Interested in doing your family tree but don't know how? Genealogy for Beginners covers everything you need to begin researching your family history or continue a project you've already started.
Archives, Libraries, and Organizations
Midwest Genealogy Center This link opens in a new windowThe Midwest Genealogy Center (MGC) is the largest free-standing genealogy facility in the U.S. and is located in Independence Missouri with a collection of more than 750,000 on-site materials.
Missouri State Archives This link opens in a new windowThe Missouri State Archives is the official repository for state records of permanent and historical value. Its mission is to foster an appreciation of Missouri history and illuminate contemporary public issues by preserving and making available the state's permanent records to its citizens and their government.
Missouri State Genealogical Association This link opens in a new windowThe Missouri State Genealogical Association publishes a quarterly journal featuring transcriptions of Missouri county, church, bible and cemetery records. An index to surnames found in journal volumes covering publication years 1981-2005 is available online.
ACPL Genealogy Center This link opens in a new windowThe Allen County Public Library (ACPL) Genealogy Center provides free genealogy research databases, including other state resources with select Missouri cemetery records.
FamilySearch This link opens in a new windowThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides FamilySearch free of charge to everyone, regardless of tradition, culture, or religious affiliation. FamilySearch resources help millions of people around the world discover their heritage and connect with family members.
SHSMO Newspaper Collection This link opens in a new windowBeginning with the July 26, 1808, issue of the St. Louis Missouri Gazette, SHSMO’s newspaper collection offers researchers a wealth of information about the day-to-day lives of Missourians and the political, cultural, economic, and religious events that have influenced them. The newspaper collection, with titles ranging from rural publications to large metropolitan dailies, now includes more than 72 million pages preserved on microfilm. The dynamic collection continues to grow, with some two hundred current newspapers, from every Missouri county, collected each week.
SHSMO Digital Newspapers This link opens in a new windowThe State Historical Society of Missouri is pleased to present a growing collection of digitized historic newspapers. These images are freely available to the public and are keyword searchable.
Chronicling America This link opens in a new windowSearch America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.
National Archives at Kansas City This link opens in a new windowGenealogy and historical research at Kansas City's branch of the National Archives. Permanent records created by federal agencies and courts for Missouri. Frequently requested items include Leavenworth inmate case files, bankruptcy records, naturalization, and alien (A-Files) case files.
National Archives at St. Louis This link opens in a new windowGenealogy and historical research at St. Louis's branch of the National Archives. Permanent records include Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs), Civilian Conservation Corps Enrollee Records, Selective Service Records, and Deceased Veteran's Claim Files.
National Personnel Records Center This link opens in a new windowThe National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) located in St. Louis, MO is the central repository of personnel-related records for both military and civil service of the U.S. Government. Military records are from WWI to present.
Vital Records
Bureau of Vital Records This link opens in a new windowThe Bureau of Vital Records, within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, provides certified copies of Missouri birth certificates from 1910 to present, and death certificates that are less than fifty years old. Missouri marriages and dissolutions of marriage records are maintained from 1948 to present.
Numerical Identification Files This link opens in a new windowNumerical Identification files (NUMIDENT) are records of social security number (SSN) assigned to individuals with a verified death or who would have been over 110 years old by December 31, 2007. Entries in NUMIDENT may be applications for either SSN, claim, or death record.
Find a Grave This link opens in a new windowFind the graves of ancestors, create virtual memorials, or add photos, virtual flowers and a note to a loved one's memorial. Search or browse cemeteries and grave records for every-day and famous people from around the world.
Military Gravesite Locator This link opens in a new windowSearch the Nationwide Gravesite Locator for burial locations of Veterans and their family members in Veteran Administration national cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for Veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker.
Soldiers' Records: War of 1812 - World War I This link opens in a new windowThe Missouri State Archives holds nearly 1.5 million pages that document the service of Missourians in domestic and foreign wars between 1812 and World War I. These military records primarily consist of individual service cards, but the extensive collection also includes muster rolls, special orders, reports, and more.
Naturalization Records, 1816 - 1955 This link opens in a new windowThe information contained in the naturalization records includes name, native city and/or native country, date of record, court of application (county court, circuit court, Supreme Court), and microfilm location for copy of full entry (reel number, volume and page numbers).
Missouri State Archives: Guide to African American History This link opens in a new windowThe purpose of this Guide to African American History is to bring together in one place - for the first time - the many and varied records available at the Missouri State Archives to document Missouri's black heritage. The records listed here will help increase our collective knowledge regarding the role and importance of African Americans in Missouri history.
Family Search: Native American Online Genealogy Records This link opens in a new windowThese are genealogy links to Native American online databases and indexes that may include birth records, marriage records, death records, biographies, cemeteries, censuses, histories, immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, obituaries, or probate records.