RESOURCES

The Nevada Public Library Genealogy Department

218 West Walnut Street, Nevada, Missouri  64772

Mon., Wed., Fri.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tue., Thu.: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sat.: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Sun. & Holidays: Closed
 

Things you need to know:

--The Nevada Public Library Genealogy Department maintains the largest collection of Vernon County family and local history research materials available anywhere!  New resources are continually added to the Genealogy Department. Access the Nevada Library online card catalog at this link.  Nevada Library books are not included on https://www.worldcat.org.

--Resources are available during regular library hours without charge.

--Resources in the Genealogy Dept. cannot be checked out of the library or borrowed through interlibrary loan. However, a small group of "how-to" books with spine label "G" can be checked out by patrons but are not available for interlibrary loan.

--Library staff cannot conduct lookups for you.

--Please see https://bushwhacker.org/ to request lookups and research from the Vernon County Historical Society.

--The Missouri Newspaper Archives and the Midwest Genealogy Center have interlibrary loan programs of some of their resources. 

Resources in the Nevada Library Genealogy Department are arranged by Dewey numbers.  Please see the charts on the end of the bookshelves.
 

To assist with your research, a few of the thousands of resources available in the Nevada Library Genealogy Department are listed below, and some indexes of various finding aids are available here.

Cemeteries

Information on cemeteries in Vernon Co, MO is at this link. 

An ALL-NEW cemetery directory is being created and will be published in 2023! It will include full names and dates from obituaries and death certificates plus names of parents and spouses for many of the more than 72,000 deaths/burials in Vernon Co. Additionally, a brief source citation for burials will be included.

Census Records

Census records are available online at the Heritage Quest icon on the Nevada Library's website (patron ID card required) and in print, microfilm, and on CD in the Library's Genealogy Dept.  The 1890 Vernon County Veterans and Widows Census is also available.

Church Records

Church of the Nazarene, Nevada, MO Pictorial Directory 1978, 1989, 1994

Glade Springs Baptist Church Records

Moundville Methodist Church Records

Mount Vernon Methodist Church and Cemetery Records

Circuit Court Records 1855-1900

The 1855-1900 Circuit Court packet files have been microfilmed and are available in the Nevada Library Genealogy Department.  Click here for a searchable index to names, cause of action, and case summary in these microfilmed records. The index is a large, searchable 542-page pdf document. A cost estimate to obtain a print or a digital copy of a packet file can be obtained from the Bushwhacker Museum.  There is a wealth of information in these files! 

     Please be aware that the packet files do not usually contain case disposition information. That information requires searching the Circuit Court Record Index Books for the case and then looking up the index entries in the Circuit Court Record Books (of which only a few are available in the Genealogy Department).

     Vernon County government ceased functioning during the Civil War.  Although the Vernon County Courthouse was burned by Federal troops in 1863, the official records were not lost because they had been removed from the area for safekeeping.  The last term of Vernon County court was held June 6, 1861 before the Civil War; and the next term of the county court was held October 17, 1865.    

County Records on Microfilm

Approximately 300 rolls of microfilm of Vernon County and Bates County official records are available in the Nevada Library Genealogy Department.  Click on the county name to see a detailed list of this microfilm.
     Vernon County Probate Records:  A printed every-name index and accompanying 106 rolls of microfilmed records of cases which were processed in Vernon County Probate Court.  On-line searchable Probate Index.

     A list of records on microfilm at the Missouri State Archives for all Missouri counties is at this link: http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/resources 

Death and Burial Records   

Vernon County, Missouri Cemetery Directory 2010

Balltown Cemetery Earliest Records

Deepwood Cemetery Earliest Records

Hackberry Cemetery Earliest Records

Missouri Death Certificate Index 1910-1957

Obituary Card File (about 1985 to present)

Also see Deaths

Directories:  Nevada City and/or Vernon County

Funeral Home Records (links are to the index from the books)

Beeny Brothers Funeral Home Records 1923-1969 (Sheldon, MO) 
Early Nevada Funeral Home Records 1890-1895
Early Nevada Funeral Home Records 1896-1913
Early Nevada Funeral Home Records 1913-1925
Ferry Funeral Home Records 1925-1966 (Nevada, MO)
Hays Funeral Home Records 1918-1970 (Nevada, MO)
Lewis & Son Funeral Home Records, Schell City 1907-1979
Pond Funeral Home Records 1876-1899 (Metz, MO)

Pond Funeral Home Records 1917-1920 (Metz, MO)

Pond Funeral Home Records and Accounts 1896-1920 (Metz, MO)
Waggoner Funeral Home Records 1920-1937 (Harwood, MO)
Waggoner Funeral Home Records 1937-1959 (Harwood, MO)
Wainscott & Gammon Funeral Home Records 1884-1925 (Nevada, MO)

Genealogies

Numerous published genealogies of Vernon County and Southwest Missouri pioneers are available.

