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Clay County, Missouri
Genealogy, History & Facts
County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links
Clay County, Missouri Facts
When was Clay County, MO Created?
Clay County was created on January 2, 1822 from Ray County.
What is the County Seat of Clay County, MO?
The County Seat is located in Liberty and in addition the county government website is www.claycountymo.gov
What counties are adjacent to Clay County, MO?
Bordering Counties are Clinton County, Ray County, Jackson County, Wyandotte County, Kansas, Platte County.
Clay County, MO Vital Records
Where can find Clay County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Clay County vital records can be found at the 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.
You can search online for Clay County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Missouri Birth and Death Certificate, Marriage and Divorce Certificate Application to mail.
Another resource is the Clay County Health Department has Birth Certificates since 1920 and Death Certificates since 1980.
- Clay County, Missouri Marriages, 1852-1900: Vol. 1-3
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- Social Security Death Index
- Missouri Birth & Death Records Database Pre-1910: Search & Record Availability
- Missouri, Births and Christenings, 1827-1935
- Missouri, Marriages, 1750-1920
- Missouri Death Records Database, Pre-1910
- Missouri Death Certificates, 1910 – 1961
- Missouri Deaths and Burials, 1867-1976
Clay County, MO Census Records
What Clay County, MO census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Clay County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
Clay Co. Slave Schedules is available for 1850 & 1860. Clay Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Clay Co. Industry and Agriculture can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Clay Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890. There are free down-loadable and printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Missouri Census Records Research Guide
Clay County, MO Courthouse and Government Records

What genealogical records can I find in the Clay County Courthouse?
Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Clay County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Missouri courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Missouri residents.
The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Clay County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also Missouri Courthouse Records Research Guide.
- Clay County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
- Address: 1 Courthouse Square, Liberty, Missouri 64068
- Clay County Recorder of Deeds
- Phone: (816) 407-3550
- Marriage Records: 1822
- Land Records: 1822
- Clay County Circuit Court Clerk / Probate Court Clerk
- Address: 11 South Water Street, Liberty, Missouri 64068
- Phone: 816-407-3900
- Probate Records: 1821
- Court & Divorce Records: 1822
- Clay County Clerk of the Court
- Phone: (816) 407-3570
- Birth & Death Records: 1883-84
- Abstracts of wills and administrations of Clay County, Missouri
- State-Issued Land Patents 1831 – 1969
- BLM Land Records
Clay County, MO Societies and Family History Resources
What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Clay County, MO?
A list of Clay County Historical and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Missouri Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.
- Clay County Archives and Historical Library, P. O. Box 99, Liberty, MO 64069; Telephone: 816-781-3611, Fax: 816-781-3611; Street Address: 210 E Franklin, Liberty, MO 64068
- Clay County Historic Sites, 21216 Jesse James Rd, Kearney, MO 64060; Phone: (816) 628-6065
- Smithville Historical Society, P.O. Box 270, 303 West Main Street, Smithville, MO 64089; Phone: (816) 532-0255
- Thrailkill Genealogical Society, 2018 Gentry, North Kansas City, MO 64116
- Excelsior Springs Historical Museum, 101 E Broadway, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024-2513; Phone: (816) 630-3712
- Excelsior Springs Genealogical Society, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024
- Watkins Mill Association, P.O. Box 419038, Kansas City, MO 64183
- Northland Genealogy Society , P.O. Box 14121, Parkville, MO 64152; Phone: (816) 741-3981
- Historic Liberty Jail, 216 North Main Street, Liberty, MO 64068; Phone: (816) 781-3188
- Heart of America Genealogical Society and Library , c/o Kansas City Public Library, 311 East Twelfth Street, Kansas City, MO 64106
- Partee Center for Baptist Historical Studies, 500 College Hill, William Jewell College, Liberty, MO 64068; Phone: (816) 781-7700, ext.5490
- Missouri State Archives, Missouri State Information Center; P.O. Box 1747, 600 West Main Str, Jefferson City, MO 65102
- Missouri State Library – 600 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101; (573) 751-4936
- Missouri Historical Society, P.O. Box 11940, St. Louis 63112-0040
- Missouri State Genealogical Association, P.O. Box 833, Columbia, MO 65205-0833
Where can I connect with other Clay County, MO Researchers through message boards and forums?
- https://www.archives.gov/research/census
- Missouri Genealogy Network Community (plus.google.com)
- Missouri State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
- Clay County, Missouri Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Clay County
- Clay County, Missouri Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
What other genealogical resources are available in Clay County, MO?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Clay 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.
Clay Co. MO Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers
- See Also Map of Missouri Links and Information
- Clay Co. D.O.T. Map
- 1895 Clay County Map (livgenmi.com)
Clay Co. MO Books, Newspapers & Publications
- Missouri Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
- Missouri historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
- Historical Newspapers from Missouri (1808 – 1922) (genealogybank.com)
- Clay County, Missouri Books (amazon.com)
- Search Missouri Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
Clay Co. GA Cemeteries & Church Records
- Missouri Cemetery Research Guide
- Clay County, Missouri Cemetery Records, Volume I-II (search.ancestry.com)
- Clay Co., Missouri Graves (findagrave.com)
- Clay County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
- Clay Co., Missouri Cemeteries (Internment.net)
- Clay Co., Missouri Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
- Missouri Church & Bible Research Guide
- Clay County, Missouri Church Books (amazon.com)
Clay Co. MO Family Websites, Pictures & Histories
- Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
- Nichols and Related Families (nicholsgenealogy.com)
- The Missouri Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)
Clay Co. MO General and History Websites
- See Also State History for Missouri
- Clay County, Missouri Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
- Clay County Court History (freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com)
- Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton and Linn Counties, Missouri Index to Biographies (search.ancestry.com)
- Annals of the city of Kansas : embracing full details of the trade and commerce of the great western plains, together with stat (search.ancestry.com)
- Clay County, Missouri Wiki (familysearch.org)
- Clay Co. MO Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
- Family History Library (familysearch.org)
- Clay County, Missouri (linkpendium.com)
- Cyndi’s List – United States – Missouri – Counties – Clay (cyndislist.com)
- Clay County Missouri (genealogytrails.com)
- Clay Co. MOGenweb (rootsweb.ancestry.com)
- Clay County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
- Clay Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)
Clay Co. MO Military Records
- Missouri Military Records Research Guide
- Search the Soldiers Database: War of 1812-World War I (sos.mo.gov)
- Missouri Military Records (fold3.com)
Clay Co. MO Schools & Directories
- Missouri State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1881 (search.ancestry.com)
- Kansas City, Missouri City Directories, 1889-91 (search.ancestry.com)