Find Worth County Genealogy Records

Worth County genealogy records are held at the courthouse in Grant City and date from 1861, when the county was organized from Gentry County. Named for Mexican War general William J. Worth, this is Missouri's smallest county by population. Marriage records begin in 1862 and land records in 1861. The Recorder of Deeds and Circuit Clerk in Grant City are the primary sources for genealogy research, and statewide databases, the Worth County Historical Society, and MOGenWeb round out what is available for researchers tracing families in this small northwest Missouri county.

Worth County Recorder of Deeds

The Worth County Recorder of Deeds is at PO Box 500, Grant City, MO 64456, phone 660-564-2217. Marriage records begin in 1862 and land records go back to 1861. The county was organized on February 8, 1861, from Gentry County, so the earliest documents in this office date almost to the county's founding. The Recorder holds marriage licenses, warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, and subdivision plats.

In a small county like Worth, the same family names appear throughout the marriage and land records across multiple generations. Many families who arrived in the 1860s and 1870s stayed for decades, and their names run through the deed books, marriage indexes, and probate files in predictable patterns. Land records in particular reveal long family ownership chains. When one family name appears as buyer, seller, and witness across a span of deeds, that pattern often reflects close family ties or a multigenerational presence in the county. Military discharge records (DD-214 forms) for veterans are also on file at the Recorder's office.

Standard Missouri recording fees apply: $24 for the first page and $3 for each additional page. Document copies cost $1.00 per page. Marriage licenses cost $46.00 and require both parties to appear with valid photo ID and a Social Security number. Licenses are valid for 30 days anywhere in Missouri. There is no waiting period.

Note: Call 660-564-2217 before visiting to confirm current office hours. As Missouri's smallest county by population, the office may keep limited hours.

Worth County Court Records

The Worth County Circuit Clerk maintains court records for the 4th Judicial Circuit. The courthouse is in Grant City. Court and divorce records begin in 1862, and probate records also start in 1862. Worth County has always had a small population, which means probate files often represent well-known local families. Probate records name heirs, list property, and document how estates were divided. When an ancestor died in Worth County, the probate file may name all of their children, which is especially valuable in a small county where families appear repeatedly in every record type.

Civil court records from Worth County include debt cases, land disputes, and guardianship proceedings. Because the county's population was small, the people named in court cases were typically well-known to each other, and many were related. Divorce records name both parties and may include information about children. Naturalization records for any immigrant families who settled in Worth County are also held by the Circuit Clerk.

For cases filed after November 12, 2003, search Missouri Case.net for free online access. Older records are at the Grant City courthouse or can be requested by mail from the Worth County Circuit Clerk.

Note: Worth County has no major courthouse disaster on record. Genealogy records from 1861 onward are generally intact.

Vital Records in Worth County

The Worth County Health Department holds local vital records. Birth certificates are available from 1920 and death certificates from 1980. Certified copies require valid photo ID and eligible requestor status. Birth certificate copies cost $15.00 each. Death certificates are typically $14.00 for the first copy and $11.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.

The County Clerk maintained birth and death records from 1883 to 1894. Coverage was incomplete because statewide registration was not yet required. These records are still worth checking for Worth County ancestors from that period. The Missouri Bureau of Vital Records at 930 Wildwood Dr., Jefferson City, (573) 751-6387, handles statewide requests at $15.00 per certified copy.

The free Missouri Digital Heritage database covers death certificates statewide from 1910 through 1969. More than 9 million records are indexed at no cost. If an ancestor died in Worth County during that period, you can often find their death certificate online without any fee or formal request.

Worth County Research Resources

The Worth County Historical Society in Grant City, MO 64456, holds local history materials including photographs, church records, and donated family papers. In a county as small as Worth, the Historical Society often holds the primary repository for community memory. Local materials that never made it into official records, such as church membership lists, cemetery notebooks, and personal correspondence, may be held there. A call or visit to Grant City is worth the effort for any serious Worth County genealogy project.

The Worth County MOGenWeb page is a free volunteer genealogy resource with contributed family histories, cemetery records, and transcribed documents for this northwest Missouri county.

MOGenWeb pages for small Missouri counties like Worth often hold cemetery transcriptions and surname files that are the primary online resource for the area.

Federal census records are an important tool for Worth County genealogy. The county was formed in 1861, so the earliest census capturing Worth County residents separately is the 1870 federal census. Before that, residents appeared in Gentry County records. FamilySearch holds free census indexes for Worth County from 1870 through 1940. The 1870 and 1880 censuses are especially useful for establishing the founding families of the county. The State Historical Society of Missouri holds newspaper archives covering northwest Missouri, including the Grant City area, where old newspapers ran birth, death, and marriage notices for Worth County residents.

Online Records for Worth County

Missouri Digital Heritage holds death certificates from 1910 to 1969, pre-1910 birth and death records, land records, and military records for Worth County. No account or fee is required. The Missouri State Archives holds microfilm of Worth County records and can help identify what is available for specific record types and time periods before you plan a research trip or mail request.

FamilySearch at familysearch.org holds indexed census records for Worth County from 1870 through 1940. Missouri mortality schedules from 1870 and 1880 list residents who died in the year before each census. These are free to search and worth checking for any Worth County ancestor who died in those years. The first census that covers Worth County as a separate entity is 1870, so that is the starting point for most census-based research in the county.

The Missouri State Genealogical Association connects researchers with county societies across Missouri. For northwest Missouri research, MOSGA can direct you to the right local contacts and may have published material on Worth County families in their quarterly journals.

Note: Worth County courthouse records are intact from 1861 onward with no major fire or flood losses on record.