Polk 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 ∣

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

Polk County

Polk County was created on January 5, 1835 from Greene County. The county was named in honor of James K. Polk (1795–1849), 11th President of the United States.

The Polk County Seat is situated in Bolivar and in addition the county government website is unknown

Areas surrounding Polk County include Hickory County (north), Dallas County (east), Greene County (south), Dade County (southwest), Cedar County (west), St. Clair County (northwest).

Cities and towns to be found in Polk County include Aldrich, Bolivar, Brighton, Dunnegan, Eudora, Fair Play, Flemington, Goodson, Goodnight, Halfway, Humansville, Morrisville, Pleasant Hope, Polk, Tin Town.

Polk 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. Polk Co. Slave Schedules is available for 1850 & 1860. Polk Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Polk Co. Industry and Agriculture can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Polk Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890. There are free down-loadable and printable census forms to help you with your research.

Back to top

Polk County Genealogical & Historical Societies and Family History Resources

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

Back to top

Polk County Courthouse and Government Records

Researchers frequently forget about the value of Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk 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.

  • Polk County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
    • Address: 102 E. Broadway, Bolivar, MO 65613
  • Polk 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: 417-326-4924
    • Marriage Records: 1836 (including Index to marriage records, 1836-1920; Marriage records, 1836-1916; Military discharge records, 1863-1933) 
    • Land Records: 1837 (including Index to deeds, 1871-1887; Deed records, 1837-1929; Mortgage deeds, 1884-1905) 
  • Polk 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: (417) 326-4912
    • Probate Records: 1835  (including Index to probate records, 1835-1846; Probate records, 1835-1890; Administrator’s/executor’s letters, bonds and records, 1837-1896; Inventories, appraisements and sale bills, 1855-1898; Proof of publication, notices and affidavits, 1868-1879; Settlement records, 1869-1887; Will records, 1839-1917) 
    • Court & Divorce Records: 1836 (including Circuit court records, 1836-1887) 
  • Polk 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: (417) 326-4031 
    • Birth & Death Records: 1872–1900 (including Permanent record of births, 1883-1891; Register of births and stillbirths, 1872-1900; Permanent record of deaths, 1883-1890) 
  • Polk 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.
Missouri Historical Records - Databases include Missouri Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Missouri Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Missouri Voter Lists & Census Records; Missouri Immigration & Emigration Records; Missouri Obituary Records; Missouri Military Records; Missouri Family Tree Records; Missouri Pictures; Missouri Stories, Memories & Histories; Missouri Directories & Member Lists and much more....
Back to top

Polk County Genealogy Links

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

Polk Co. MO Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

Polk Co. MO Books, Newspapers & Publications

Polk Co. MO Birth, Marriage & Death Records

Polk Co. MO Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

Polk Co. MO Census Records

Polk Co. MO Cemeteries & Graveyards

Polk Co. MO Church & Bible Records

Polk Co. MO Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

Polk Co. MO General and History Websites

Polk Co. MO Military Records

Polk Co. MO Schools & Directories

Back to top
Site Map | Copyright © 2013 GenealogyInc.com,