Pulaski County Genealogy Records

Pulaski County genealogy records are maintained at the Recorder of Deeds and the Circuit Clerk in Waynesville, Missouri. The county was organized in January 1833 and named for Casimir Pulaski, a Polish general who served in the American Revolution. Land records go back to 1833, and while marriage records begin from 1903, court and probate files run from 1833 and 1834. Fort Leonard Wood sits in Pulaski County, which means military family history research here often intersects with federal records held at the National Archives in St. Louis.

Pulaski County Recorder of Deeds

The Pulaski County Recorder of Deeds is located at 301 Historic 66 E in Waynesville, phone 573-774-4755. Land records here go back to 1833, covering more than 190 years of property transactions in the county. For genealogists, land records are useful for tracing where a family lived, when they arrived, and when they left or passed property to heirs. Marriage records, however, only start from 1903, so researchers looking for 19th-century marriages may need to look at church records, newspaper archives, or county histories for earlier dates.

Standard Missouri recording fees apply: $24 for the first page and $3 per additional page. Document copies cost $1.00 per page. New marriage licenses cost $46.00 and are valid for 30 days anywhere in Missouri. The office also holds military discharge records for veterans who filed them, and those papers can supply important details about service history for 20th-century family research.

Note: The gap in marriage records before 1903 is a known limitation for Pulaski County. County histories and church records may help bridge that gap for earlier marriages.

Pulaski County Court and Probate Records

The Pulaski County Circuit Clerk holds court records from 1833 and probate records from 1834. Court files include divorce cases, civil suits, and naturalization documents. Probate records are especially useful for genealogy because they list heirs by name and describe how an estate was divided. Finding a probate file for an ancestor in Pulaski County can confirm children, spouses, and sometimes grandchildren who are not named in any other official record.

For cases filed on or after November 12, 2003, the free online tool Missouri Case.net gives access to Pulaski County court records by name or case number. For older records, an in-person visit to the courthouse in Waynesville is required. The Pulaski County Circuit Clerk can also respond to written requests with copies of specific documents at standard rates.

Because Fort Leonard Wood has been a major military installation since World War II, Pulaski County has an unusually high number of residents with military connections. Naturalization petitions filed before 1906 are stored at the courthouse and may include the country of origin for immigrant ancestors who settled here. The National Archives at St. Louis, located at 1 Archives Drive, phone 314-801-0800, holds military personnel records and federal naturalization files relevant to Pulaski County residents.

Vital Records in Pulaski County

The Pulaski County Health Department holds local birth certificates from 1920 and death certificates from 1980. Certified copies require a valid photo ID and proof of eligibility. Birth certificates cost $15.00 per copy. For statewide vital records, contact the Missouri Bureau of Vital Records at (573) 751-6387 in Jefferson City. Certified copies there also cost $15.00 each.

The Pulaski County Clerk kept some birth and death records from 1883 through 1893, though coverage was incomplete during that period. Death records from 1910 through 1969 for Pulaski County residents are available free at Missouri Digital Heritage. The database covers more than 9 million statewide records and is searchable by name without any fee or login requirement. This is usually the best free first step for researching a death in Pulaski County during that time window.

Pulaski County Genealogy Research

The Pulaski County Historical Society at P.O. Box 275 in Waynesville, MO 65583, maintains records for the county's history and may hold family files, cemetery transcriptions, and donated genealogy materials. The Society focuses on local history that intersects with military history given the county's long connection to Fort Leonard Wood.

The Old Stagecoach Stop in Waynesville, phone (573) 433-9911, is a historic site that preserves documents and objects from the early settlement period. For researchers with ancestors who passed through or settled in this part of the Ozarks in the mid-1800s, the Old Stagecoach Stop may hold records that complement what is available at the courthouse.

Published county histories are another key tool. "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent counties" from 1889 includes biographical sketches and family details for early residents of these central Missouri counties. Copies of this work are available at research libraries and through Missouri Digital Heritage's digitized book collections.

The Pulaski County MOGenWeb page provides free transcribed records, family histories, and links to local genealogy sources.

MOGenWeb volunteers maintain county pages across Missouri with free records and links to local archives, making it a strong starting point for any Pulaski County family research.

Online Records for Pulaski County

Missouri Digital Heritage is the primary free online resource for Pulaski County genealogy records. It holds death certificates from 1910 to 1969, pre-1910 birth and death records, and digitized land records. The Missouri State Archives holds microfilm of Pulaski County records and staff can help identify what is available. FamilySearch at familysearch.org covers Pulaski County in every federal census from 1840 through 1940 and has some indexed probate and court records from the 1800s.

For military genealogy, the National Archives at St. Louis holds millions of military personnel records and federal civilian personnel files. Many veterans who were stationed at Fort Leonard Wood and later settled in Pulaski County may have records accessible through the National Archives request process. The Archives website at archives.gov explains how to submit a records request for military files.

The Missouri State Genealogical Association publishes guides and connects researchers with Pulaski County resources. The State Historical Society of Missouri holds newspapers and county history books relevant to the area.