the proposition, and planning proceeded rapidly. By May the court had engaged the architectural firm of Schrage and Nichols of Kansas City for plans, drawings and specifications for Howard County's third courthouse. The cornerstone ceremony took place September 15, 1887. The cost of the building was $32,942.

In 1968 a bond issue for $350,000 permitted remodeling and exterior renovation for the deteriorating building: Carroll Hutchens served as architect. Final costs came to about $375,000.

December 31, 1975, fire gutted the building. In extensive repair and rebuilding, the exterior walls were retained, but the original interior design has been lost.

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