Wayne County was organized December 11, 1818, (effective February 1, 1819) from Cape Girardeau and Lawrence counties and named for Anthony Wayne, a Revolutionary War general. The County Seat is Greenville. Courthouse burned in 1854 and 1891. See also County History or Courthouse History for more historical details.
Wayne County has records of genealogical interest available: Recorder of Deeds: Index to deeds, ??-1916; Deed records, 1849-1911; Sheriff’s deeds, 1898-1936; Tax deeds, 1907-1926; Marriage records, 1892-1920.Clerk of the Circuit Court: Circuit court records, 1893-1919. Clerk of the Probate Court: Probate records, 1892-1919; Will records, 1869-1930. The Health Department has Birth & Death Records from 1910-Present. See Court Records for more details on whats available from the courthouse.
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. Courthouse burned in 1853 or 1854, destroying all records. The records in the courthouse were stolen in 1866. Courthouse damaged by fire December 14, 1892, some records destroyed. Few official county records prior to 1893 survive.
All Departments below are in the Wayne County Courthouse located at 109 Walnut St., Greenville, MO 63944; Telephone: (573) 224-3221 , 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.
Wayne County Clerk of the Court has Birth & Death Records from ?. 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.”
Wayne Register of Deeds / Recorder has Marriage Records from 1892 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.
Wayne County Probate Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1869 . 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).
Wayne County Circuit Court Clerk has Court Records from 1893. 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 Wayne County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Wayne County Court Records by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
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
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 and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
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.
Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Missouri newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
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.
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.
Below is a list of online resources for Wayne County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Wayne 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.
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 Wayne County Maps. Email us with websites containing Wayne County Maps by clicking the link below:
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 Wayne County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Wayne County Military Records by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
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.
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 Wayne County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Wayne County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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 Wayne County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Wayne County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Wayne County Historical Society, Route 1, Box 1117,
Piedmont, MO 63957;
Phone: (573) 223-7130
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
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.
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.
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 Wayne County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Wayne County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Missouri obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Missouri newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Missouri.
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.
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 Wayne County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Wayne County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
Courthouse History
Wayne County is one of Missouri's oldest counties. At one time the county embraced a vast portion of the state. Fire destroyed two Wayne County courthouses, one in 1853 or 1854, the other in 1892, at which time all county records were burned. Therefore, the early history of the courthouses depends on secondary sources.
For several years courts were held in rented facilities. The county is believed to have had six courthouses. The first courthouse, a two-story, log structure, was located on the square in historic Greenville and financed through the sale of lots. This building was used until 1849.
The second courthouse, a brick structure built in 1849, was used for about five years before it burned in 1853 or 1854.
For the next courthouse, built in 1856, the county appropriated $2,500. This two-story, brick building was damaged by fire December 14, 1892. The extent of architectural damage is uncertain, but a fire insurance policy paid the county $4,300.
The fourth courthouse of the 19th century may have been a rebuilding of the 1856 courthouse. The court approved plans for a two-story, brick building with hip roof in 1893. C. Lindeman and Son, Cape Girardeau, contracted for the building at $4,350. Final costs, including vaults and interior finishing, amounted to about $7,000. The building was completed and accepted by the court December 20, 1893. In 1912 the exterior was painted, and benches in the courtroom were replaced with opera chairs. A report in the May 24, 1923, Wayne County Journal described the courthouse and said the main section had been built before the War; an addition to the north had been made more than 30 years before (which would have been the 1893 project). The building was razed in 1924.
Grand juries had recommended for years that a new courthouse should be built; records were kept in offices all over Greenville. In May 1923 the grand jury called this a shameful arrangement, before they condemned the courthouse and ordered all officials to vacate.
A November 1923 election authorized a bond issue of $50,000 for a red brick and white algonite stone building designed by Martin Laubis, Poplar Bluff, which had been simplified from an earlier, more elaborate design to keep within the $50,000 limit. The structure was to be as substantial and convenient as originally planned, but not as ornamented. The size was reduced by narrowing hallways; the Circuit Court room was on the north part of the third floor and not much larger than the previous one. Cornerstone ceremonies were held May 21, 1925. Completed in December 1926, this courthouse was in use less than 20 years when the government condemned it and compensated Wayne County about $70,000; Wappapello Lake, formed by a government dam project, would soon inundate old, historic Greenville.
Twice petitions asked for removal of the county seat from Greenville to Paterson; twice they were defeated. Piedmont was another contender, but Greenville remained the preferred site. F. W. Carlton, a former banker, was given the responsibility of selecting a site on higher ground and procuring courthouse plans. Eugene S. Johnson and Albert Maack, members of a St. Louis firm who had provided preliminary sketches, were retained as architects. They completed the plans and supervised construction of the three-story building, which cost about $98,000 and was funded in part by W. P. A. Construction began in March 1941 and was completed in September 1943.
