Franklin County Obituary Records

Franklin County obituary records are held at the courthouse in Union, through the local health department, and at the Missouri State Archives in Jefferson City. The county seat is Union, and local offices there keep death records going back to 1883. If you need a recent death certificate or want to trace an older obituary from a Franklin County newspaper, several offices and online tools can help. This page walks through each source so you know where to look and what to expect when searching for Franklin County obituary information.

Franklin County Courthouse Records

The Franklin County Courthouse sits at Courthouse Square, PO Box 311, Union, MO 63084. You can call at 314-583-6355. The County Clerk holds birth records from 1883 to 1892 and death records from 1883 to 1887. These are the earliest vital records kept at the local level in Franklin County before statewide registration took hold. The Recorder of Deeds has marriage and land records going back to 1819, which makes Franklin County one of the older record-keeping counties in Missouri.

The Clerk of Circuit Court keeps divorce records. The Probate Judge has probate records from 1819. There is no known record loss at the Franklin County Courthouse, so historical obituary research here tends to be productive. If you are looking for old death records or burial information, the probate and land files can fill in gaps that vital records alone might miss.

Note: Franklin County death records from 1883 to 1887 are the only local death records held at the courthouse level.

Death Certificates in Franklin County

The Franklin County Health Department is at 414 E Main St, Union, MO 63084. Their phone number is (636) 583-7300. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:15 PM for cash and check payments, and 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM for credit and debit cards. This office issues birth certificates for Missouri births since 1920 and death certificates for Missouri deaths since 1980. Walk-in service with same-day printing is available, which saves time if you need a Franklin County obituary document fast.

Death certificates cost $14.00 for the first copy. Each extra copy runs $11.00. Birth certificates cost $15.00 per copy. You can pay with cash, check, money order, Visa, Mastercard, or Discover. Credit and debit card payments have a small fee of $1.55 for orders under $62 and 2.5% for orders above that. Mail-in requests must be filled out and notarized before you send them in.

Under RSMo 193.255, you need direct and tangible interest to get a certified death certificate. That means close family members, legal guardians, and certain official representatives qualify. For Franklin County obituary research on records more than 50 years old, the rules are less strict and the public can often get copies through the State Archives.

Franklin County Obituary at State Archives

The Missouri Digital Heritage site has pre-1910 birth and death records for Franklin County. These are free to search. You type a name and the system pulls up matches from the early registration period. The records go back to the 1883 attempt at statewide tracking of births and deaths.

The Missouri State Archives death certificate database covers Franklin County deaths from 1910 through about 1969. Each result links to a scanned image of the original certificate. Under RSMo 193.225, death records more than 50 years old transfer to the Archives. Copies cost just $1 each. The Missouri Death Index covers Franklin County deaths from 1954 to 2024 with over 3.8 million statewide entries. All three databases are free to search and are strong tools for Franklin County obituary research.

The Missouri Death Index at missourideathindex.com is one of the best free tools for finding Franklin County obituary records from the mid-20th century forward.

Franklin County Historical Society

The Franklin County Historical Society keeps local history collections, museum exhibits on county history, and helps with genealogy research. If you are looking for a Franklin County obituary that does not show up in state databases, the historical society may have local newspaper clippings, family files, or cemetery records that fill in the blanks. Small county historical groups like this one often hold materials that never made it into digital form.

FamilySearch also has Franklin County birth and death records available online. The Franklin County USGenWeb project hosts additional genealogical resources that can help with obituary searches.

Library Resources for Obituary Research

The Washington Public Library and its branch libraries in Franklin County have local history rooms with genealogical materials. Newspapers on microfilm are one of the best sources for old obituary notices that were never digitized. If the person you are looking for died in the Franklin County area, a local library is worth a visit.

The Missouri State Library genealogy guide links to databases for death records, cemetery searches through Find a Grave, and the Military Gravesite Locator for veteran burials. The State Historical Society of Missouri holds newspaper collections from across the state, including Franklin County papers. Their archives are a strong source for old obituary notices and death announcements that ran in local papers during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Note: Local newspaper microfilm at Washington Public Library covers decades of Franklin County obituary notices not available online.

Public Access to Franklin County Records

Missouri's Sunshine Law under RSMo Chapter 610 makes public records open for inspection and copying. Vital records have some limits. Under RSMo 193.245, it is unlawful to share vital record data except as the law allows. But death records more than 50 years old may be shared with anyone. A list of persons who died on a given date can also be released, though it is limited to name and date of death only.

For Franklin County obituary research, this means recent death certificates go only to family and authorized parties. Historical records are much more open. The State Archives databases, pre-1910 records, and newspaper obituary collections are all available to the general public without eligibility rules. Genealogists who represent a family member can also get copies of more recent Franklin County death certificates.

Cities in Franklin County

Union is the county seat of Franklin County. Washington is the largest city in the county. All obituary records and vital records for Franklin County residents are filed through county offices in Union. The Franklin County Health Department handles death certificate requests for the area.

Nearby Counties

If you are not sure which county holds the records you need, check the county where the person lived or died. Franklin County borders several other Missouri counties with their own obituary resources.