Lafayette County, Missouri Genealogy

United States Missouri  Lafayette County

Guide to Lafayette County Missouri genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Courthouse
County Recorder has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1821

Parent County
1820--Lafayette County was created 16 November 1820 from Cooper County. County seat: Lexington. The county was originally named Lillard County. Its name was changed in 1825 to Lafayette County.

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
For a list of record loss in Missouri counties see: Missouri Counties with Burned Courthouses

Places/Localities

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

Neighboring Counties
Carroll • Jackson • Johnson • Pettis • Ray • Saline

Cemeteries

 * The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has burial records for the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Higginsville, Mo and other veterans cemeteries around the country. The Confederate Home Cemetery in Higginsville, Mo is not available at this site, but records submitted by the general public are available on Find A Grave.com.
 * Photos and locations of numerous Lafayette County cemeteries (Hearthstone Legacy)
 * Lafayette County, Missouri, Cemetery Records, Vol. I at Ancestry.com ($)

BillionGraves:


 * Missouri Veterans Cemetery, Dover
 * St. John's Cemetery, Concordia
 * St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery, Freedom

Catholic
Immaculate Conception, Lexington


 * 1853-1876 - Immaculate Conception, Lexington, Baptism Index 1853-1876. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1853-1885 - Immaculate Conception, Lexington, Marriage Index 1853-1885. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

Local Histories
A Portrait and biographical record of Lafayette and Saline counties, Missouri ... (1893) is available online free from Google Books. The first part of the book contains biographies of the U.S. presidents. The second part, starting on p.111, contains biographies Lafayette and Saline county residents.

Maps

 * Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
 * Map of Lafayette County townships (Histopolis)


 * The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Lafayette County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.
 * Map of 1904 Lafayette County with numerous small settlements (My Genealogy Hound)
 * Atlas of Lafayette County, Missouri, circa 1920.

Civil War

 * Records of the for the Missouri Confederate Home in Higginsville are available online from FamilySearch.

Civil War Battles
The following Civil War Battles was fought in Lafayette County


 * September 13-20, 1861 = Lexington I also known as Battle of the Hemp Bales


 * October 19, 1864 = Lexington II

Map showing Civil War battles in Missouri

Newspapers

 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has Sedalia newspapers from the late 1800's and early 1900's that sometimes included Lafayette County residents.

Births

 * 1865-1869 - Lafayette County Birth Index 1865-1869. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1868 - Lafayette County Birth Index, Volume F, 1868. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

Marriages

 * 1821-1873 - Lafayette County Marriage Books A thru E Index 1821-1873. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1868-1885 - Lafayette County Marriage Books F thru H Index 1868-1885. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1881-1885 - Lafayette County Marriage Books 1 and 2 Index 1881-1885. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

Deaths

 * Missouri State Archives provides on-line access to Missouri Death Certificates more than 50 yrs old starting in 1910.

Genealogy Societies, Archives and Libraries

 * List of Missouri Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies
 * Harvey J. Higgins Historical Society 2113 S. Main Street Higginsville, MO 64037 Phone: (660) 584-6474

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers