Platte County, Missouri Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for Platte River or Platte Purchase. The County is located in the northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Platte County Courthouse 415 3rd Street PO Box 30CH Platte City, MO 64079 Phone: 816-858-2232 Platte County Website County Clerk has birth records 1883-1887 and death records 1883-1888. Recorder of Deeds has marriage and land records. Clerk of the Circuit Court has divorce records. Probate Judge has probate and court records.

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

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include board of dental examinations (1897-1916), board of equalization records (1851-1995), board of health certificates (1880-1895), dentist and dental surgeons (1883-1921), indentures/apprentices (1844), licenses and permits (1839, 1867-1879), marks and brands (1841-1911), miscellaneous (1852-2008), notary bonds and commissions (1891-1981), osteopathy register (1904-1978), pharmacist records (1893-1973), record of explosives (1911-1917), register of licenses (1913-1977), register of nurses (1921-1978), register of physicians and surgeons (1874-1886).

Cemeteries

 * Missouri Cemeteries Missouri Access Genealogy

Census Records

 * 1732-1933 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * FamilySearch Places

Catholic Deister Settlement


 * 1847-1853 Deister Settlement Catholic Church Baptism Index 1847-1853. Batch  at FamilySearch.

Holy Trinity Teeleum Landeing, Weston


 * 1847- 1876 Holy Trinity Teeleum Landeing, Weston, Baptism Index 1847-1876. Batch  at FamilySearch.
 * 1848-1885 Holy Trinity Teeleum Landeing, Weston, Marriage Index 1848-1885. Batch  at FamilySearch.

Court Records

 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1838-1900 Platte County Circuit Court Records,microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include record books A-Q for 1839-1887, case files for 1838-1900, and case file index for 1838-1855.


 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include affidavits (1886-1910), appearance docket (1841-1843), county clerk records - various (1878-1993), county court cases (1868-1871), county court docket (1883-1902), county court minutes (1839-1853), county court record index (1980-1981), county court record books (1839-1958), county court records (1959-2002), court orders (1896-1937), courthouse records (1938), criminal issuing dockets (1874-1875), docket (1866-1867), fee books (1872-1902), grand jury reports (1896-1943), loyalty oaths (1862), miscellaneous (1852-2008).
 * 1849-1879 Weston Court of Common Pleas Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives.
 * 1869-1945 Platte County Coroner Inquests and Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives.
 * 1869-1945 Platte County Justice of the Peace Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include dockets (1839-1851), marriages (undated), oaths of office (1845-1847), and records (undated).
 * 1876-1879 Platte County Court of Common Pleas Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives.

Directories

 * Kansas City, Missouri City Directories, 1889-91 at Ancestry ($)

Land and Property Records

 * 1839-1940 Platte County Recorder of Deeds Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include deed books (1839-1922), quitclaim books (1891-1912), trust books (1883-1924), warranty books (1882-1922), index to deeds (1839-1890).
 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records - Land & Property, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include deeds of abandoned riverbeds (1901-1974), drain records (1908-1936), estray books (1839-1850), land claim books (1843-1851), marks and brands (1841-1911), miscellaneous (1852-2008), record of explosives (1911-1917), stray records (1850-1888), Westin township records (1873-1877).

Local Histories

 * Annals of Platte County, Missouri. 1897. By William McClung Paxton. Kansas City, Missouri: Hudson-Kimberly Publishing Co. Online at ; and at Missouri Digital History
 * Also at: Google Books; and at.


 * A Civic History of Kansas City, Missouri. Available online at Ancestry ($)
 * History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri. 1885. St. Louis, Missouri: National Historical Company. Online at: FamilySearch; and at Missouri Digital History
 * History of Missouri's Counties, County Seats, and Courthouse Squares. 1983. by Marian M. Ohman. Missouri: Missouri State Library. Online at: Missouri Digital History
 * Kansas City, Missouri : its History and its People, 1808-1908. 1908. by Carrie Westlake Whitney. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. Online at Ancestry ($)
 * Platte County. 1929. Platte City, Mo: Landmark. Available online at FamilySearch
 * State of Missouri: an autobiography. 1904. By Walter Williams. Columbia, Mo: Press of E. W. Stephens. Online at: Missouri Digital History

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Missouri (1804-1889)
 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include standard atlas and plat book (1907), school district plats (1914-1951), survey plats - Parkville addition (1886), surveyor records (1839-1846).
 * 1856-1998 Weston City Clerk Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include city maps of Weston, Platte, Missouri (1933-1998).
 * Map of Platte County townships (Histopolis)
 * Missouri As It Is In 1867. 1867. by Nathan II. Parker. Philadelpia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. Online at: Missouri Digital History


 * The University of Missouri Digital Library has digital copies of Missouri county plat books (ca. 1930) for all Missouri counties including Platte County. The city of St. Louis is not included in this collection.


 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Platte County, Missouri Genealogy for European settlers included:


 * Missouri River from St. Louis to western Missouri via flatboat or steamboat
 * Boone's Lick Road from St. Charles, Missouri, to Independence, Missouri, via wagon
 * Liberty to Fort Leavenworth Military Road from Liberty, Missouri, to the Platte Purchase counties via wagon
 * Oregon Trail 1830s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 from western Missouri to northern California

Military Records

 * 1900-1941 at FamilySearch — images - How to Use this Collection

Civil War
Online Records


 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1911-1938  at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Regiments

Service men in Platte County, Missouri Genealogy 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 Platte County, Missouri:

World War I

 * 1839-1940 Platte County Recorder of Deeds Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include Platte County World War I service list (1919-1922).

