Osceola County, Florida
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

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Osceola County was created in 12 May 1887 and was formed from Brevard and Orange Counties. The County was named after Osceola, the Native American leader who led the Second Seminole War. The County Seat is Kissimmee. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Osceola County are Orange County (north), Brevard County (northeast), Indian River County (east), Okeechobee County (southeast), Highlands County (south), Polk County (west), Lake County (northwest).

Osceola County Cities and Towns include Kissimmee, St. Cloud. CDPs Include Buenaventura Lakes, Campbell, Celebration, Poinciana, Yeehaw Junction. Communities Include Ashton, Deer Park, Harmony, Holopaw, Kenansville, Intercession City, Lake Marian Highlands, Narcoosee, Reedy Creek Improvement District

  • The Osceola County Official Government Website
  • Osceola County, Florida History Books at Amazon.com
  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
  • Search Historical Newspapers from Florida (1823 - 1959) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
  • Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
  • Search Florida Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

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Records at the Osceola County Courthouse

See Also Florida Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

The Official County website is located at http://www.osceola.org. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. See also Courthouse History

Osceola County Clerk of the Circuit Court / County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1887, Land Records from 1887, Probate Records from 1887 and Court Records from 1887 and is located at 2 Court, house Square Suite 2000, Kissimmee, Florida 34741 407-343-3500, Fax: 407-343-3699

The Clerk of the Circuit Court is also the County Clerk. His office is located in the County Courthouse. The office of the Clerk is created in Article V and Article VIII of the Florida Constitution. The Clerk is an officer of the court of justice whose responsibilities are mandated by the Constitution as well as state and local laws. Under a 1973 reorganization of the judicial system, the clerk of courts in each county was made, and remains, custodian of all records of all predecessor courts, whether justice of the peace, city, county, probate, civil, or criminal.

You may also search the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which covers Florida and surrounding states. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.

Below is a list of online resources for Osceola County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Osceola County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Osceola County, Florida Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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Osceola County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Florida

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Office of Vital Statistics, Dept of Health, P.O. Box 210, 1217 Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042; (904) 359-6900 Ext. 1029, Fax: (904) 359-6993.

  • Birth Certificates: has custody of birth records filed from January 1917 to date. Scattered birth records from 1865 through 1916 are also held by the bureau, and some city health departments have some additional scattered records (e.g., Jacksonville, 1893-1913; Pensacola, 1897-1916).
    • Cost: $9.00 for computer certification & $14.00 per photocopy certification (1930 to present), payment is payable to the Office of Vital Statistics. Additional copies of the same record are $4.00 each. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $9.00/$14.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Death Certificates: From 1917 - present. Death records begin about 1877, but the first state law mandating registration of deaths was passed in 1899, and records before 1917 are spotty. It is always well to check with city health departments.
    • Cost: $5.00 per certificate. Additional copies of the same record are $4.00 each. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $5.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: has custody of marriage, divorce, and annulment records filed after 6 June 1927. For records prior to that date, and there are thousands of them, query the clerk of courts in the county where the license or decree was issued. Numerous divorces and resulting name-changes are to be found in Names and Abstracts from the Acts of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida, 1822-1845 (Pass-A-Grille Beach, Fla.: William A. and Janet B. Wolfe, 1985). Copies of marriage license applications are available only from the clerk of courts in the county courthouse. Standard request forms for copies of state-held records are necessary and available as indicated above.
    • Cost: $5.00 per certificate. Additional copies of the same record are $4.00 each. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $5.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Processing Time: Allow 3 to 6 weeks for the search by mail for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY.
  • Order In Person: To order your copy through your local County Health Department Vital Statistics office click here for a list of the 67 County Health Departments. WALK-IN SERVICE is available at 1217 Pearl Street, Jacksonville, Florida, between 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Orders prepaid by Noonmay be picked up after 3:30 p.m. Orders prepaid after Noon may be picked up after 10:00 a.m. the next workday. Each requestmust be accompanied by picture identification Certifications for photocopies rush service requires an additional fee of $10.
  • Order By Mail:  Turn around is estimated at 3 to 6 weeks from the day the request is received. Mail to the following address: Office of Vital Statistics, Dept of Health, P.O. Box 210, 1217 Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042. Please include return address on envelope and application form.

