Find Pike County Obituary

Pike County obituary records are available through the courthouse in Bowling Green, local genealogical and historical societies, and state archives databases. The county was formed in 1818, making it one of the oldest in Missouri, and Bowling Green serves as the county seat. Pike County has a well-organized genealogical society based in the Old Jail Museum that keeps cemetery records, family histories, and local archives. This page covers every office and database you can use to find obituary and death records tied to Pike County.

Pike County Courthouse Records

The Pike County Courthouse is in Bowling Green, MO. The Recorder of Deeds handles marriage and land records. Marriage records go back to 1818, when the county was formed. Land records also start in 1818. The County Clerk holds birth and death records from the pre-1910 registration window, though the coverage is limited. The Circuit Court Clerk manages court and divorce records.

Pike County is one of the oldest counties in Missouri, and the depth of its courthouse records reflects that. If you are doing genealogy work that touches on Pke County obituary research, the Recorder of Deeds and probate files can provide supporting documents like marriage dates, property transfers, and estate filings that help fill in a family story. The courthouse sits in the center of Bowling Green and is easy to find.

Pike County Genealogical Society

The Pike County Genealogical Society is at 5 East Church Street, Bowling Green, MO 63335. You can call 573-470-9880 for information. The society is housed in the Old Jail Museum, which gives it a unique setting for research. They are open on Thursdays from 1 to 4 PM.

Their collection includes a genealogical library, cemetery records and directions, family histories, and local history archives. The society also does some unusual work, including dowsing for unmarked graves in Pike County cemeteries. If you are trying to find the burial site of an ancestor and there is no clear record, this is a group that may be able to help. For Pike County obituary research, their family files and cemetery records are a strong starting point, especially for deaths that predate modern record-keeping.

Pike County Historical Society

The Pike County Historical Society has been based at locations in Louisiana, MO, including 1217 Kentucky Street and 304 Georgia Street. You can call 573-754-5303 for current hours and location. Their collection includes agricultural society records, Watson Seminary records, and local historical data. The museum has exhibits on Pike County life that can provide context for obituary and genealogy research.

Pike County Obituary Collections

Pike County has one of the more extensive online obituary collections among Missouri counties. The Pike County Genealogy Trails site has a large obituary collection organized by surname, transcribed from local newspapers. Coverage runs from the 1800s to the present day. The collection includes obituaries from the Bowling Green Times, The Pike Press, and the Louisiana Press-Journal. This is a free volunteer-run resource that is searchable by surname.

An Index to Deaths from the Bowling Green Observer and Bowling Green Times has been compiled by Kenneth E. Weant in five volumes, published in 2001 and 2003. This index covers a wide span of Pike County death notices and is available through genealogy libraries. For anyone looking into Pike County obituary records from the 19th and early 20th centuries, this is a valuable compiled source.

Pike County Death Certificates

The Pike County Health Department is at 5 East Church Street, Bowling Green, MO 63334. Call (573) 754-5303 for details. They can issue certified copies of birth and death certificates for persons born or who died in Missouri. Under RSMo 193.255, you need direct and tangible interest to get a certified death certificate. That means family, legal representatives, and authorized agents.

For deaths before 1980, contact the Missouri Bureau of Vital Records. Records over 50 years old have moved to the Missouri State Archives, where copies cost $1.

Pike County Records at State Archives

The Missouri Digital Heritage site has free access to pre-1910 records for Pike County. The Missouri State Archives death certificate database covers 1910 through about 1974 with scanned images. The Missouri Death Index covers 1954 to 2024. Under RSMo 193.225, records over 50 years old go to the Archives. All three tools are free to search.

The Missouri State Library genealogy guide and the State Historical Society of Missouri offer more resources including newspaper archives that cover Pike County publications from the 1800s forward.

Public Access to Pike County Records

Under the Missouri Sunshine Law (RSMo Chapter 610), public records are open for inspection. Vital records have limits on who can get certified copies of recent records. Death records over 50 years old are open to the general public. Newspaper obituaries, cemetery records, and genealogical society files are also freely available for Pike County obituary research.

Missouri State Archives Search

The Missouri State Archives death certificate database provides scanned images of original death certificates for Pike County deaths from 1910 through about 1974.

Use this database alongside the local genealogy trail obituary transcriptions for the most complete Pike County obituary research results.

Cities in Pike County

Bowling Green is the county seat of Pike County. Louisiana is another notable town along the Mississippi River. All obituary and vital record requests go through county offices in Bowling Green or through the state. No cities in Pike County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Pike County sits along the Mississippi River in northeast Missouri. If the person lived near a county line, check these neighboring counties too.