History Books of Vernon County, Missouri

1887 History of Vernon County

1911 History of Vernon County Vols. 1 and 2
2005 Sesquicentennial History Book Vols. 1 and 2

Bronaugh: the Town, the Man and his Friends. 2010

Moundville, Missouri 1860-1910. 2005
History of Bronaugh-Moundville. 1988
History of Nevada/Vernon Co. 1955 Centennial
History of Nevada/Vernon Co. 1983
History of Schell City. 1971
History of Schell City. 1997
History of Sheldon. 1981
History of Walker. 1996
Pioneers of the 20th Century. 2000
Various historical sketches and published diaries.

The Missouri State Library Sponsored Project of Missouri County histories online is at http://cdm16795.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/mocohist

Mailing List

A new mailing list has been set up for those researching Vernon Co, MO. Please go to  https://groups.io/g/MO-VERNON and join the MO-VERNON group. This group is to discuss, share or ask questions of a genealogical nature for persons who may have had a life event in Vernon Co, MO.

Maps

Vernon County Ownership or Plat Maps for the following years:

Missouri Road Map

Missouri Atlas and Gazetteer

U.S. Atlas

Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920

Marriage Records

Please see Marriages in navigation panel to the left.

Military Information

Revolutionary War

A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Service with their Names, Ages, and Places

     of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, under the Act for

     Taking the Sixth Census in 1840

Official Register of the Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War.

Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Missouri

A Time for Heroes: The Ancestors' Stories (Missouri DAR submitted stories)

Women Patriots of the American Revolution: A Biographical Dictionary.

Connecticut in the American Revolution: A DAR Source Guide.

Georgia Citizens and Soldiers of the American Revolution.

Massachusetts and Maine in the American Revolution.

New York in the American Revolution: A DAR Source Guide.

North Carolina in the American Revolution: A DAR Source Guide.

Rhode Island in the American Revolution: A DAR Source Guide.

South Carolina in the American Revolution: A DAR Source Guide.

Virginia in the American Revolution: A DAR Source Guide.

Civil War

1890 Missouri Census Index of Civil War Veterans or Their Widows

1890 Vernon Co, Missouri Census of Union Veterans with Index

Amnesty in Missouri

Biographical Register of the Confederate Congress

Burial Places of Veterans of the Civil War, Barton County, Missouri

Bushwhackers of the Border (Civil War)

The Civil War: American Heritage Picture History

Civil War Genealogy

Carthage, Battle of, and Carthage in the Civil War

Confederate Agent: A Discovery in History.

Confederate Organizations, Officers and Posts 1861-1865

Confederate Roll of Honor:  Missouri

Confederate Veteran Magazine Jan 1893 through 1931 (hardbound) and Cumulative Index

Fire and Sword: A Missouri County in the Civil War  (see index HERE)

Hero of the Red River: The Life and Times of Joseph Bailey

Honor Roll of Oregon Grand Army of the Republic 1881-1935

Roster of the Dept of Missouri Grand Army of the Republic 1895

Indiana Civil War Manuscripts, A Guide to

Knights of the Bush (Civil War)

Marching through Georgia: The story of Soldiers & Civilians During Sherman's Campaign

Missouri Military Pensioners 1883, Index to

Missouri's Union Provost Marshal Papers: 1861-1866 (Barton, Bates, Cedar, Barton, St. Clair, and

     Vernon Counties) (printed copy of online index).

Missouri State Guard: The Forgotten Men

Missouri State Guard: More Forgotten Men

Osages, Bushwhackers, Etc. (Civil War)

To Purge This Land with Blood: A Biography of John Brown

Photographic History of the Civil War in Ten Volumes

The Real World 1861 - 1968

Union Civil War Soldiers Buried in Vernon County, MO

Wilson's Creek, Battle of, August 10, 1861 (Civil War)

Wilson's Creek, Battle of, Civil War Series

World War I

World War I - Veterans of Vernon County

U.S. Naval Service, Officers and Enlisted Men Who Died During the World War 1920

World War II

World War II - Veterans of Vernon County (Yearbook style with photographs of most)

First Infantry Regiment in World War II

Eighth Special Stevedore U.S. Naval Construction Battalion 1944 Yearbook

U.S. Naval Construction Eighth Special Battalion Sec III 1943-1945

A Ranger Remembers WW II - Eugene E. Elder

"Mapping was our Mission"  Military History of the 650th Engineer Topographic Battalion During

     WW II Aug 1942 - Apr 1946 from Camp White, Oregon to Japan

Missouri County History Books and Miscellaneous Records

Various marriage, probate, census, and cemetery records from numerous Missouri counties are available in the Genealogy Department.  The following county histories published in the 1880-1890s are available.

If a history book title lists multiple counties, it will be shelved by the name of the first county listed in the title.  Please check the library catalogue or ask staff at the circulation desk for assistance in locating a history book.

Newsletters of the Local Genealogy Society

For several years the local genealogical society published a small monthly newsletter that included transcriptions of obituaries and interesting newspaper stories. In 2022 the Society began again to publish a newsletter!  Links to past newsletters are here.

Newspaper Indices

Click on the link for an index of the various abstracted newspaper books.

