Cass County, Missouri Genealogy

Guide to Cass County, Missouri ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for Lewis Cass. The County is located in the west central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Cass County Courthouse 102 E Wall Street Harrisonville, Mo 64701 Phone: 816-380-8102 Cass County Website County Clerk has birth records 1861-1896 and court records from 1843. Recorder of Deeds has marriage, divorce and land records. Associate Division has probate records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places in Cass County, MO, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The State Historical Society of Missouri has information on historical Missouri place names for all 114 Missouri Counties. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cemeteries

 * Cass County, Missouri, Cemetery Records, Vol. 1 at Ancestry ($)
 * Missouri Cemeteries Missouri Genealogy Cemeteries

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images

Directories

 * Kansas City, Missouri City Directories, 1889-91 at Ancestry ($)

Local Histories

 * History and directory of Cass County, Missouri. By A.L. Weber. 1908. Available online at Google Books.
 * Kansas City, Missouri : its history and its people, 1808-1908. Available online at Ancestry ($)
 * A Civic History of Kansas City, Missouri. Available online at Ancestry ($)
 * The History of Cass and Bates counties, Missouri : containing a history of these counties, their cities, towns; biographical sketches of their citizens, general and local statistics, history of Missouri. St. Joseph, Mo. : National Historical Co., 1883. Available online at FamilySearch
 * History and directory of Cass County, Missouri. By Elizabeth Prather Ellsberry. Harrisonville, Mo. : Cass County Leader, 1908. Available online at Family Search
 * History of Cass County, Missouri. By Allen Glenn. Topeka, Kansas : Historical Pub. Co., 1917. Available online at FamilySearch

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
 * Map of Cass County townships (Histopolis)
 * The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Cass County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.
 * Map of 1904 Cass County with numerous small settlements (My Genealogy Hound)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1911-1938 at FamilySearch — index and images

Regiments

Service men in Cass County, Missouri served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Cass County, Missouri:
 * - 12th Regiment, Missouri Cavalry - Confederate, Company K
 * - 1st Battery, Missouri State Militia Artillery (Union), Company E
 * - 2nd Battery, Missouri State Militia Artillery (Union), Company A
 * - 2nd Battery, Missouri State Militia Artillery (Union), Company C
 * - 2nd Battery, Missouri State Militia Artillery (Union), Company D
 * - 11th Regiment, Missouri Cavalry State Guard (8th Division) - Confederate, Company A
 * - 11th Regiment, Missouri Cavalry State Guard (8th Division) - Confederate, Company B
 * - 11th Regiment, Missouri Cavalry State Guard (8th Division) - Confederate, Company C
 * - 1st Battery, Missouri Light Artillery - Confederate, Also known as Henry Guibor's Light artillery Battery
 * - 14th Regiment, Missouri Infantry (Union), Company D

World War I

 * 1900-1941 at FamilySearch — images

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1941-1946 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1750-1988 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1766-1988 Missouri Wills and Probate Records 1766-1988 at Ancestry — index and images $

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Birth

 * 1817-1939 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1827-1935 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1851-1910 Missouri Birth Records, 1851-1910 at Ancestry — index/images $
 * 1865-1867 Cass County Birth Index 1865-1867. Batch at FamilySearch.

Marriage

 * 1750-1920 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1776-1988 - Missouri, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1805-2002 Missouri, Marriage Records, 1805-2002 at Ancestry $
 * 1835-1882 Cass County Marriage Books A thru E Index 1835-1882. Batch  at FamilySearch.
 * 1850 Missouri Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry — index $
 * 1881-1885 Cass County Marriage Books 1 and 2 Index 1881-1885. Batch  at FamilySearch.
 * The marriage records of Cass (Van Buren) County, Missouri at Ancestry ($)

Death

 * 1834-1910 Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910 at Ancestrym — index/images $
 * 1867-1976 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1883-1930 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1870-2011 Web: Cass County, Missouri, Obituary Index, 1870-2011 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1910-1960 Missouri Death Certificates, 1910 - 1960 at MyHeritage ($) — index
 * Missouri State Archives provides on-line access to Missouri Death Certificates more than 50 yrs old starting in 1910.

Libraries

 * List of Missouri Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Museums

 * Cass County Family History Guild Pearson Hall 400 E. Mechanic Street Harrisonville, MO 64701 Phone: 816-773-8464 Website

Societies

 * Cass County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 406 400 E. Mechanic Street Harrisonville, MO 64701 Phone: 816-380-4396 Website
 * Cass County Historical Society P.O. Box 406 400 E Mechanic Street Harrisonville, MO 64701-0406 Phone: 816-887-2393 Facebook

Websites

 * Missouri Digital Heritage. Free. digital images of many types of records from institutions across the State
 * MOGenWeb. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or complete transcriptions
 * USGenWeb Archives. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * . Free. - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
 * RootsWeb resources. Free. Data may be submitted by individuals or may be complete transcriptions
 * Linkpendium. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * CyndisList. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)
 * StateofUS. Free. family history resources and government records
 * Missouri Genealogy. Free. Click links. Some sites they link to may have fees ($)