Kemper County, Mississippi Genealogy

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

Description
This county was named for Reuben Kemper. Kemper County is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Kemper County Courthouse Bell St P.O. Box 188 De Kalb, MS 39328 Phone: 601-743-2560 Kemper County Website Clerk Circuit Court has marriage records from 1912. Clerk Chancery Court has divorce, probate, court and land records from 1912.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Cemeteries

 * A list of cemeteries can be found Kemper County Mississippi GenWeb

Census Records
Federal Census
 * 1660-1820 U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820 at Ancestry $
 * 1850  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and some images
 * 1850 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1860 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

State Census
 * 1792-1866 Mississippi, State and Territorial Census Collection, 1792-1866 at Ancestry $
 * 1805-1890 Mississippi, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1805-1890 at Ancestry $
 * 1837 State Census Returns 1837 - Kemper County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1880 State Census Returns 1880 - Kemper County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * 1910-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1879-1907 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1880-1955 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1881-1889 (*); Board of Supervisors at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans 

Some African American records are found in slave schedules, the Freedman's Bureau, and the Freedman's Bank. Sometimes land and probate records of the slave owners will include slave names.
 * 1863-1866  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1865-1872  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1936-1942 Ex-slave Narratives 1936-1942 Kemper County Collection; at FamilySearch - images only
 * The Freedmen's Bureau Marriage Records at Mississippi Department of Archives and History - index and transcription

Funeral Homes

 * Beck Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in De Kalb.
 * E. E. McDonald Funeral Home, Inc. in De Kalb.
 * New Haven Memorial Funeral Home, Inc. in De Kalb.
 * Webb and Stephens Funeral Homes in De Kalb.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Maps of Mississippi (1785-1918)
 * Family Maps of Kemper County, Mississippi Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Military Records
Multiple Wars
 * 1812-1941 Military grave registrations - Kemper County Collection at FamilySearch - images only
 * 1838-1844 Register of Military Commissions - Kemper County Collection at FamilySearch - images only

Mexican-American War 
 * 1846-1848  How to Use this Collection;  at FamilySearch — index and images

Some military records are available on the Mississippi Department of Archives and History website, which has a searchable catalog. The types of records found here include "Confederate records, State Auditor’s Confederate pension files, Military Department/Adjutant General series, Veterans’ Affairs Board records, and U.S. military records. The archives has nearly 400 manuscript collections associated with the different wars in which Mississippians have served. The Mississippiana collection includes military history books as well as indices to service records and pension rolls. The archives also has many photographs with military subjects."

Civil War 
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images at partner site
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images at partner site
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry free index
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry free index
 * 1889-1942  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1900-1974  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1936-1939 Civil war records a Memorial list of those that served in the Civil War - Kemper County Collection at FamilySearch - images only


 * - 1st Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry Reserves
 * Company C - Lampley’s Company
 * - 2nd Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company H - Kemper Dragoons
 * - 5th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
 * Company I - Kemper Rebels, aka Kemper Guards
 * - Perrin's Battalion, Mississippi State Cavalry
 * Company A - Perrin’s Company
 * - 11th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry
 * Company A - Perrin’s Company
 * Company F - Steele’s Company

World War I
 * 1917-1919   - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1917-1918  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Other Records
 State Archives
 * 1820-1951   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images - incomplete - Topics covered: Ex Slave Narratives, list of military veterans,  Military grave registrations, Naturalizations and some Land records.

VOTER List
 * 1871-1967 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1780-1982 Mississippi Wills and Probate Records 1780-1982 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1781-1930 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
 * 1880-1955 (*); Chancery Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1881-1972 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1881-1972 (*); Chancery Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

School Records

 * 1850-1892; 1908-1957   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1890-1923 Enumeration of Educable Children of Kemper County, 1890-1923

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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1834-1888  at FamilySearch; index and images

Birth
The state of Mississippi was not required to keep birth or death certificates by law until 1 November 1912. Birth and death records since that time have been kept by the Bureau of Vital Statistics.


 * 1913-1935 Kemper County birth records, 1913-1935

Marriage

 * 1776-1935 Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 at Ancestry $
 * 1800-1825 Mississippi Marriages to 1825 at Ancestry $
 * 1800-1911 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1826-1850 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-50 at Ancestry $
 * 1826-1900 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-1900 at Ancestry $
 * 1858-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Death

 * 1822-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index, some images
 * 1912-1935 Kemper County death records, 1912-1935
 * 1912-1943  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1912-1943 Reclaim the Records: Mississippi Death Index at Archive - images of index

Divorce

 * 1915-1950 Divorce cases, 1916-1950; index ca. 1915-1950

FamilySearch Centers

 * Meridian Mississippi FamilySearch Center
 * Philadelphia Mississippi FamilySearch Center
 * Raytown Mississippi FamilySearch Center


 * Brandon Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Forest Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Kemper County Historical Association DeKalb, MS Facebook Kemper County, Mississippi Genealogy and Archaeology PO Box 631 DeKalb, MS 39328 601-575-1778 Email: [mailto:emailofsociety emailofsociety] Facebook

Websites

 * Kemper County Mississippi Genealogy & History Network
 * Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb Kemper County, Mississippi project. Has maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * – 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.