Birth & Death Notices from Nevada Newspapers 1883-1893
 

Lamar Democrat Newspaper 1886   A-R   R-Z
Lamar Democrat Newspaper 1887   A-J   J-Z
Lamar Democrat Newspaper 1890
Lamar Democrat Newspaper 1891-1892
Lamar Democrat Newspaper Jan-Feb 1897; Mar-Dec 1898
Lamar Democrat Newspaper 1899
Lamar Democrat Newspaper Jul 1939-Jan 1940

Metz Times Newspaper Oct 1904-1906
Metz Times Newspaper 1908
Metz Times Newspaper 1909-1912
Metz Times Newspaper 1913-1915   A-D   D-K   K-R   R-Z

Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper Oct.-Dec. 1884
Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper 1885
Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper 1888
Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper Nov 1892-Dec 1893   A-L   M-Z
Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper 1894   A-L   M-Z
Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper 1897   A-L   M-Z
Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper 1898   A-L   M-Z
Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper 1900   A-B  B-D  D-G  G-J  J-M  M-P  P-S  S-Z
Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper 1901   A-C   D-J   K-R   S-Z
Nevada Daily Mail Newspaper Oct. 1927-Dec. 1928
Nevada Daily Mail Index of Births, Deaths, Marriages 1939
Nevada Daily Mail Index of Births, Deaths, Marriages 1941
Nevada Daily Mail Index of Births, Deaths, Marriages Jan 1-Aug 11, 1949
 

Nevada Daily Mail on Google News  Enter only month and year in the Date field below the Google search fields. If no issues are shows for the day needed, begin with the previous issue link -- often several days are included at one link.

Nevada Noticer Mar 1888-Feb 1889
Nevada Noticer Feb-Dec 1889
Nevada Noticer Jan 1890-Feb 1891

Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1901-1907   A-K   L-Z
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1908-1910   A-J   K-Z
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1911-1912
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1913-1916   A-G   H-O   P-Z
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1917-1920   A-D   E-L   M-S   T-Z
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1921-1924   A-I   J-Z
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1925-1927   A-L   M-Z
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1928-1931  A-C  C-E  E-H  H-M  M-P  P-S  S-Z
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1932-1935
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1936   A-K   L-Z
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1937
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1938-1940
Sheldon Enterprise Newspaper 1941-1948

Walker Herald 1892-1923

Walker Herald 1924-1926

Walker Herald 1927-1931

_     _     _     _    

Digital Newspapers.  The State Historical Society of Missouri provides digital images of many of the early Missouri newspapers free at the Missouri Newspaper Archives.  The list is arranged alphabetically by county and then by town.  At this search page, you can, for instance, search a surname for a given month and year and by a specific Missouri county. 

Example:   McMullen   Mar 1909   Vernon County, Missouri

The Vernon Co, MO newspapers and approximate dates available (some issues missing) include:

1881   1881     Nevada        Daily Democrat

1899   1900     Nevada        Evening Post

1890   1890     Nevada        Industrial Review

1904   1943     Metz             Metz Times

1893   1893     Nevada        Nevada Daily Democrat

1905   1945     Nevada        Nevada Herald

1886   1894     Nevada        Nevada Noticer

1882   1922     Nevada        Southwest Mail

1922   1944     Nevada        Southwest Mail and Weekly Post

1880   1880     Nevada        Vernon County Democrat

1888   1890     Nevada        Weekly Democrat

1901   1917     Nevada        Weekly Post

Newspaper Microfilm

Bronaugh Journal: Miscellaneous issues Apr 13, 1910 - Jun 21, 1950 (Vernon Co.)
El Dorado Springs Sun: Sep 1895-Dec 1960; some missing (Cedar Co.)
Jerico Springs Optic: Jul 1901-Dec 1937 (Cedar Co.)
Lamar Democrat: Sep 1882-Jul 1973 (Barton Co.)
Metz Times: May 1904-Dec 1943; May 1946-Sep 1977 (Vernon Co.)
Nevada (various papers): 1883 to present, some older issues missing (Vernon Co.)
Schell City Ledger: Jan 1963-Sep 27, 1973 (Vernon Co.)
Schell City News: Apr 1922-Oct 1923, only 4 issues (Vernon Co.)
Sheldon Enterprise: Aug 1901-Nov 1948 (Vernon Co.)
Walker Herald: May 1892-Apr 1931 intermittent issues (Vernon Co.)
For a detailed list of specific issues available, see the Vernon County microfilm list of newspapers.

Queries

Archived queries and message posts from 1996-2010.

Record Loss

Although the Vernon County Courthouse was burned by Federal troops in 1863, the official records were not lost because they had been removed from the area for protection.  Deed Index Book B was lost.

School Information and Yearbooks

Readin' 'Ritin', 'n' 'Rithmetic: The Story of Vernon County's Country Schools (Information on the 131 country schools of Vernon County with many photos and lists of students).
Walker High School "Home of the Purple and Gold."
Various yearbooks for Bronaugh, Metz, Nevada, Northeast Vernon County, St. Francis Academy, Sheldon, and Walker Schools.
Various yearbooks for Cottey College.

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© 2011-2023

Vernon Co, MO County Coordinator

County Coordinator