Webster County, Nebraska Genealogy

Webster County, Nebraska genealogy and family history research page. Guide to genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has marriage, land, divorce, probate and court records from 1871 and naturalization records from 1874.

Parent County
1867 Webster County was created 16 February 1867 from unorganized territory. County seat: Red Cloud

Description
Webster County is located in the on the southern border of the state. The county was formed in 1871 and named after the statesman Daniel Webster.

Boundary Changes

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nebraska - shows boundary changes for Nebraska Counties
 * Nebraska Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places/Localities
==== Populated Places ====

Cities

 * Blue Hill
 * Red Cloud

Villages

 * Bladen
 * Cowles
 * Guide Rock

Census-designated place

 * Inavale

Unincorporated communities

 * Amboy
 * Rosemont

Neighboring Counties

 * Adams
 * Clay
 * Franklin
 * Jewell County, Kansas
 * Kearney
 * Nuckolls
 * Smith County, Kansas

State Census Records

 * 1854 - 1870 - Nebraska, Compiled Census Index, 1854-1870 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
 * 1860 - 1885 - Nebraska State Census Collection 1860-1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1885 - Nebraska State Census 1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)

Federal Census Records
Federal Censuses were taken for Nebraska starting in 1860. For links to Federal census indexes, see Nebraska Census.

Court

 * 1870 - 1990 — Nebraska Prisoner Records 1870-1990 — index only

Land
Online Land Records

For more information see Nebraska Land and Property
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796 - 1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1861 - 1936 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1936 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Nebraska Gazetteer - database for all known places found in 1890 and 1911 Nebraska gazetteers
 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nebraska - shows boundary changes for Nebraska Counties



Revolutionary War

 * 1775 - 1783 - at FamilySearch - images only
 * For more nationwide Revolutionary War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1891 - Nebraska Resident Military Roster on June 1, 1891 at Ancestry.com - ($), Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the War of 1812, the Mexico War, and the War of the Rebellion, residing in Nebraska June 1, 1891
 * 1893 - Roster of Nebraska Veterans - list of veterans in 1893
 * For more nationwide Civil War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

WWI

 * 1917 - 1918 - World War I Drafts 1917-1918 - index only
 * For more nationwide World War I databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.

Newspapers
 Nebraska Newspapers Online Nebraska Newspaper Catalogs
 * Nebraska Newspapers - contains images of newspapers throughout Nebraska
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Nebraska newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * Nebraska State Historical Society - catalog of known Nebraska newspapers; lists repositories that have the newspapers
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1806 – 1989 Nebraska Wills and Probate Records 1806-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Marriage Records
Online Marriage Records Indexes and Images
 * 1855 - 1995 — at FamilySearch — index only
 * 1856 - 1898 — Nebraska Marriages 1856-1898 at Ancestry.com ($), index only

Societies and Libraries
County, Township and City Societies


 * Webster County Historical Society 219 S. Clay St Blair, Marshfield, MO 65706 Phone: 417-468-7407 Email: webstercountyhistory@hotmail.com Webster County Historical Museum

Libraries


 * Auld Public Library P.O. Box 287 Red Cloud, NE 68970-0287 Phone: 402-746-3352 Fax: 402-746-3352 Email: rclibr@hotmail.com Director: Terri Eberly


 * Blue Hill Public Library 317 West Gage St PO Box 278 Blue Hill, NE 68930-0278 Phone: 402-756-2701 Fax: 402-756-2702 Email: bluehillpubliclibrary@gmail.com Director: Shari Alber


 * Auld Doudna Public Library 155 W Grant Guide Rock, NE 68942 Phone: 402-257-4015

Websites

 * NEGenWeb
 * USGenWeb
 * Linkpendium
 * Rootsweb
 * Genealogy Inc.
 * Genealogy Trails
 * Kindred Trails