Platte County, Missouri Genealogy Guide
Platte County, Missouri (Map It) 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. Learn More About State of Missouri History
Platte County is bordered by Buchanan County (north), Clinton County (northeast), Clay County (east), Jackson County (southeast), Wyandotte County, Kansas (south), Leavenworth County, Kansas (southwest), Atchison County, Kansas (northwest).
Platte County Cities and Towns 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.
A Map of Platte County, Missouri contains detailed information about roads and boundaries, these maps may include rural communities, churches, and cemeteries.
Platte County, Missouri Courthouse Records
Platte County, MO Courthouse
The Platte County Courthouse is located in Platte City, Missouri. Learn More About State of Missouri Court, Tax, Land and Probate Records.
Please contact the each clerk's department to confirm mailing address, hours, fees and other information before visiting or requesting information because contact information sometimes changes. The Clerk's Office DOES NOT DO RESEARCH. The documents are available to interested parties, barring confidential issues. Most staff will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the individual to do the research.
The following dates indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Platte county. The date listed for each category of record is usually the earliest registration filed. The earliest date does not indicate that there are numerous records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually registered. Courthouse destroyed 1861 during Civil War.
- Platte County Recorder of Deeds has Marriage Records from 1839 and Land Records from 1839. The 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.
- Platte County Circuit Court Clerk / Probate Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1839 and Court & Divorce Records from 1839.The 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.
- Platte County Clerk of the Court has Birth & Death Records from 1883–87. The 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.”
- 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.
- Local Records Inventory Database, produced by the Missouri Local Records Preservation Program, is a compilation of inventories of local government records identified as having permanent or enduring value and housed primarily in county and municipal offices, but includes some libraries, museums, and historical and genealogical societies that maintain government records. Not all Missouri offices have been inventoried.
- Platte County Health Department has Birth Certificates since 1920 and Death Certificates since 1980
Platte County, Missouri Census Records
- Learn More: State of Missouri Census Records
- U.S. Federal Population Schedules: 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragmented), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
- U.S. Census Reconstructed Records: 1660-1820
- State Population Schedules: 1844-1881
- U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules: 1850 and 1860
- U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
- Selected U.S. Federal Census Agriculture Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
- Selected U.S. Federal Census Industry Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
- Union Veterans Schedules: 1890
Platte County, Missouri Vital Records
- Learn More: State of Missouri Vital Records
- Birth and Death Records: from January 1910 to present
- Marriage Records: from July 1948 to present
- Divorce Records: from July 1948 to present
- Locations: Missouri Office of Vital Statistics
- Vital Records Online: USAVital, VitalChek or Social Security Death Index
- Vital Records by Mail: Birth and Death Certificate, Marriage and Divorce Certificate Applications.
- In Person: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records, Jefferson City, MO 65102, Telephone: 573-751-6387
Platte County, Missouri Resources
- State of Missouri Archives and Societies
- RAOGK Volunteers for Missouri
- Platte County Historical & Genealogical Society
- Northland Genealogy Society
- Heart of America Genealogical Society and Library, c/o Kansas City Public Library, 311 East Twelfth Street, Kansas City, MO 64106
- Park College Historical Society, Box 61, Park College, 8700 Northwest River Park Dr, Parkville, MO 64152-3795; Ph: (816) 741-2000, ext. 6285
- Weston Historical Museum Association
- Missouri River Frontier Museum, 128 South Main Street, Suite 412, Parkville, MO 64152; Phone: (816) 741-1482
- Platte County, Missouri Message Boards
- Platte County, Missouri Genealogy Forum
Platte County, Missouri External Links
