Missouri, Index to Independence Newspapers - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Missouri



What is in the Collection?
The collection includes digital images of card index to genealogical information in The Jackson Examiner, published weekly from 19 February 1898 to 8 February 1901 and The Independence Examiner, published daily since 16 May 1905. This collection includes records from 1898 to 1960. The newspaper included articles about anniversaries, births, citizenship notices, deaths and obituaries, divorces, engagements and marriages.

Coverage Map
To see a coverage map of FamilySearch's holdings of Missouri marriages click here.

Record Contents
The index lists the name, the event type and gives the date the information was published.

The newspaper articles may contain any of the following information:


 * Names
 * Birth dates and places
 * Death or burial dates and places
 * Marriage dates and places
 * Names of parents, siblings, or other family members
 * Residences
 * Occupations
 * Details about military service

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Name
 * Identifying information such as residence or names of other family members

Search the Collection
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To search the collection fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the wiki article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. For example use the names and places of residence to look for census, church and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For, Now What?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

Related Websites

 * About The Jackson Examiner
 * About The Independence Examiner
 * The Independence Examiner

Related Wiki Articles

 * Missouri Genealogy
 * Jackson County, Missouri

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation: