Search Howell County Obituary

Howell County obituary records are held at the courthouse in West Plains, through the county health department, and at Missouri state archives. The county seat is West Plains, in the southern Missouri Ozarks. Death records at the clerk level go back to 1883, and court records start in 1857. Howell County also has FamilySearch Centers in both West Plains and Mountain Grove that help with genealogy research. This page covers every source for finding death records and obituary information in Howell County.

Howell County Courthouse Records

The Howell County Courthouse is at County Courthouse Square, West Plains, MO 65775. Call them at 417-256-2591. The County Clerk holds birth records from 1883 to 1895 and death records from 1883 to 1893. The Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds keeps marriage, divorce, court, and land records. The Associate Circuit Court has probate records.

Howell County has strong coverage across several record types. Marriage records start in 1867. Court records go back to 1857. Land records begin in 1866. Probate records date from 1862. Census records start with the 1860 federal census. For obituary research, the combination of death records from 1883, probate from 1862, and court records from 1857 gives you multiple angles to track down information about a death in Howell County.

The death records from 1883 to 1893 are the earliest local death files. After 1893, there is a gap until statewide registration started in 1910. During that gap, church records, cemetery data, and newspaper obituary notices are the best sources for Howell County obituary information.

Howell County Death Certificates

The Howell County Health Department is at 180 Kentucky Ave., West Plains, MO 65775. Call them at 417-256-7078 or email sheila.roberts@lpha.mo.gov. Deputy Registrar Sheila Roberts handles birth and death certificate services. Death certificates are available for Missouri deaths since 1980.

Under RSMo 193.255, you need direct and tangible interest for a certified death certificate. Professionally recognized genealogists can also get death certificates in Howell County. You must name at least one parent listed on the record. But death records more than 50 years old are exempt from the parent identification rule. That is useful for Howell County obituary research on older records.

For records older than 50 years, you can search the Missouri Digital Heritage database. The rules are less strict and you do not need to prove family connection for those older files.

Howell County Obituary at State Archives

The Missouri Digital Heritage website has a pre-1910 birth and death records database that covers Howell County. The Missouri State Archives death certificate database has Howell County records from 1910 to 1969. FamilySearch offers several Howell County databases:

• Missouri Deaths, 1883-1930 with indexes and images
• Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1969 through Missouri Digital Heritage
• Missouri Death Index, 1968-2015 through Reclaim the Records

Missouri Monthly Vital Statistics reports include Howell County death data and can help with recent obituary research.

The Missouri Death Index covers Howell County deaths from 1954 to 2024. All of these databases are free to search and are strong tools for Howell County obituary research.

Library Resources for Obituary Research

The West Plains Public Library serves as the main library resource for Howell County. The Mountain Grove Missouri FamilySearch Center and the West Plains Missouri FamilySearch Center are both available for genealogical research in the area. FamilySearch Centers give you free access to databases that usually require a subscription.

The Missouri State Library genealogy guide links to death record databases, Find a Grave, and the Military Gravesite Locator. The State Historical Society of Missouri holds newspaper archives that may include papers from the Howell County area. The Howell County Historical Society in the West Plains area keeps local historical records and family histories.

Note: Having two FamilySearch Centers in Howell County gives local researchers better access to genealogy databases than most rural Missouri counties.

Public Access to Howell County Records

Under Missouri's Sunshine Law (RSMo Chapter 610), public records are open for inspection. Vital records have limits under RSMo 193.245. Recent death certificates require proof of eligibility. But death records more than 50 years old are open to anyone. All state archive databases and newspaper collections are available to the general public for Howell County obituary research without restrictions.

Howell County is one of the few places in Missouri where professionally recognized genealogists can get death certificates directly. You must be able to name at least one parent on the record, but that rule does not apply to records more than 50 years old. This makes Howell County obituary research more accessible than in many other counties, especially for genealogists working on older family lines in the southern Missouri Ozarks.

Howell County Obituary Search Tips

Start with the Missouri Death Index for deaths from 1954 forward. Use Missouri Digital Heritage for the 1910 to 1969 certificates. The pre-1910 database covers early Howell County entries. For deaths between 1893 and 1910, check FamilySearch's Missouri Deaths 1883-1930 collection, which has both indexes and images. The two FamilySearch Centers in West Plains and Mountain Grove can help you access subscription databases for free during a visit.

Cities in Howell County

West Plains is the county seat and the largest city in Howell County. Mountain Grove is the other notable town. All obituary records and vital records for Howell County residents are filed through county offices in West Plains. The health department handles death certificate requests for the entire county.

Nearby Counties

Howell County is in the southern Missouri Ozarks. If the person you are looking for lived near a county line, check these neighboring counties.