Clay County, South Dakota Records

Clay County, South Dakota (Map It) was created on April 10, 1862 from Unorganized territory. The county was named in honor of Henry Clay (1777 - 1852), U.S. Senator from Kentucky and prominent 19th Century political figure.

Clay County is bordered by Turner County (north), Lincoln County (northeast), Union County (east), Dixon County, Nebraska, Cedar County, Nebraska (southwest), Yankton County (west).

Clay County Cities and Towns include Burbank, Dalesburg, Greenfield, Irene, Meckling, Vermillion, Wakonda, Westreville.

MapGeeks.org has is a collection of old South Dakota maps.

Clay County, South Dakota Courthouse Records

The Clay County Courthouse is located in Vermillion, South Dakota. Learn More About State of South Dakota Court, Tax, Land and Probate Records.

The Clerk's Office DOES NOT DO RESEARCH. Most staff will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the individual to do the research.

The following dates indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Clay county. The date listed for each record is usually the earliest registration filed. The date does not indicate that there are alot records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually filed with the clerk.

• Clay County Register of Deeds has Marriage Records from 1860  and Land Records from 1862?. The County Register of Deeds is the primary record-keeping and archival repository for county land records and for the recording & maintaining of records pertaining to that real estate, plats, deeds, mortgages & many miscellaneous documents. This office is the keeper of birth, death & marriage records, military discharge records, fictitious name filings, and various types of liens, including mechanic’s liens, state and federal tax liens.
• Clay County Clerk of Court has Probate Records from 1862? and Court Records from 1862?.

Clay County, South Dakota Census Records

• Learn More: State of South Dakota Census Records
• U.S. Federal Population Schedules: 1870 (as Dakota Territory), 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragmented), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
• U.S., Schedules of Special Census of Indians: 1880, 1885-1940,
• State Population Schedules: 1885 Territorial Census, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1945
• U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules: 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Agriculture Schedules: 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Industry Schedules: 1870 and 1880
• Union Veterans Schedules: 1890

Clay County, South Dakota Vital Records

• Learn More: State of South Dakota Vital Records
• Birth, Death and Marriage Records: since July 1905, also from County Register of Deeds
• Divorce Records: since July 1905, also from County Clerk of Courts
• Locations: South Dakota Department of Health
• Vital Records Online: USAVital or Social Security Death Index
• Vital Records by Mail:  Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Certificate Applications.
• In Person:  Vital Records, Dept of Health, 600 East Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501-2536; (605) 773-4961

Clay County, South Dakota Resources

• Clay County Historical Society Inc.
• Clay County, South Dakota Message Boards
• Clay County, South Dakota Genealogy Boards

Clay County, South Dakota External Links

• South Dakota Historical Newspapers - Newspapers.com
• Historical Newspapers from South Dakota (1861–2002)
• Clay County, South Dakota Books - Amazon
• Clay Co., South Dakota - FindaGrave
• Clay County, South Dakota Links - Cyndi's List
• Clay Co. SDGenweb
• Clay County, South Dakota Ancestry Database Collections
• Clay County, South Dakota Military Records