Clay County, Nebraska Genealogy
Guide to Clay County, Nebraska ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
The county was named for Henry Clay. The county is located in the south central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Clay County Courthouse
111 W. Fairfield Street
Clay Center, NE 68933
Phone: 402-762-3651
Clay County Website
County Clerk has birth and death records 1917-1918, marriage and land records from 1871 and military records 1921.
Clerk District Court has divorce and naturalization records.
County Court has probate records. [1]
Clay County, Nebraska Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1917 | 1871 | 1917 | 1872 | 1871 | 1871 | 1854 |
Record Loss
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 165 | — |
| 1870 | 54 | −67.3% |
| 1880 | 11,294 | 20814.8% |
| 1890 | 16,310 | 44.4% |
| 1900 | 15,735 | −3.5% |
| 1910 | 15,629 | −0.7% |
| 1920 | 14,486 | −7.3% |
| 1930 | 13,571 | −6.3% |
| 1940 | 10,445 | −23.0% |
| 1950 | 8,700 | −16.7% |
| 1960 | 8,717 | 0.2% |
| 1970 | 8,266 | −5.2% |
| 1980 | 8,106 | −1.9% |
| 1990 | 7,213 | −11.0% |
| 2000 | 7,039 | −2.4% |
| 2010 | 6,542 | −7.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Federal Censuses were taken for Nebraska starting in 1860. For links to Federal census indexes, see Nebraska Census.
For tips on accessing Clay County, Nebraska Genealogy census records online, see: Nebraska Census.
State Census Records
- 1854 - 1870 Nebraska, Compiled Census Index, 1854-1870 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
- 1860 - 1885 Nebraska State Census Collection 1860-1885 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
- 1885 Nebraska State Census 1885 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1885 Nebraska State Census 1885 at Ancestry.com - index & images ($)
Church Records
Church records vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Nebraska denominations, view the Nebraska Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Online Church Records
- 1875-1899 Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Apfel Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Harvard
- Sutton Memorial Chapel and McLaughlin Funeral Chapel in Clay Center and Sutton
- Williams Funeral Homes in Edgar
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Nebraska Land and Property for additional information about early Nebraska land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
- 1796 - 1907 U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
- 1863 - 1908 U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - - index & images ($)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
For more information see Nebraska Land and Property
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Clay County, Nebraska Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Nebraska Local Histories.
- Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska. 1890. Chicago, Illinois: Goodspeed Pub. Co. Available online at:
- History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska. 1921. Burr, George L., Buck, O. O., Stough, Dale P. Chicago, Ill.: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Available online at:
- The 'Centennial' sketch of Clay County, Nebraska. Clark, Martin. 1876. Sutton, Nebraska: E.H. White. Available online at:
- History of the State of Nebraska. Cutler, William. 1882. Chicago, IL.: The Western Historical Company, A. T. Andreas, Proprietor. Available online at:
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Nebraska Gazetteer - database for all known places found in 1890 and 1911 Nebraska gazetteers
- Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Nebraska - shows boundary changes for Nebraska Counties
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Early migration routes to and from Clay County for European and African American settlers included:
- Little Blue River
- Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon[6]
- California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California[7]
- Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah[8]
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Military Records
Revolutionary War
- 1775 - 1783 United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
- For more nationwide Revolutionary War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.
Civil War
- 1861 - 1865 Nebraska Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1861 - 1948 Nebraska, Grand Army of the Republic, Burial Records, 1861-1948 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1891 Nebraska Resident Military Roster on June 1, 1891 at Ancestry.com - ($), Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the War of 1812, the Mexico War, and the War of the Rebellion, residing in Nebraska June 1, 1891
- 1893 Roster of Nebraska Veterans - list of veterans in 1893
- For more nationwide Civil War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.
World War I
- 1917 - 1918 World War I Drafts 1917-1918 - index only
- For more nationwide World War I databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.
World War II
- 1940 - 1945 Nebraska, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Naturalization and Citizenship
- 1855-1989 Nebraska, Naturalization Records, 1855-1989 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
Newspapers
For information on Nebraska newspapers, see Nebraska Newspapers.
Nebraska Newspapers Online
- Nebraska Newspapers - contains images of newspapers throughout Nebraska
- GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
- Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
- Chronicling America - contains images of some Nebraska newspapers; searching tips
- 1800s-Current Nebraska, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Nebraska Newspaper Catalogs
- Nebraska State Historical Society - catalog of known Nebraska newspapers; lists repositories that have the newspapers
- U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
Obituaries
Other Records
- 1870 - 1990 — Nebraska Prisoner Records 1870-1990 — index only
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Nebraska, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for Nebraska - Clay - Probate records.
Online Probate Records
- 1806-1989 Nebraska Wills and Probate Records 1806-1989 at Ancestry.com — index & images ($)
- 1929-1947 Probate Records, 1929-1947(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Nebraska tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses before 1820 or to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records.
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.
Birth
- 1900-Onward Nebraska Births at MyHeritage — index ($)
Marriage
Online Marriage Records Indexes and Images
- 1855 - 1995 — Nebraska Marriages, 1855-1995 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index only
- 1856 - 1898 — Nebraska Marriages 1856-1898 at Ancestry.com ($), index only
- 1909-Onward Nebraska Marriages at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death
- 1900-1955 Nebraska Deaths, 1900-1955 at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1904-1955 Reclaim the Records: Nebraska Death Index at Internet Archive - images of index
- 1904-1968 Nebraska, U.S., Index to Deaths, 1904-1968 at Ancestry — index ($)
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Clay County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Nebraska Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Clay County. For state-wide library facilities, see Nebraska Archives and Libraries.
Clay Center Public Library
117 W Edgar St
Clay Center, NE 68933-1427
Phone: 402-762-3861
Email: cityoffice@clay-center.net
Facebook
Website
- Library Director: Cheryl Green
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Clay County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Nebraska Societies.
Clay County Historical Society
PO Box 191
Clay Center, NE 68933
402-762-3685
Email: clayhistory@gmail.com
Websites
- NEGenWeb
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- FamilySearch Catalog - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
Research Guides
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Nebraska. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Clay, Nebraska," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_County,_Nebraska."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Clay County, Nebraska. Page 428-435 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 417-420.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Nebraska. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Clay County, Nebraska," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_County,_Nebraska, accessed 21 January 2019.
- ↑ National Park Service, "(Auto Tour Route) Maps" in Oregon National Historic Trail at http://www.nps.gov/oreg/planyourvisit/maps.htm (accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ National Park Service, "(Auto Tour Route) Maps" in California National Historic Trail at http://www.nps.gov/cali/planyourvisit/maps.htm (accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ National Park Service, "Auto Tour Route Maps" in Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail at http://www.nps.gov/mopi/planyourvisit/maps.htm (accessed 18 July 2011).