St. Louis Family History Guide Overview
In this essential new book, Certified GenealogistSM and ninth-generationSt. Louisan Ann Carter Fleming shares her knowledge of St. Louis records and repositories containing clues to your heritage. From census to cemetery, Ann shows you how, why, and where to access the
information you need to discover your history.
Click the chapter titles at left
for details about each chapter.
History
Successful St. Louis research hinges on understanding the historical evolution of the city and county. Read how and why the jurisdictional boundaries changed and where records can be found today.
You'll learn about:
- St. Louis County — Before 1877
- St. Louis County — After 1876
- St. Louis City — After 1876
- St. Louis Post Offices
- Neighboring Counties
- Historical Resources
St. Louis City Neighborhoods
Many individual neighborhoods in St. Louis City have an ethnic or regional focus. Locally, the community uses regional terms to distinguish the City areas. In this chapter, a city neighborhood map helps you discover the many different St. Louis City areas.
You'll learn about:
- The St. Louis City Flag
- Benton Park
- Carondelet
- Central West End
- Downtown
- Fairgrounds
- Lafeyette
- Old North St. Louis
- And a dozen other communities!
Communities & Neighborhoods
St. Louis County has more than 500 square miles of land, as compared to about 70 square miles for the City of St. Louis. With the same boundary lines, in 1876 the City had the majority of the residents with only a sparse population in St. Louis County. In this chapter, municipality and county boundary maps accompany the area
descriptions to help you understand
the history.
You'll learn about:
- Bridgeton
- Concord Village
- Creve Coeur
- Florissant
- Kirkwood
- Mattese
- Riverview
- Valley Park
- And over 50
other communities!
Research Facilities
Learn how to efficently utilize local St. Louis respositories where important documents have been stored.
You'll learn about:
- St. Louis Government Centers
- Research Repositories
- Family History Centers
- Repositories Outside St. Louis
- Religious Repositories
- National Archives &
Records Administration - National Park Service
- Adjoining Counties
Academia
St. Louis has a strong educational community with public and private schools, ranging from kindergarten to graduate school. Learn how to access and utilize educational resources. The school district map serves in conjunction with the neighborhood maps to help identify educational institutions where information about your
ancestors might be found.
You'll learn about:
- How to use educational records
in your research - 20 different colleges and universities
- 74 different high schools
Atlases, Gazetteers, & Maps
Atlases, gazetteers, and maps are essential tools in genealogical research. Find out what tools are available for St. Louis City and County and where to find them.
You'll learn about:
- Atlas of the City and County of St. Louis,
by Congressional Townships - Atlas of the City of St. Louis, 1905
- Historical Atlas of Missouri
- A Directory of Towns, Villages, and
Hamlets Past and Present of
St. Louis County, Missouri - Online maps
- And more!
Biographical Sources
Discover important biographical sources that can help you with your
St. Louis research. While looking for new clues about your direct-line ancestors and collateral lines, do not overlook any possibilities.
You'll learn about:
- Historical Women of St. Louis
- Historical Men of St. Louis
- First Families of St. Louis
- Pageant & Masque of St. Louis
- Who’s Who in Missouri
- And more!
Birth & Adoption Records
The Missouri Board of Health began statewide registration of births and deaths in 1883. In 1893, the legislature repealed the law because compliance was low since the registration was not mandatory. Learn more about these and other important fact surrounding the history and availability of St. Louis birth and adoption records.
You'll learn about:
- Birth Records
- Adoption Records
- Baptismal Records
- Bible Records
Business, Occupation & Society Sources
Starting with the fur trading business in the 1700s, St. Louisans have had a wide variety of occupations extending from the shoe manufacturing and steamboat operations to the current day beer and aircraft production. Bring history to life when you learn how your St. Louis ancestors lived.
You'll learn about:
- River Related Businesses
- St. Louis Businesses and Commerce
- Governmental Positions
- Trades and Occupations
- Genealogical & Historical Societies
- Lineage Societies
- St. Louis Clubs & Societies
Cemeteries in St. Louis
Cemetery research can be a very rewarding part of family research and can often provide important clues to vital information. Use the City and County Cemetery Map and list of cemeteries in this chapter to discover 446
St. Louis City and County cemeteries where your ancestors may have been buried.
You'll learn about:
- Cemetery indexes
- Neighborhood indexes
- Cemetery histories
- Online resources
- Additional resources
Census: Federal, State, & Local
Census records are the border of your genealogical jigsaw puzzle. Learn how and where to access important St. Louis census resources including territorial censuses, agricultural schedules, industrial schedules, mortality schedules, slave schedules, veteran's schedules, and more.
You'll learn about:
- Reading and understanding the records
- Federal Population Schedules
- Federal Special Schedules
- Missouri State and Territorial Censuses
- City of St. Louis Census Records
- City Ward Maps
Death Certificates, Funeral Homes, & Coroner Records
The state of Missouri started issuing death certificates in 1910. Prior to that, St. Louis had a death register starting in 1850. Burial permits began in 1882. Find out when, where, and by whom important vital records were created, where these records are kept today,
and how to use these records effectively.
You'll learn about:
- Death records
- Burial Permits
- Religious Records
- Social Security Death Index
- Funeral Homes
- Death Notices
- Coroner Records
Directories: City, County, & Social
City or county directories provide a year-by-year address for residents of large metropolitan areas. The directories usually provide the resident’s name, address, and occupation. Learn about 320 sources for directory information including Polk, Gould, Bakers, Kennedy, and other directories, and where to find them.
