Courthouse Tips &

Pointers

By Brenda Kellow

The County Court House contains some of the most important records in existence that a genealogist can use. These records deal with many people, thereby acquainting the researcher with the subject's family, friends, neighbors and townspeople. They are primary records that are usually recorded at the time of the event. Our ancestors went to their local courthouse to record marriages, file deeds, probate wills, pay taxes, vote in the elections, sit as jurors, sign as witnesses, apply for citizenship and be appointed to office. The court administers the behavior of the people within its jurisdiction. Barring a catastrophe, the records in the county court house document the life of the people from its beginning. If a court house burned, or was destroyed by an earthquake as was southeast Missouri in the early 1800's, efforts were made to reconstruct the records.

The genealogist must be familiar with the state laws as well as the hours of operation to better access the mass amounts of information available. It is not uncommon for the genealogist to leave the problems unsolved because they have not studied the laws that govern the legal instruments; or, they have either failed to budget enough time to search the records thoroughly. Courtesy, a bright smile and a well-groomed professional appearance are imperative for every genealogist while working in public.

The records discussed here will be the vital records usually found in this state's County Clerk's Office or Clerk of the Circuit Court and the civil and criminal records found in the District Clerk's Office. The indexes are in running alphabetical order with instructions in the front of each book.

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS CHECK THE INDEXES FIRST BEFORE GOING TO ANY RECORDS. ALSO, LOOK AT THE FRONT OF THE INDEX BOOKS FOR ANY INSTRUCTIONS TO HELP USE THE SPECIAL CODES BY LARGE CITIES.

VITAL STATISTICS
County Clerk's Office

BIRTH RECORDS

Birth Record Index

Birth Records

Delayed Birth Records

MARRIAGE RECORDS
Marriage Records Index

Marriage Applications

Marriage License

Marriage Certificates

Bonds

Banns

License

Permission or Consent Affidavits

Marriage Contracts

Returns by Ministers

Declarations of Intent

DIVORCE — See Civil Court Proceedings LISTED BELOW

DEATH RECORDS

Death Records Index

Standard Certificate of Death

Resident

Non-Resident

Corrected Death Record

ESTATE AND PROBATE RECORDS
Testate Estate

Wills and Will Index
Recorded

Unrecorded

Codicils

Three Kinds of Wills

Attested

Holographic

Noncupative

Intestate Estate

Probate

Letters

Partition

To Determine Heirs

Letters

Testamentary

Administrative

Inventories

Appraisements

Sales of goods

Estate Accounts

Reports

Receipts

Vouchers

Relinquishments

Affidavits

Lunacy Documents

Subpoenas

Probate Court Minutes

Probate Dockets

Journals

Decrees

Final Reports

Settlements

Divisions

Partitions

Distributions

Bonds

LAND AND PROPERTY

Deeds

Grantor Index (Direct) — the seller

Grantee Index (Indirect) — the buyer

Warranty

Quitclaims

Sheriff

Trust

Partition

Tax

Forced Sales

Grants

Patents

Lotteries

Military

Bounty

Donation

Headright

Land Entry

Reconstructed records

When Records are Destroyed

Survey, Plat and Township Maps

Observe items hanging on walls

Mortgages Leases

Real

Personal

Bills of Sale

MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS

Soldiers and Sailors Records

Soldiers and Sailors Records Index

Military Discharges

Military Discharges Index

Veterans of Foreign Wars Office

Biographies of those who enlisted

Pictures

Voter Registration Records

Election Records

Commissioners Records

Marks and Brands (livestock)

WPA Project Records

Releases

Assignments

Powers of Attorney

Deeds of Adoption

Tax Records and Assessments

*General Information which may be obtained from County Clerk

Where is ?

How do I find ?

Local Cemeteries and Caretakers?

Civil and Criminal Court Records

(District Court Clerk's Office)

GUARDIANSHIPS

Petitions

Letters

Bonds

Accounts

Reports

Releases (may overlap w/probate records)

ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS

Usually Sealed

BONDS

INVENTORIES

ACCOUNTS

PETITIONS

Adults or Children

Divorce

Lack of Payment

LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION

DIVORCE RECORDS

Petitions

Affidavits

Subpoenas

Decrees

Annulments

Declares Marriage Null and Void

Religious Reasons

Closer Than Third Cousins

Bigamy by One Party

Legal Separation

Minute Books

Affidavits

Subpoenas

Decrees

CRIMINAL COURT RECORDS

Fines

Murder

Crimes against persons

Pardons by the Governor

MISCELLANEOUS COURT RECORDS

Jury Lists

Jury Records

Bastardy

Road Improvement

Licenses

Disbursements

County Officers Registers

Slander

Stray Animal Notices

Name changes

Naturalization Records

Dockets

Minutes

Orders and Decrees

Sheriff's Records

Justice of the Peace Records

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brenda Burns Kellow, B.A., CG, CGI

Cerny, Johni and Arlene Eakle. Ancestry's Guide to Research, Case Studies in American Genealogy. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Incorporated, 1985.

Cocke, William Ronald, Jr. “Genealogical Notes from Supreme Court Reports.” William and Mary Quarterly, 2^nd series. v. 12 (1932), pps. 167-72; v.13 (1933), pps. 49-54.

Greenwood, Val D. "Court Records in the United States." Genealogical Journal 6(1977): 159-68.

Greenwood, Val D. Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2nd Ed., 1990.

Nichols, Elizabeth L. “Statewide Vital Registration in the United States.” Genealogical Helper, v. 34, No. 3 (May-June 1980).

Stryker-Rodda, Kenn. “Our Willing Ancestors.” NGSQ, v. 52 (March 1964).

Szucs, Loretto Dennis and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking. The Source. Revised edition. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing Company, 1997.

SM Service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists that identifies its programs of genealogical competency evaluation—used under license by associates who meet standards prescribed for particular programs.

Recommended citation:
"County Courthouse Research Pointers and Tips," by Brenda Kellow, B.A., CG, CGI, Texas History and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., 1996 <http://www.genealogyfriends.org> Accessed: [Today's date.]

Genealogy Research & Education

Courthouse Tips &

Pointers

By Brenda Kellow

Sponsored by:

Genealogy Friends of Plano [Collin County, Texas] Libraries, Inc.