New Madrid County is available for adoption.
If you have a local connection to New Madrid County or an interest in Missouri in general,
Please consider joining the MOGenWeb as a County Coordinator.
Requirements are simple, peruse them here.
https://mogenweb.org/moccguide.htm
MOGenWeb Policies and Procedures
https://www.mogenweb.org/pol-pro.htm
Contact the State Coordinator if you are interested.
In addition:, we would appreciate any contribution that you would like to make to this
site: biographies, obituaries, birth, marriage, death info, grave info, photographs....etc
New Madrid County, Missouri
New Madrid County lies along the Mississippi River in Missouri’s Bootheel, an area long inhabited by Indigenous peoples who relied on the river’s fertile bottomlands and trade routes. European settlement began under Spanish authority in the late 1700s, when families of French, Spanish, and American origin established the frontier community of New Madrid.
The county was officially organized on October 1, 1812, as one of the original five counties of Missouri Territory. New Madrid was selected as the county seat, reflecting its role as the region’s earliest and most prominent settlement. The county’s early years were marked by the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes, a series of powerful quakes that dramatically altered the landscape and disrupted settlement patterns. Despite the devastation, families rebuilt, new migrants arrived, and the county remained a vital river‑oriented community.
Throughout the 19th century, agriculture, river commerce, and later timber and cotton shaped local life. Boundary changes over time created several neighboring counties, but New Madrid County continued as a stable jurisdiction with New Madrid as its historic governmental center, and later Sikeston and Portageville emerging as important population hubs.
For genealogists, New Madrid County offers rich research opportunities: Spanish and territorial land grants, early river‑community records, earthquake‑era relocations, Civil War activity, and long‑standing agricultural families. Its deep river heritage and resilient communities make New Madrid County an essential part of Missouri’s early settlement story.
In Appreciation of Former County Coordinators
This New Madrid County genealogy website gratefully acknowledges the dedication of Don E. Wright, Ron Eason, and Tara Barrett.
Their work in assembling, organizing, and posting much of the data on the earlier version of this site laid the foundation for today’s research resources. Their commitment ensured that valuable records and local history remained accessible to all who seek to learn more about New Madrid County families.
Their contributions continue to support researchers and preserve the heritage of New Madrid County.