Franklin County, Missouri Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth records 1883-1892 and death records 1883-1887; Recorder of Deeds has marriage and land records; Clerk of the Circuit Court has divorce records; Probate Judge has probate records.

Franklin County website

History

 * History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford &amp; Gasconade Counties, Missouri : from the earliest time to the present at Ancestry.com ($)

Parent County
1818 Franklin County was created 11 December 1818 from St. Louis County. County seat: Union

Franklin County was established in 1818, two years before Missouri was admitted to the Union as a state. When the Missouri Territory was organized in 1812, there were only five counties: St. Charles, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau and New Madrid. Franklin County was once part of St. Louis County. Between 1812 and 1820, the number of counties increased to 15 with the addition of Washington (1813), Howard (1816), and Jefferson, Franklin, Wayne, Lincoln, Madison, Montgomery, Pike and Cooper (all 1818). Any student of history and genealogy relating to Franklin County in the first half of the 19th century would be well advised to become apprised of the details of county formation and township formation as townships also evolved before assuming their present form. Someone living in St. Louis County in 1814 might actually have been in present-day Franklin County. Likewise, someone living in Franklin County in 1818 could have been living in present-day Gasconade County.

When the county was first organized, Newport was selected as the first county seat and remained so until 1825, when an act of Legislature effected its removal to Union. Before a courthouse could be built at Union, court was held in a structure belonging to Ambrose Ransom (see photo at right).

Two invaluable sources of early Franklin County history are Goodspeed and Kiel histories. "Goodspeed" is an 1888 history published by Goodspeed Publishing Company of Chicago, Illinois, correctly called "History of Missouri, Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford, &amp; Gasconade Counties. The "Kiel" history, correctly referred to as "The Centennial Biographical Directory of Franklin County, Missouri" compiled and published by Herman Gottlieb Kiel", 1925, is basically a book of lists, but the lists are a great tool for the researcher.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Missouri county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Missouri County Boundary Maps" (1804-1889) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

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

Places/Localities

 * The State Historical Society of Missouri has information on historical Missouri place names for all 114 Missouri Counties.

Neighboring Counties
Crawford •  Gasconade  •  Jefferson  •  St. Charles  •  St. Louis  •  Warren  •  Washington

Biographies

 * Family Biographies from The History of Franklin County, Missouri (1888) published by Goodspeed are available free on the My Genealogy Hound website.

Cemeteries

 * Missouri Cemeteries Missouri Genealogy Cemeteries

Census

 * 1732-1933 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Franklin County, Missouri Census, 1920 at Ancestry.com ($)

Court

 * 1800 - 1991 at FamilySearch — index and images

Land

 * Franklin County Recorder of Deeds

Local Histories

 * Roblee, Melvin B. Historical review of Franklin County, Missouri, 1818-1968. Franklin County Sesqui-centennial Corp., [1968?].
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford &amp; Gasconade counties, Missouri : from the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal business and professional sketches and numerous family records, besides a valuable fund of notes, original observations, etc., etc.Chicago : Goodspeed Pub., 1888.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Hildner, George John. One hundred years for God and country : St. John's, the church and the community, 1839-1940. Washington, Mo. : Printed by the Washington Missourian, 1940.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)
 * Sesquicentennial 150 years young, 1818-1968, Franklin County and Pacific, Missouri : featuring "Show-me Franklin," August 6-17, 1968. Pacific, Mo. : Pacific Press, 1968.
 * Online at FamilySearch (Free)

Maps



 * Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.


 * Interactive map of Franklin County townships (Histopolis)


 * The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Franklin County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.
 * Map of 1904 Franklin County with numerous small settlements (My Genealogy Hound)

Military

 * 1900 - 1941 at FamilySearch — images

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861 - 1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * USCT Volunteers who enlisted in Washtington, Franklin, Missouri
 * at FamilySearch — images

Regiments

Service men in Franklin 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 Franklin County, Missouri:

World War II

 * 1941-1946 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1800 - 1991 at FamilySearch — index

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1750 - 1988 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1766 - 1988 Missouri Wills and Probate Records 1766-1988 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Births

 * 1827 - 1935 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1842 - 1875 Franklin County Birth Index 1842-1875. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1848 - 1863 Franklin County Birth Index 1848-1863. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1851 - 1910 Missouri Birth Records, 1851-1910 at Ancestry.com — index/images $

Marriages

 * 1750 - 1920 at FamilySearch.org — 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.com $
 * 1819 - 1875 Franklin County Marriage Index 1819-1875. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1850 Missouri Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1864 - 1881 Franklin County Marriage Books C and D Index 1864-1881. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1881 - 1890 Franklin County Marriage Books E and F Index 1881-1890. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * Brian Oster Missouri Marriage Records Site Missouri Marriage Records
 * The marriage records of Franklin County, Missouri at Ancestry.com $
 * Franklin County Recorder of Deeds Marriage Search

Deaths

 * 1834 - 1910 Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910 at Ancestry.com — index/images $
 * 1867 - 1976 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * Missouri State Archives provides on-line access to Missouri Death Certificates more than 50 yrs old starting in 1910.

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries

 * Genealogical Friends Of The Library 507 W. Hickory Neosho, MO 64828 (Largely for Newton County, but links to general genealogical websites are also available here)


 * Four Rivers Genealogical Society P.O. Box 146 Washington, MO 63090


 * Franklin County Historical Society P.O. Box 293 15 North Oak Street Union, MO 63084-0293 Phone: 636-583-3247


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

Family History Centers



 * Washington Missouri Family History Center 110 E 14th St. Washington, Missouri 63090-4528 United States Location Map