Clay County, South Dakota

Societies and Family History Resources ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣ County Genealogy Links

Clay County was established on April 10, 1862 from Unorganized territory.

Currently the Clay County Seat is located in Vermillion and the county government website is http://www.claycountysd.org/

Locations adjacent to Clay County are Turner County, Lincoln County, Union County, Dixon County, Nebraska, Cedar County, Nebraska, Yankton County.

Clay County has Federal Census Schedules to help in researching your family tree. Federal government Population Schedules are present for 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Clay Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1870 and 1880. Clay Co. Industry and Agriculture Schedules can be found for 1870 and 1880. Clay Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. There are free down-loadable not to mention printable census forms to help with your research.

Clay County Society and Family History Resources

A list of Clay County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Forums, Message Boards, Libraries, Archives.

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• South Dakota State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Clay County Historical Society Inc., 15 Austin St., Vermillion, SD 57069
• Clay County, South Dakota Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Clay County, South Dakota Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Clay County (usgwarchives.net)

Clay County Courthouse and Government Records

Genealogist often overlook the benefits of Clay County court, probate, and land files as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy details. Hidden away in South Dakota courthouses and archives just about everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of the many South Dakota residents.

The odds are very good that your potential forefathers have left a comprehensive record of at least quite a few elements of their lives in the Clay County court records. Even if your forefathers is not referred to in a Court case, take into consideration all of the other procedures which could have lead to him or her to appear in court records.

• Clay County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 211 W Main St, Vermillion, SD 57069
  • Phone: (605) 677-7130
• Clay County Register of Deeds
  • Marriage Records: 1860
  • Land Records: 1862?
• Clay County Clerk of Court.
  • Probate Records: 1862?
  • Court Records: 1862?
• South Dakota Office of Vital Records has copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death records. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in South Dakota for current fees and application process. Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events.
  • Ordering Vital Records – You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for South Dakota Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.

Clay County Links

The following are web links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relating to Clay County. Each of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business Sites, Private Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some require a payment. This is simply a directory which has been gathered or submitted. I do not recommend or promote one genealogy site above another. Feel free to furnish your own most liked Clay County genealogy or family history associated sites.

Clay Co. SD Books, Newspapers & Publications

• South Dakota Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• South Dakota historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from South Dakota (1861–2002) (genealogybank.com) Immediately discover names and keywords / phrases in over 450 million publications, obituaries, marriage announcements, birth notices and other items written in over 2,800 old U.S. newspapers. All new content and articles added monthly!
• Clay County, South Dakota Books (amazon.com)
• Search South Dakota Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Clay County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Clay Co. SD Birth, Marriage & Death Records

• South Dakota Vital Records Research Guide
• Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com)

Clay Co. SD Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

• South Dakota Court Records Research Guide
• BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)

Clay Co. SD Census Records

• South Dakota Census Records Research Guide
• Clay County, SD Census Records Links
• Clay County, SD Census QuickFacts

Clay Co. SD Cemeteries & Church Records

• South Dakota Cemetery Research Guide
• Clay Co., South Dakota Graves (findagrave.com)
• Clay County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Clay Co., South Dakota Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Topographic Cemetery List and Map for Clay County, South Dakota
• Clay Co., South Dakota Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• South Dakota Church & Bible Research Guide
• Topographic Church List and Map for Clay County, South Dakota
• Clay County, South Dakota Church Books (amazon.com)

Clay Co. SD Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

•  South Dakota Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

Clay Co. SD General and History Websites

• See Also State History for South Dakota
• Clay County, South Dakota Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Clay County, South Dakota Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Clay Co. SD Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Clay County, South Dakota (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – South Dakota – Counties – Clay (cyndislist.com)
• Clay County South Dakota (genealogytrails.com)
• Clay Co. SDGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
• Clay County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Clay Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Clay Co. SD Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of South Dakota Links and Information
• 1895 Clay County Map (livgenmi.com)

Clay Co. SD Military Records

• South Dakota Military Records Research Guide
• South Dakota Military Records (fold3.com) delivers easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the South Dakota women and men that served. Just the thing for Clay County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.