Madison County, Missouri Genealogy
Madison County, Missouri genealogy and family history research page. Discover links to record collections, history, and genealogy information to help you you locate your personal Madison Co., ancestors. Start now by putting together a Free Family Tree.
Madison County was created on December 14, 1818 (effective January 1, 1819) from Cape Girardeau County and Ste. Genevieve County. The county was named in honor of James Madison (1751–1836), politician and political philosopher who served as the fourth President of the United States, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
The Madison County Seat is situated in Fredericktown and in addition the county government website is unknown
Areas surrounding Madison County include St. Francois County (north), Perry County (northeast), Bollinger County (east), Wayne County (south), Iron County (west).
Cities and towns to be found in Madison County include Castor Station, Cobalt, Fredericktown, Junction City, Marquand, Millcreek, Mine La Motte, Oak Grove, Saco, Zion.
Madison County has Federal Census Schedules to help in researching your family tree. Government Population Schedules are present for 1820 (missing), 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940. Madison Co. Slave Schedules is available for 1850 & 1860. Madison Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Madison Co. Industry and Agriculture can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Madison Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890. There are free down-loadable and printable census forms to help you with your research.
Madison County Genealogical & Historical Societies and Family History Resources
A list of Madison County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives. See Also Missouri Archives, Genealogical and Historical Societies for statewide Addresses and links.
Madison County Courthouse and Government Records
Researchers frequently forget about the value of Madison County court, probate, and land files as a source of family history and genealogy information. Buried away in Missouri courthouses and archives just about everywhere could be the ambitions and worries of many Missouri residents.
The odds are great that your potential ancestors have left a comprehensive record of at least a number of aspects of their lives in the Madison County court records. Even if your forefathers is not brought up in a Court case, take into consideration all of the other procedures which often can have lead to her or him showing up in court records.
You need to call the clerk's dept to validate hours, mailing address, fees and other facts before visiting or looking for information because of in some cases changing contact details. The Department Offices DO NOT DO RESEARCH. The data files are accessible to interested parties, barring private issues. A lot of staff will guide men and women in locating the resources, but it's up to the particular person to complete the research.
The following indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Madison county. The dates indicated below are the first known records for this county which may include records of land, estates, taxes, vital records, divorces, naturalizations, court records, and so forth.
- Madison County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 1 Courthouse Sq, Fredericktown, MO 63645
- Madison County Recorder of Deeds is the place where all transactions having to do with land are recorded and kept on file. They take marriage license applications, issues marriage licenses, files the license after the marriage, and maintains a permanent record of the marriage, surveys and plats of subdivisions, Armed Forces discharge papers for all veterans who reside in the county. Some naturalization records have been found with the deeds.
- Phone: 573-783-3410
- Marriage Records: 1821 (including Index to deeds, 1819-1888; Deed records, 1819-1890)
- Land Records: 1819 (including Marriage records, 1821-1916)
- Madison County Circuit Court Clerk / Probate Court Clerk has the direct index to records such as divorces, adoptions, judgment, and tax fee books including direct and indirect indexes. They also retain the index to criminal records and criminal files of the circuit court. Adoptions are under the jurisdiction of the circuit court. Naturalization records, including petitions, declarations of intention, certificates, and certificates of allegiance, and granting of citizenship are also located in the clerk's office, as well as an index to civil case files. The County Probate Division has jurisdiction over the estates of deceased persons. The Division hears all litigation involving trusts, including those trusts established in wills. (In the smaller counties, probate matters are handled in the same office as the associate circuit court office)
- Phone: (573) 783-2102
- Probate Records: 1821 (including Index to probate records, 1821-1886; Probate records, 1821-1886; Administrator’s/executor’s letters, bonds and records, 1858-1910; Inventories, appraisements and sale bills, 1873-1879; Settlement records, 1848-1878; Wills, 1822-1923)
- Court & Divorce Records: 1827 (including Index to circuit court records, 1845-1915; Circuit court records, 1827-1915)
- Madison County Clerk of the Court has indexes to common pleas, records of all extant proceedings, chancery minute books, records of births and deaths, county court records, right-of-way and road records, as well as surveyor's records (including field notes and plats made by the county surveyor). This office usually holds the county treasurer's notes, bonds and commissions, records of marks and brands, wolf scalps, stray notices, real estate assessments, and tax books. In some counties, early terms for this court included “Chancery” or the “Court of Common Pleas.”
- Phone: (573) 783-2176
- Birth & Death Records: 1883-1900 (including Register of births and stillbirths, 1883-1900; Permanent record of births, 1883-1900; Register of deaths, 1883-1892; Permanent record of deaths, 1883-1900)
- Madison County Tax Assessor Office is responsible for appraising and assessing real estate property and person property for the purpose of taxation as well as transferring ownership of real estate, and keeping real estate maps up to date.
- Missouri Office of Vital Records has copies of birth and death records reported from January 1, 1910. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Missouri for current fees and application process. Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.
Madison County Genealogy Links
The following are links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources associated to Madison County. A majority of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a payment. This is just a directory which has been gathered or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to present your own most liked Madison County genealogy or family history related sites.
Madison Co. MO Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
Madison Co. MO Books, Newspapers & Publications
Madison Co. MO Birth, Marriage & Death Records
Madison Co. MO Court, Probate Land and Tax Records
Madison Co. MO Census Records
Madison Co. MO Cemeteries & Graveyards
Madison Co. MO Church & Bible Records
Madison Co. MO Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
Madison Co. MO General and History Websites
Madison Co. MO Military Records
Madison Co. MO Schools & Directories