Butler County, Missouri Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Recorder of Deeds has marriage and land records from 1849; Probate court has probate records from 1849; County Clerk has birth and death records 1883-1893.

Parent County
1849 Butler County was created 27 February 1849 from Wayne County. It is named after former U.S. Representative William O. Butler (D-Kentucky). County seat: Poplar Bluff

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
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog




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

Populated Places

 * Fisk
 * Poplar Bluff
 * Fagas

Neighboring Counties
Carter •  Clay County, Arkansas  •  Dunklin  •  Ripley  •  Stoddard  •  Wayne

Cemeteries

 * Missouri Cemeteries Missouri Genealogy Cemeteries

Census

 * 1732-1933 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Court

 * 1800 - 1991 at FamilySearch — index and images

Directories
Butler County, Missouri Online Historical Directories - identifies historical city, county, business and other directories available online on both free and pay-to-access websites.

Local Histories

 * Goodspeed Publishing Co. History of Southeast Missouri : embracing an historical account of the counties of Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Perry, Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Madison, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Dunklin, Scott, Mississippi, Stoddard, Butler, Wayne, and Iron. Greenville, S.C : Southern Historical Press, 1990.
 * Online at Missouri Digital Heritage (Free)

Maps

 * Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
 * Map of Butler County townships (Histopolis)
 * The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Butler County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.

Military

 * 1900 - 1941 at FamilySearch — images

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861 - 1865  at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865  at FamilySearch — index
 * at FamilySearch — images

Regiments Service men in Butler 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 Butler County, Missouri:
 * - 13th Regiment, Missouri Infantry (Union), Company G
 * - 12th Regiment, Missouri Infantry - Confederate, Company I

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
 * 1851 - 1910 Missouri Birth Records, 1851-1910 at Ancestry.com — index/images $
 * 1883 Butler County Birth Index 1883. Batch  at FamilySearch - free.

Marriages

 * 1750 - 1920 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1800 - 1991 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1805 - 2002 Missouri, Marriage Records, 1805-2002 at Ancestry.com $
 * 1850 Missouri Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1878 - 1885 Butler County Marriage Books C thru E Index 1878-1885. Batch  at FamilySearch - free.

Deaths

 * 1834 - 1910 Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910 at Ancestry.com — index/images $
 * 1867 - 1976 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1884 Butler County Death Index 1884. Batch  at FamilySearch - free.
 * Missouri State Archives provides on-line access to Missouri Death Certificates more than 50 yrs old starting in 1910.

Societies and Libraries

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

Family History Centers

 * Poplar Bluff Missouri Family History Center 2414 Katy Ln, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901-2304 United States Location Map