World War II

 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1941-1946  at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1839-1940 Platte County Recorder of Deeds Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include Platte County World War II service list (1940-).

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1846-1926 Platte County Naturalization Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives.

Newspapers

 * Missouri Digital Newspaper Project at Missouri State Historical Society

Other Records

 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records - Roads, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include bridge records (1897-1922), conveyance of right of way (1843-1939), petitions (1879-1931), right of ways (1879-1976), road district (1849-1855), road petitions (1874-1929), road records (1879-1969).
 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records - Other, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include annual reports (1937-1954), charters and articles of incorporation (1876-1963), commissions (1875-1995), county clerk records - various (1878-1993), county poor farm records (1866-1931), courthouse records (1938), Elemosynacy State Hospital (1877-1934), fee books (1872-1902), insanity records (1874-1937), licenses and permits (1839, 1867-1879), loyalty oaths (1862), miscellaneous (1852-2008), official bonds (1892-1995), petitions (1879-1931), publications (1926-1929), record of explosives (1911-1917), register of licenses (1913-1977), Westin township records (1873-1877).
 * 1841-1870 Platte County Treasurer Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include day book (1845-1849), fee book (1847-1855)
 * 1956-1998 Houston Lake City Clerk & City Council Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives.


 * 1856-1998 Weston City Clerk Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1750-1988 at FamilySearch — images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1766-1988 Missouri Wills and Probate Records 1766-1988 at Ancestry — index and images ($)


 * 1839-1999 Platte County Probate Court Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include appraisements (1865-1891), bonds and letters (1849-1869), estate index (1839-1936), execution docket (1894), fee book (1846-1849), inventories (1852-1873), letters of administration (1839-1845), probate case file index (1836-1942), probate case files (boxes 1836-1942 plus misc. case files 1851-1964), probate docket (1894), probate record index (1843-), probate record books (1839-1887), decrees/partitions/depositions (1840-1940), estate lists (1922-1941), habeus corpus/exparte/partitions (1840-1940), settlements (1872-1902), wills (1838-1999).

School Records

 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include education publication (1947-1950), miscellaneous (1852-2008), school board minutes (1916-1960), school census/enumerations (1913-1960), records (1911-1961), teachers term reports (1937-1953).
 * 1841-1870 Platte County Public School District Records,microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include expenditures (1868-1870), bonds (1841-1860), fund executions (1846-1867).
 * 1846-1984 Platte County Superintendent of Schools Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include school census cards (1898-1936, 1951-1960), school enumerations, school record index (1860-1879), school record books (1846-1958), school reports and levies (1984).

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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1846-Present Platte County Tax Collector Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include account books, affidavits, land/real estate assessments and taxes, personal property assessments and taxes, business assessments and taxes, back and delinquent taxes, school taxes, tax sales, tax settlements, tax tables, collector's deeds and correspondence, poll taxes, drainage and levee taxes.

Adoptions

 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include deeds of adoption (1876 and 1886).

Birth

 * Pre-1910 Missouri Birth and Death Records Database, Pre-1910 at Missouri Digital Heritage - index.
 * 1817-1939 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1827-1935 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include permanent record of births (1883-1886), register of births (1846-1872), register of births and stillbirths (1883-1898).
 * 1850-1877 Platte County Birth Index 1850-1877. Batch at FamilySearch.
 * 1851-1910 Missouri Birth Records, 1851-1910 at Ancestry — index/images ($)
 * 1920-2015 Missouri, Birth Index, 1920-2015 at Reclaim the Records — index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)

Marriage

 * 1750-1920 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1776-1988 Missouri, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1800-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1805-2002 Missouri, Marriage Records, 1805-2002 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1839-1855 Marriage records of Platte County, Missouri, 1839-1855 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1839-1882 Platte County Marriage Index 1839-1882. Batch at FamilySearch.
 * 1839-1940 Platte County Recorder of Deeds Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include index to marriages (1839-1894), marriage applications (1913-1919), marriage record books (1839-1917), marriages performed by justices of the peace (loose records).
 * 1850 Missouri Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1881-1885 Platte County Marriage Index 1881-1885. Batch at FamilySearch.

Death

 * 1834-1910 Missouri, Death Records, 1834-1910 at Ancestry — index/images ($)
 * 1867-1976 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1839-2008 Platte County Clerk Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives. Images include permanent record of deaths (1883-1887), register of births and stillbirths (1883-1898), register of deaths (1883-1888).
 * 1869-1945 Platte County Coroner Inquests and Records, microfilm available at Missouri State Archives.
 * 1883-1930 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1910-1960 Missouri Death Certificates, 1910 - 1960 at MyHeritage ($) — index
 * 1910-1960 Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1969 at Missouri Digital Heritage - index and images.
 * 1968-2015 Missouri, Death Index, 1968-2015 at Reclaim the Records — index; Also at: MyHeritage ($); Ancestry ($)
 * Missouri State Archives provides on-line access to Missouri Death Certificates more than 50 yrs old starting in 1910.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Platte City Missouri FamilySearch Center
 * Riverview Missouri FamilySearch Center

Libraries
Mid-Continent Public Libraries in Platte City, Weston, and several locations in Southern Platte County.

Societies

 * Platte County Historical Society P.O. Box 103 220 Ferrel St. Platte City, MO. 64079-0103 (816) 431-5121 Website Facebook


 * Northland Genealogy Society P.O. Box 14121 Parkville, MO 64152 Email: [mailto:President@northlandgensoc.org President@northlandgensoc.org] Website

Websites

 * Missouri Digital Heritage. Free. digital images of many types of records from institutions across the State
 * Platte County Missouri Genealogy Research. Contains information for researching genealogy in Platte County MO, Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
 * 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 ($)