Search Perry County Obituary

Perry County obituary records can be found through the courthouse in Perryville, local libraries, and multiple state databases. The county was created on November 16, 1820, from Ste. Genevieve County, and Perryville has served as the county seat since the start. Court records, land records, and probate files go back to 1821. Perry County has had no known courthouse disasters, so the record chain is fairly complete. This guide covers the offices, fees, and online tools you can use to search for Perry County obituary and death records.

Perry County Courthouse Records

The Perry County Courthouse sits at 321 N Main Street, Perryville, MO 63775. You can call 573-547-4242 for general info. Several offices in the courthouse handle different types of records. The Clerk of the Circuit Court manages divorce, land, probate, and court records. The County Recorder handles marriage and military records. The County Clerk holds birth and death records from the 1883 to 1893 registration period, along with naturalization records going all the way back to 1821.

Marriage records at the Perry County Recorder go back to 1830. Land records and probate records both start in 1821. Court records also date to 1821. The birth and death records held by the County Clerk only cover a short window from 1883 to 1893, which was an early attempt at statewide vital registration in Missouri. For anything outside that range, you need to use state-level sources.

Note: Perry County has no known courthouse disasters, so the historical record chain is more intact here than in many other Missouri counties.

Perry County Death Certificates

The Perry County Health Department in Perryville issues certified death certificates for Missouri deaths from 1980 to the present. Birth certificates are available for Missouri births after 1920. A death certificate costs $14 for the first copy, and each extra copy is $11. Birth certificates run $15 each. You need a photo ID to get any vital record. Accepted forms of ID include a driver's license, passport, or school, work, or military ID.

If you want to order by mail, your request must be notarized. The Perry County Health Department does not accept out-of-town checks, so use money orders for mail requests. Under RSMo 193.255, you must show direct and tangible interest to get a certified copy. Close family members, legal guardians, and authorized agents qualify. For Perry County obituary research on older deaths, certificates more than 50 years old have looser rules.

For records before 1920 (birth) or 1980 (death), contact the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City.

Perry County Obituary Archives

The Missouri Digital Heritage website provides free access to pre-1910 birth and death records for Perry County. These records come from the 1883 registration effort. You can search by name, county, or both. The Missouri State Archives death certificate database picks up where the early records leave off, covering Perry County deaths from 1910 through about 1974. Each record links to a scanned image of the original certificate.

The Missouri Death Index covers deaths from 1954 to 2024 across the whole state. It has over 3.8 million records. All three databases are free to search. Under RSMo 193.225, death records more than 50 years old transfer to the Missouri State Archives. Copies from the Archives cost just $1 per certificate.

The Perry County USGenWeb project also provides genealogical resources, cemetery transcriptions, and census records that can support obituary research in the area.

Library Resources for Obituary Research

The Perryville Public Library has a local history and genealogy section. They hold newspapers on microfilm, which is one of the best places to find actual Perry County obituary text from past decades. Microfilm collections often include the local Perryville papers that ran death notices and full obituaries for area residents.

The Missouri State Library genealogy guide is a helpful online starting point. It connects you to death record databases, Find a Grave for cemetery searches, and the Military Gravesite Locator for veteran burial information. The State Historical Society of Missouri also holds a large newspaper collection that includes Perry County publications from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Perry County Historical Society

The Perry County Historical Society is in Perryville and has a museum and research library. You can contact them through the Perry County Chamber of Commerce or the courthouse. Their collection can help with local genealogy and obituary research, especially for families with long ties to the area. Perry County has deep German heritage, and many early records reflect that community.

Public Access to Perry County Records

Missouri's Sunshine Law (RSMo Chapter 610) makes most public records open for inspection. Vital records have some limits under RSMo 193.245. Recent death certificates are restricted to family and authorized parties. But death records more than 50 years old can be shared with anyone. The State Archives databases, pre-1910 records, and newspaper obituary files are all open to the general public with no eligibility rules.

For Perry County obituary research, the combination of courthouse records going back to 1821, state-level databases, and local library microfilm gives you a strong set of tools. The fact that Perry County has not lost records to courthouse fires or disasters means the paper trail is more complete than in many parts of Missouri.

Missouri Death Record Search

The Missouri Death Index is a statewide database that includes Perry County deaths from 1954 through 2024 and can be searched for free online.

This tool is useful for confirming dates of death and finding basic information before ordering a certified copy of a Perry County death certificate.

Cities in Perry County

Perryville is the county seat and largest community in Perry County. All vital records and obituary research for Perry County residents runs through the courthouse and health department in Perryville. No cities in Perry County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Records may be filed in a neighboring county if the person lived or died near a county border. Perry County sits alongside several other Missouri counties with their own obituary resources.