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Research Facilities
Clay County Archives and Historical Library.
The Clay County Archives is the best source of genealogical information in the county. Located just two blocks from the courthouse, it is a nonprofit organization staffed and run by volunteers. The Archives has been entrusted with many county records, especially probate files, as well as other records up to the early 1900s. They have census records, some on paper, all on microfilm. They also have old local newspapers on microfilm. For complete information on holdings, location, and hours, see the organization's web site at www.qni.com/~ccarch.
Clay County Courthouse.
The courthouse is still the source for deeds, court records, and most documents created after the early 1900s. The best advice is to check with the Clay County Archives first; if they don't have what you're looking for, they'll know who to refer you to at the courthouse.
William Jewell College library.
Located within walking distance from the courthouse and the Archives, Curry Library at William Jewell College has historical microfilm of the town's newspapers, the Liberty Tribune and the Liberty Advance. The microfilm readers at the library are terrible -- in particular, the screens are too small, so you have to pan every page of the newspaper -- but they have printer attachments. More importantly, the library is open most nights until midnight, so you can read old newspapers until you drop. The library also houses archival records for William Jewell College, but since the administration building burned in 1913 after having been hit by lightning, many of the early records are lost. Nevertheless, the archives librarian is quite helpful in helping you find extant records for relatives who attended William Jewell in the early days.
Partee Center for Baptist Historical Studies.
Housed within the library at William Jewell College is the Partee Center for Baptist Historical Studies. In particular, the center has minutes of annual meetings for most Baptist Associations in Missouri. If you know the name of a Missouri church, its location, and a time period you're interested in, the archivist can help you find what District Association the church was in at the time and can retrieve often-helpful minutes from the annual meetings. The Center also has files on many Missouri Baptist churches, as well as biographical files. If you're hunting down information on Baptist preachers in Missouri, the old issues of Word and Way are a treasure trove -- although you have to go through them page by page. The Center's archivist, Angela Stiffler, is extremely helpful; talk to her before you make your visit, and then follow her advice once you get there.
[Contributed by John W. Wilbanks 15 Oct 2000 10:00pm; last modified 16 Oct 2000 8:00am]
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