Howell County, Missouri Genealogy

Guide to Howell 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 Josiah Howell, pioneer settler. The County is located in the south center area of the state.

County Courthouse
Howell County Courthouse County Courthouse Square West Plains, MO 65775 Phone: 417-256-2591 Howell County Website County Clerk has birth records 1883-1895 and death records 1883-1893. Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds has marriage, divorce, court and land records. Associate Circuit Court has probate records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places in Howell 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

 * Missouri Cemeteries Missouri Genealogy Cemeteries

Census Records

 * 1732-1933 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1880 Howell County, Missouri Census, 1880 at Ancestry ($)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images

Local Histories

 * A History of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas. By William Monks. 1907. Available online at Google Books.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
 * Map of Howell County townships (Histopolis)
 * The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Howell County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.
 * Plat Book of Howell County, Missouri at Missouri Digital Heritage
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * 1900-1941 at FamilySearch — images

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1911-1938 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Community and Conflict: the Impact of the Civil War in the Ozarks, Howell County.

Regiments

Service men in Howell 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 Howell County, Missouri:
 * - 4th Regiment, Missouri Infantry - Confederate, Company B
 * - 4th Regiment, Missouri Infantry - Confederate, Company C
 * - 8th Provisional Regiment, Enrolled Missouri Militia (Union), Company C

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

 * Pre-1910 Missouri Birth and Death Records Database, Pre-1910 at Missouri Digital Heritage - index.
 * 1817-1939 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1827-1935 at FamilySearchg — index
 * 1851-1910 Missouri Birth Records, 1851-1910 at Ancestry — index/images ($)
 * 1920-2015 Reclaim the Records: Missouri Birth Index at Archive.org - images of index

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 ($)
 * 1850 Missouri Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1867-1881 Howell County Marriage Books A thru C Index 1867-1881. Batch  at FamilySearch.
 * 1881-1885 Howell County Marriage Book 1 Index 1881-1885. Batch at FamilySearch.
 * 1885 Howell County Marriage Book 2 Index 1885. Batch at FamilySearch.

Death

 * 1834-1910 Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910 at Ancestry — index/images ($)
 * 1867-1976 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1883-1930 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1910-1960 Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1969 at Missouri Digital Heritage - index and images.
 * Missouri State Archives provides on-line access to Missouri Death Certificates more than 50 yrs old starting in 1910.

Family History Centers

 * West Plains Missouri Family History Center

Libraries

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

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 ($)