Records that survive
These are the record series from Carter County that the Missouri State Archives has on microfilm, with the office that kept each and the earliest and latest years filmed. A span can include gaps.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriages · Recorder of Deeds1861–1915
- Permanent Record of Births · County Clerk1883–1896
- Permanent Record of Births · Treasurer1883–1891
- Permanent Record of Deaths · County Clerk1883–1891
- Permanent Record of Deaths · Treasurer1883–1891
- Register of Births And Stillbirths · County Clerk1883–1891
- Register of Births & Still Births · Treasurer1884–1891
- Register of Births and Still Births · County Clerk1884
- Marriages · Recorder1906–2017
- Elections Death and Felony · County Clerk1983–2003
Deeds and land
- Index to Deeds · Recorder1837–1979
- Index to Deeds · Recorder of Deeds1837–2012
- Deeds · Recorder of Deeds1845–1904
- Land & Personal Tax Book · Collector1875–1920
- Surveyor Records · Recorder of Deeds1882–2016
- Surveyor's Record · Recorder1882–1903
- Plat Books · Recorder1887–2019
- Plat Books · Recorder of Deeds1887–1977
- Road Record · Surveyor1901–1916
- Index to Liens · Recorder of Deeds1902–2001
- Returns & Plats of Sub-Districts · Surveyor1903–1905
- Returns and Plats of Sub- · County Clerk1903–1905
- Surveyors Records · Surveyor1904–2019
- Land Tax Books · Collector1918–1931
- and 42 more series in the full listing
Wills and estates
- Probate Court Records · County Clerk1859
- Probate Records · Probate Court1859–1922
- Bonds · Probate Court1861–1891
- Probate Bonds · Probate Court1861–1901
- Wills · County Clerk1872–1963
- Estate of Benjamin Carter Fr. · Probate Court1875–1888
- Probate Affidavit of Publication · Probate Court1876–1901
- Inventories and Appraisments of · County Clerk1879
- Inventories · Probate Court1879–1888
- Probate Account of Estate · Probate Court1879–1891
- Wills · Probate Court1879–1963
- Probate Settlement Record · Probate Court1883–1891
- Settlements · Probate Court1883–1891
- Probate Court Record · Probate Court1888–1987
- and 15 more series in the full listing
Military and pensions
- Index to Discharges · Recorder1916–1965
- Index to Discharges · Recorder of Deeds1916–1965
- Military Discharges · Recorder1917–1976
Tax records
- County Warrants · Collector1861–1906
- Judgement Book · Collector1875
- Assessment Book · Collector1883–1916
- School Tax Book · Collector1902–1921
- Back Tax Books · Collector1903–1990
- Tax Book · Collector1903–1915
- Assessment Book, 1905 · County Clerk1905
- Assessment Book, 1907 · County Clerk1907
- Warrant Register · Collector1907–1953
- Railroad Tax Book · Collector1910–1948
- Register of Warrants · Collector1915–1935
- Tax Book · County Clerk1915
- Back Tax · Collector1916–1929
- Back Taxes, 1916-1920 · County Clerk1916–1920
- and 67 more series in the full listing
Court records
- County Court Records · County Clerk1859–1993
- Official Records · Recorder1859–2006
- Judgement Record Magistrate · Magistrate Court1861–1873
- Circuit Clerk Paper · Circuit Court1866–1976
- Circuit Court Record · Circuit Court1866–1976
- Circuit Court Records · Circuit Court1866–1976
- Circuit Court Case File Index · Circuit Court1867–1900
- Circuit Court Case Files · Circuit Court1867–1900
- Execution Docket · Circuit Court1871–1953
- Circuit Court Docket · Circuit Court1873–1985
- Special Execution Record · Circuit Court1873–1874
- County Court Minutes · County Clerk1875–1977
- Bar Docket · Circuit Court1878–1919
- Circout Court Record · Circuit Court1879–1880
- and 76 more series in the full listing
Schools
- School District Record · Superintendent Of Schools1930–1949
- School District · Superintendent Of Schools1930–1940
- Winona School Membership · County Clerk2011–2012
Other records
- County Warrants · County Clerk1861
- Strays · County Clerk1861–1903
- Unidentified Book · County Clerk1861–1890
- Warrant Register · County Clerk1861–1951
- Record of Proceedings of the · County Clerk1875
- Carter County Vacation · County Clerk1882
- Auditor Book, 1883 · County Clerk1883
- Justice Transcript · Justice Of The Peace1884
- Register of Warrants · Treasurer1884–1923
- Record of Right of Way · County Clerk1888–1921
- Shorthand Notebook 1897 · County Clerk1897
- 1990 Budget · County Clerk1900–1990
- Record of Money Received and · County Clerk1901
- Record of Proceedings · County Clerk1903–2001
- and 189 more series in the full listing
Open the full roll-by-roll listing (PDF)
Source: Missouri State Archives, Guide to County and Municipal Records on Microfilm. Recorder of deeds records dated 1970 or later must be requested from the county. Counties kept birth and death registers under an 1883 law until its repeal in 1893, with coverage varying by county; statewide registration began in 1910.
Where to find the records
- Find Carter County's official website
We haven't checked this county's website yet, so this opens a web search. Look for an address ending in .gov, then find the recorder of deeds, the probate court and the circuit clerk.
- The recorder of deeds
Deeds and mortgages, and marriage records, usually from the county's beginning. Licenses were required from 1881; earlier books record the marriages themselves.
- The probate court
Wills, estates, guardianships and curatorships. Since 1979 it has been the probate division of the circuit court.
- The circuit clerk
Civil and criminal cases, divorces and, in many counties, naturalizations.
- The Missouri State Archives
In Jefferson City: microfilm of county records from Missouri's counties and the City of St. Louis, and free online databases, including death certificates from 1910 that are more than 50 years old.
- Missouri State Archives: Carter County records on microfilm (PDF)free
Every roll the state archives holds for this county, with the office, title, dates and reel number.
- Missouri Death Certificates, 1910–1975free
Search the Missouri State Archives' death certificate index by name and view the certificates.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Missouri, Carter" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Ripley County, Shannon County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Ripley County, Shannon County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1859, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Missouri's probate files often hold far more than a will: inventories, sale bills listing the buyers (often relatives and neighbors) and the receipts of heirs. Check the circuit court too, where heirs went to divide land.