You'll learn about:
- City Directories
- Business Directories
- Commercial Directories
- County Directories
- Street Directories
- Criss-Cross Directories
- Phone books
- Red books
- And more!
Ethnic Records
The river brought people from all walks of life to St. Louis. In this chapter, you'll discover the many types of ethnic records available for your St. Louis ancestors and how to find them.
You'll learn about:
- African American
- Bohemian-Czech
- Chinese
- Creole
- French
- German
- Irish
- Italian
- Jewish
- Polish
- Scandinavian
- Scots
Government Records: Courts, Elections & Tax Records
Court records come from different types of courts and different levels of government. They may be federal, state, county, or city records. Different locations house each type of court record. In this chapter you'll learn how to navigate the confusing maze of St. Louis City
and County government records.
You'll learn about:
- Legal vocabulary
- St. Louis court systems
- Federal, State, Circuit,
County and City jurisdictions - Election records
- Tax records
- Office of the County Clerk
- Recorder of Deeds
- Voter registration
- And more!
Historic Homes, Museums & Parks
St. Louis has many interesting and noteworthy homes, museums, and parks full of history. Perhaps your ancestor lived in one of these historic homes or visited the museums or parks. This chapter shows you how and where to find information about historic museums, parks and homes.
You'll learn about:
- 28 Historic St. Louis locations
- Old St. Louis Courthouse
- The Old Post Office
- Historic Buildings
- Information about Historic Homes
- Museums & Buildings
- Parks
Institutions
Various types of institutions produce records on a daily basis. These records are of interest to genealogists and may help determine the lifestyle of one or more of your ancestors. Some of these records are available to the public; however, others are closed. This chapter helps you utilize records from hospitals, orphanages,
prisons, and other institutions.
You'll learn about:
- Selected lists of St. Louis hospitals
and dispensaries - Selected lists of different orphanages
and homes - Prisons
Land: Deeds, Grants, & Patents
Land records are a very valuable genealogical source and are often underutilized. Land records may provide the names of various family members and even prove kinship between parents, children, and sometimes grandchildren. This chapter will help you find and maximize these critical resources.
You'll learn about:
- French and Spanish Land Grants
- Missouri Land Patents, 1831–1969
- St. Louis County Land Records,
1804–1876 - St. Louis City Land Records,
1877–Present - St. Louis County Land Records,
1877–Present
Marriage & Divorce Records
Marriage laws have been in effect since the Louisiana Purchase and the territorial days. Prior to 1825 the Superior Court of Missouri granted divorces. Since 1825, Missouri law authorizes the Circuit Clerk’s office to process divorce cases for residents of a given county. Learn the laws and resulting paperwork surrounding St. Louis
marriages and divorces.
You'll learn about:
- Recorder of Deeds Office
- Circuit Court Office
- St. Louis City Hall
- African American Marriages
- St. Louis County Records
- St. Louis City Records
Migration, Immigration, & Naturalization
St. Louis is and was the home of many families from foreign lands. Some of those pioneers sailed to this country and moved directly to St. Louis. Other St. Louis citizens migrated from other states, perhaps with earlier generations living in the United States. Understanding migration, immigration, and naturalization records is key
to unlocking their histories.
You'll learn about:
- Migration
- Immigration
- Passenger Lists
- Naturalization
- Pre-September 1906 Records
- Post-September 1906
Federal Records - Passports
Military Events & Records
Most of us have a family member who served in the military, perhaps as far back as the American Revolution. This chapter will help you understand the history of military conflicts and how to find resulting records.
You'll learn about:
- Colonial Wars (Pre-1776)
- American Revolution (1776–1783)
- War of 1812 (1812–1815)
- Indian Wars (1832–1837)
- Mexican War (1847–1849)
- Civil War (1861–1865)
- Post Civil War Records
- Spanish-American War (1898–1902)
- Philippine Insurrection (1899–1902)
- World War I (1916–1918)
- World War II (1941–1945)
- Subsequent Wars
Newspapers in St. Louis
Newspaper research can be very rewarding as articles throughout a newspaper can provide clues and helpful information to genealogists. While not every fact may be accurate, it is information contemporary to the event. Newspaper advertisements provide a glimpse into the past including clothes, furniture, automobiles,
weather, and travel. Perhaps your ancestor
owned a business that advertised in the
newspaper. The classified ads offer
information about real estate and
businesses.
You'll learn about:
- Newspaper Indexes
- Over 200 different St. Louis
Newspapers and where to find them
Religions in St. Louis
Religious records can provide family information about baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and deaths. Membership lists, minute books, and other organizational records can also provide additional family clues. Learn where to find these important records.
You'll learn about:
- Baptist
- Catholic
- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
- Congregational
- Episcopal
- Evangelical
- Jewish
- Lutheran
- Methodist
- Presbyterian
- United Church of Christ
- Other Religious
Congregations
Wills & Probate Records
Wills and probate records often contain proof of kinship to the deceased’s individual spouse, children, and sometimes grandchildren; location of current and previous residence; and the value of the estate, often with a list of the household goods.
You'll learn about:
- Probate vocabulary
- St. Louis County Before 1877
- St. Louis County After 1876
- St. Louis City After 1876
- Will Books
- Probate Records
