Cass County MOGenWeb

Vital Records

 

If you need to find records in Cass County, you will need to know what time frame you are looking for.

Either: Records before 1910, or after 1910

Available at the Missouri State Archives

The first provision for state-wide registration of births and deaths was enacted July 1, 1883, when the State Board of Health was created for the supervision of such registrations. The act concerning birth and death registration was repealed in 1893 and registration ceased until 1910.

The Archives has available for research over 250 rolls of microfilm of birth and death records from this period. Researchers should be aware that counties that kept records during this brief period vary in the number of years the records were maintained because there was no requirement that parents or professional attendants to send in information for recording.

CASS COUNTY, PERMANENT RECORD OF BIRTHS 1883-1898 Vol. 1
microfilm C 22925, C 1504

Permanent record of births: A permanent record of births, giving the name of child, date and place of birth, sex, and race; nationality, residence, and ages of parents, occupation and full name of father, maiden name of mother, name and address of medical or other attendant making return; in case of stillbirth, name of undertaker and place of burial. Arranged alphabetically by surname of the child.

CASS COUNTY, REGISTER OF BIRTHS/STILLBIRTHS 1883-1898 Vol. 1
microfilm C 22925,C 1504

Register of births and stillbirths: A register of births and stillbirths, giving name of child, date and place of birth, sex, and race; nationality, residence, and ages of parents, occupation and full name of father, maiden name of mother, name and address of medical or other attendant making return; in case of stillbirth, name of undertaker and place of burial. Arranged chronologically by date filed.

CASS COUNTY, PERMANENT RECORD OF DEATHS 1883-1898 Vol. 1
microfilm C 22925,C 1504

Permanent record of deaths: A permanent record of death, giving date of report, name, sex, color, age, occupation, marital status, nationality, birthplace; date, place, and cause of death; date and place of burial, addresses of undertaker, physician returning certificate. Arranged alphabetically by surname of deceased.

Register of deaths: A record showing date of report, name, sex, color, age, occupation, marital status, nationality, birthplace; date, place, and cause of death; date and place of burial, addresses of undertaker, physician returning certificate. Arranged alphabetically by surname of deceased. Arranged chronologically by date filed.

CASS COUNTY:
INDEX TO MARRIAGES AB-1836-1872, microfilm C 1499
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol D, 1871-1879, microfilm C 1499
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol E, 1879-1892, microfilm C 1499
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol 01, 1881-1886, microfilm C 1500
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol 02, 1886-1890, microfilm C 1500
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol 03, 1890-1894, microfilm C 1501
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol 04, 1894-1897, microfilm C 1501
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol 05, 1897-1902, microfilm C 1502
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol 06, 1902-1907, microfilm C 1502
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol 07, 1907-1911, microfilm C 1503
INDEX TO MARRIAGES vol 08, 1911-1918, microfilm C 1503

Index to marriage record: Gives name of contracting parties, date filed, volume and page where recorded. May include license number for later years. Usually arranged alphabetically by surname of groom and then alphabetically by surname of bride.

Marriage record: Record of marriages performed, giving name and residence of contracting parties, date of marriage, signature of party officiating, date of filing, and certificate of recorder. Arranged chronologically by date filed. Parental consent in noted for parties under age, but the name of the parent consenting is rarely given. Later records include marriage license and certificate of marriage.

Application for marriage licenses: Applications for license to marry, showing date, names, residences, and ages of contracting parties, consent of parent or guardian of minor, and signatures of applicants.

Register of marriage licenses: Record of certificates of marriages performed and marriage licenses issued and returns on same, giving names, ages, witnesses person officiating, residences of both parties, name and address of parent or guardian, and date and place of ceremony. Arranged chronologically.

Negro and Colored marriage record: Record of marriages of persons of color, held as slaves in the State of Missouri prior to 1865 and who lived together as husband and wife. Gives name of parties, date and place of ceremony, certificate of officer performing ceremony, names of living children and of descendants of deceased children of the parties born before the ceremony of marriage, and date recorded. Arranged chronologically by date filed and usually indexed within the volume. If not listed separately, Negro marriages are included in the MARRIAGE RECORD, noted above.

Online searchable database from the State Archives. Searchable by first & last name, county, & by year & month. Some scanned images of the certificates are available for viewing.
Missouri Birth & Death Records Database, Pre-1910
Online searchable databases from the State Archives.
County Births & Stillbirths Listing
Death Records Search Results
Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1955
County Death Certificate Listing

Contact the archives to learn more about researching the birth and death records at:

Missouri State Archives
600 W. Main, P.O. Box 1747
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Telephone: (573) 751-3280
E-mail: [email protected]

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Birth and Death Records after 1909, Marriages & Divorces July 1, 1948 to present.

The present law for registering births and deaths statewide took effect on August 16, 1909 as a function of the State Board of Health. It was the duty of the board to prepare the necessary methods and forms for obtaining and preserving such records to insure the faithful registration of the same in the central bureau of vital statistics at the State Capitol. Copies of birth or death records filed after 1909 may be obtained from the Missouri Department of Health.

The Bureau of Vital Statistics has certificates of Missouri births and deaths from 1910 to the present with some delayed filings prior to this date.

In person: Bureau of Vital Statistics
930 Wildwood
Jefferson City, MO 65109

By mail: Bureau of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Make your check or money order payable to Missouri Department of Health. Do not send cash. Allow approximately two weeks for processing and receipt.

at you will need to obtain a copy of a Birth Certificate:

  • Photo ID of the Applicant (person obtaining certificate), if no photo ID, then two forms of ID from credible sources with your name
  • Cost - $15 Cash or Check made out to CCHD
  • Birth Application

All Death Certificate requests should include the following information:

  • Photo ID of the Applicant (Person obtaining certificate), if no photo ID, then two forms of ID from credible sources with your name.
  • Cost - $13 Cash or Check for the first copy, $10 for each additional copy.
  • Death Application

Certified copies of most Missouri birth and death records are also available from local county health departments or the St. Louis City or Kansas City Health Departments. For further details please contact these offices directly.

To obtain a Birth/Death Certificates online:
Go to http://www.vitalchek.com/


Marriages & Divorces July 1, 1948 to present.

The Bureau of Vital Records can provide a certified statements of marriage and dissolution of marriage which have occurred in Missouri from July 1, 1948 to the present. Information prior to this date may be obtained for marriages from the Recorder of Deeds of the county that issued the license and dissolution of marriages from the Circuit Clerk of the county that issued the decree.

A certified copy of the actual license or decree can ONLY be obtained from that appropriate Recorder or Circuit Clerk's office. You may obtain a certified statement by:

Writing to Vital Records, PO Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102
All requests should include the following information:

  • First, middle and last name of the bride and groom (include the maiden last name of the bride)
  • County issuing the license or decree
  • Date or approximate date the marriage or divorce decree occurred