Platte County, Missouri Genealogy

∣ Societies and Family History Resources ∣ Government Records ∣ Genealogy Links ∣ Publications ∣ Census Records ∣
∣ Court, Probate, Land and Tax Records ∣ Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records and Death Records ∣
∣ Cemeteries & Graveyards ∣ Church & Bible Records ∣ County History ∣ Military Records ∣ Schools & Directories ∣

Platte County, Missouri genealogy and family history research page. Discover links to record collections, history, and genealogy information to help you you locate your personal Platte Co., ancestors. Start now by putting together a Free Family Tree.

Platte County

Platte County was created on December 31, 1838 from part of the Platte Purchase. The county was named for the Platte River, a tributary of the Missouri River, which is in turn named for the French word "platte" meaning flat or shallow.

The Platte County Seat is situated in Platte City and in addition the county government website is www.co.platte.mo.us

Areas surrounding Platte County include Buchanan County (north), Clinton County (northeast), Clay County (east), Jackson County (southeast), Wyandotte County, Kansas (south), Leavenworth County, Kansas (southwest), Atchison County, Kansas (northwest).

Cities and towns to be found in Platte County include Camden Point, Dearborn, East Leavenworth, Edgerton, Farley, Ferrelview, Houston Lake, Iatan, Kansas City, Lake Waukomis, Northmoor, Parkville, Platte City, Platte Woods, Ridgely, Riverside, Tracy, Waldron, Weatherby Lake, Weston.

Platte County has Federal Census Schedules to help in researching your family tree. Government Population Schedules are present for 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940. Platte Co. Slave Schedules is available for 1850 & 1860. Platte Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Platte Co. Industry and Agriculture can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Platte Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890. There are free down-loadable and printable census forms to help you with your research.

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Platte County Genealogical & Historical Societies and Family History Resources

A list of Platte County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives. See Also Missouri Archives, Genealogical and Historical Societies for statewide Addresses and links.

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Platte County Courthouse and Government Records

Researchers frequently forget about the value of Platte 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 Platte 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 facts denotes exactly what marriage, birth, death, property, probate, and legal records can be found in Platte County. The years suggested below are the first known records data with this county. Courthouse destroyed 1861 during Civil War.

  • Platte County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
    • Address: 328 Main St., Platte City, MO 64079
  • Platte 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.
    • Address: Platte County Administration Building, 415 Third St., Suite 70, Platte City, MO 64079
    • Phone: (816) 858-3326
    • Marriage Records: 1839 (including Index to marriage records, 1838-1894; Marriage records, 1839-1917; Application for marriage licenses, 1913-1919) 
    • Land Records: 1839 (including Index to deeds, 1839-1890; Deed records, 1839-1895) 
  • Platte 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: (816) 858-2232
    • Probate Records: 1839  (including Index to probate records, 1839-1 936; Probate records) 1839-1887; Administrator’s/executor’s letters, bonds and records, 1849-1894; Inventories, appraisements and sale bills, 1852-1891; Settlement records, 1872-1902; Probate packets, 1894; Will records, 1840-1933) 
    • Court & Divorce Records: 1839 (including Circuit court records, 1839-1887; Index to naturalization records, 1846-1886; Naturalization records, 1846-1886 and 1905-1924; Declarations of naturalizations, 1907-1926) 
  • Platte 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.”
    • Address: Platte County Administration Building, 415 Third St., Platte City, MO 64079
    • Phone: (816) 858-3340 
    • Birth & Death Records: 1883–87
  • Platte 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.

Platte County Genealogy Links

The following are links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources associated to Platte 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 Platte County genealogy or family history related sites.

Platte Co. MO Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

Platte Co. MO Books, Newspapers & Publications

Platte Co. MO Birth, Marriage & Death Records

Platte Co. MO Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

Platte Co. MO Census Records

Platte Co. MO Cemeteries & Graveyards

Platte Co. MO Church & Bible Records

Platte Co. MO Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

Platte Co. MO General and History Websites

Platte Co. MO Military Records

Platte Co. MO Schools & Directories

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