Dent County, Missouri Genealogy

Guide to Dent 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 Dent, a pioneer settler. The County is located in the south central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Dent County Courthouse 400 N Main Street Salem, MO 6556 Phone: 573-729-4144 Dent County Website Clerk of the Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, and court records. Clerk of the Magistrate Court has probate records. County Recorder has land records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places in Dent 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:

Biographies

 * Family Biographies from The History of Dent County, Missouri (1889) published by Goodspeed are available free on the My Genealogy Hound website.

Cemeteries

 * Missouri Cemeteries Missouri Genealogy Cemeteries

Census Records

 * 1732-1933 at FamilySearch — index and images

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images

Local Histories

 * History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent counties, Missouri. 1889, Chicago : Goodspeed. Available online at Family Search

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
 * Family Maps of Dent County, Missouri Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * Map of Dent County townships (Histopolis)
 * The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Dent County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.
 * Map of 1904 Dent 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 Dent 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 Dent County, Missouri
 * - 32nd Regiment, Missouri Infantry (Union), Company A
 * - 32nd Regiment, Missouri Infantry (Union), Company D

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 ($)
 * 1866-1893 Marriage records, Dent County, Missouri : book "A," 1851-1870 and abstracts of wills "A," 1866-1893 at Ancestry ($)

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 ($)
 * 1883-1884 Dent County Birth Index 1883-1884. 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 ($)
 * 1850 Missouri Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry.com — index ($)
 * 1851-1870 Marriage records, Dent County, Missouri: book "A," 1851-1870 and abstracts of wills "A," 1866-1893 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1851-1878 - Dent County Marriage Books A and B Index 1851-1878. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1878-1885 - Dent County Marriage Books C and D Index 1878-1885. Batch at FamilySearch

Death

 * 1834-1910 Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910 at Ancestry — index/images ($)
 * 1866-1893 Marriage records, Dent County, Missouri: book "A," 1851-1870 and abstracts of wills "A," 1866-1893 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1867-1976 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883-1884 Dent County Death Index 1883-1884. Batch at FamilySearch
 * 1883-1930 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 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

Societies

 * Dent County Historical Society 1202 Gertrude Street Salem, MO 65560 Phone: 573-729-5707

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 ($)