Greene County, Missouri Genealogy

Guide to Greene 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 Nathanael Greene. The County is located in the southwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Greene County Courthouse 940 Boonville Avenue Springfield, MO 65802 Phone: 417-868-4068 Greene County Website County Archives and Recorder has probate, court, tax and land records from 1833, military discharge records, divorce records 1837-1950, birth and death records 1883-1890 and 1876 local census records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places in Greene County, MO, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTownLocator. 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:

Resources
Greene County, Missouri published Greene County Archives Bulletins from at least 1988 to 1995. These bulletins included guides and indexes to several types of records for the county, including divorce records, Circuit Court records, naturalization records, coroner's record books, stray records, Alms House records, etc. A listing of the contents of these bulletins is available online. Most of the specific titles are included in the descriptions of the records under the appropriate record type below.

Many of the early records of Greene County have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Biographies

 * The autobiography of Mary R. Luster, Springfield, Missouri at Ancestry ($)

Cemeteries

 * The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has burial records for Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries including Springfield National Cemetery and Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Mo.
 * Missouri Cemeteries Missouri Genealogy Cemeteries

Census Records

 * 1732-1933 at FamilySearch — index and images

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Catholic Immaculate Conception, Springfield


 * 1872-1876 Immaculate Conception, Springfield, Baptism Index 1872-1876. Batch at FamilySearch.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


 * Springfield

Court Records
When Greene County was formed in 1833, a Circuit Court was established and has continued to the present day. Historically there were at least four other courts in Greene County. See Greene County, Missouri Court Records for a more complete description of these courts and their records.


 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images

Local Histories

 * A Brief History of the First Baptist Church of Springfield, Missouri, 1852-1927. By M. M. Richardson.  [1927?]. Springfield, Mo. : Elkins-Swyers Co. Available online at FamilySearch
 * History of Greene County, Missouri. 1883. Available online at Google Books
 * Past and Present of Greene County, Missouri. By Jonathan Fairbanks and Clyde Edwin Tuck. 1915. Indianapolis, Indiana : A.W. Bowen &amp; Co. Vol. 1 available online at FamilySearch. Vol. 2 available online at FamilySearch.
 * Personal Reminiscences and Fragments of the Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Missouri. By Martin J. Hubble. 1914. Springfield, Missouri : Inland Printing Co. Available online at Family Search.
 * Pictorial and Genealogical Record of Greene County, Missouri. Greene County Archives and Records Center (Springfield, Missouri). 1893. Chicago : Goodspeed Brothers Pub. Available through the FamilySearch Catalog.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
 * Map of Greene County townships (Histopolis)
 * 1904 Plat Map of Greene County (Historic MapWorks)
 * The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Greene County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.
 * Map of 1904 Greene County with numerous small settlements (My Genealogy Hound)
 * An Illustrated historical atlas map of Greene County, Mo at Missouri Digital Heritage
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * 1900-1941 at FamilySearch — images
 * Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Hulston Library

Civil War
Online Records


 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1911 - 1938 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Confederate pension rolls on microfilm for Missouri at the Local History and Genealogy Department of The Library Center (Springfield-Greene County Library District)

Regiments

Service men in Greene 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 Greene County, Missouri:

Civil War Battles The following Civil War Battles were fought in Greene County:


 * August 10, 1861 Wilson’s Creek also known as Oak Hills
 * October 25, 1861 Springfield I also known as Zagonyi’s Charge
 * January 8, 1863 Springfield II


 * Map showing Civil War battles in Missouri

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

Newspapers

 * Local History and Genealogy Department at the Springfield-Greene County Library has Springfield newspapers on microfilm back well into the 1800s.

Other Records
Poorhouse Greene County had a poor farm that was a support for ill or indigent people of the county. It was initially called the County Poor Farm, then the County Home, and in 1955 became Sunshine Acres. It was closed in 1978. Registers of those who were cared for by this facility have been indexed for the years 1875 to 1955. The index is available online in two parts:


 * An Index to the Register of the Alms House, 1875-1923
 * An Index to the Register of the Alms House, 1916-1955

Probate Records
A Guide to the Records of the Probate Court of Greene County is available online as published in the County Archives Bulletins. These records, including wills, inventories, settlements, and other probate documents, are part of the records of the Circuit Court and its divisions. Many have been microfilmed and are available at the in Salt Lake City and through their family history centers.

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.

Tax Records
Tax lists have been abstracted for 1833-1835, 1843, 1851, 1856, and 1890. These can be found at the Local History &amp; Genealogy department at The Library Center (Springfield-Greene County Library).

Vital Records
The vital records kept by the courts and other offices in Greene County include documents relating to marriages, divorces, and deaths. See Greene County, Missouri Vital Records for a more complete description of these records and their indexes.

Birth

 * Pre-1910 Missouri Birth and Death Records Database, Pre-1910 at Missouri Digital Heritage - index.
 * 1817-1939 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1827-1935 at FamilySearch — 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 ($)
 * 1850 Missouri Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * Marriage records, Greene County, Missouri at Ancestry ($)
 * Marriage records, Greene County, Missouri at Greene County Recorder's Office

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.
 * 1968-2015 Reclaim the Records: Missouri Death Index at Archive.org - images of index

Family History Centers

 * Springfield Missouri Family History Center
 * Springfield Missouri South Family History Center
 * Willard Missouri Family History Center

Libraries

 * List of Missouri Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies
 * Local History and Genealogy Department at the Springfield-Greene County Library - a Family History Library affiliate.

Societies

 * Ozarks Genealogical Society Website

Websites

 * Missouri Digital Heritage. Free. digital images of many types of records from institutions across the State
 * Greene County Genealogy Research     Free. Data and sources of data for researching Greene County genealogy.
 * 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 ($)