Below is a list of online resources for Osceola County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Osceola County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Florida newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Osceola County, Florida Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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Osceola County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Florida

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Osceola County, Florida are 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Osceola County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Osceola County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Florida Census, 1820-90: This collection contains the following indexes: 1820 Census Index (Pensacola and Escambia River Areas); 1825 Leon County Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1850 Slave Schedule; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1860 Slave Schedule; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule; 1890 Naval Veterans Schedule; Early Census Index, Vol. 1-2.
  • Florida State Census, 1885: This database is an index with corresponding images of the 1885 Florida State Census
  • Osceola County, Florida Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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Osceola County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Maps are an excellent source for beginning your research, because they provide much useful information at a glance. Many historic maps show individual buildings and are especially useful because they also record owners' names and features in the surrounding community. More detailed maps reveal property acreage and estate names. By examining a series of maps, you will be able to date changes in your property over time.

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Florida showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Florida showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. The Florida Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Osceola County Maps. Email us with websites containing Osceola County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Osceola County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Florida

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Osceola County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Osceola County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Osceola County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Early tax rolls, especially between census years, can be a gold mine for the fortunate researcher. Most existing rolls can be found in the counties of origin, but the Flordia State Archives also has some bound volumes sent to the state comptroller during the period 1829-81. Normal information includes the taxpayer's name, land ownership, number of white males (above taxable age, 21) and slaves, horses, wagons, and other taxable items of personal property such as jewelry, watches, musical instruments, and carriages. Many of the counties' records in the series are incomplete, but there are some in the Florida State Archives that the originating counties no longer have. This valuable resource is not indexed. It must be searched in the county, at the Florida State Archives, or both.

Below is a list of online resources for Osceola County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Osceola County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Osceola County, Florida Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Osceola County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Florida Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Osceola County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Osceola County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Osceola County Historical Society, 750 N Bass Rd, Kissimmee, FL 34746
  • Osceola County Dept. of Genealogical Research, 326 Eastern Ave., St. Cloud, FL 32769
  • Genealogy Club of Osceola County, PO Box 701295, St. Cloud, FL 34770-1295
  • Florida Dept of State Div of Library & Information Services, Bureau of Archives & Records Management, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250; (850)245-6700, [EMAIL]
  • Florida Historical Society 1320 Highland Ave, Melbourne, FL 32935; (321) 254-9855,[EMAIL]
  • Florida State Genealogical Society, PO Box 10249, Tallahassee, FL 32302-2249
  • Florida State Library, R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250, (850)245-6600; Hours: Mon.- Fri. 9:00am - 4:30pm, Sat. 9:30am - 3:30pm
  • Florida State Records Center, 4319 Shelfer Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250; (850)245-6750; Hours: By Appointment Only
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Florida Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Osceola County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Florida

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Osceola County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Osceola County Tombstone Transcription Project.

As in most former frontier societies, early Florida church records are hit-and-miss, but they can be valuable when located. The Roman Catholic faith accompanied the earliest Spanish settlers to Florida, and by 1822 the Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians were also active in the new territory. By 1845 the Baptists had split into the Missionary and Primitive varieties (probably totaling more than 5,000 Florida members), and all of the above groups had become more or less well organized Methodists had two churches in Fernandina as early as 1822 (under the South Carolina Conference) and more than 10,000 members by statehood.

Cemetery records are held by most Florida libraries and archives. One important compiled source is the WPA Register of Deceased Veterans Buried in Florida, which covers fifty-one of the sixty-seven counties. Access to the massive amount of cemetery information scattered throughout the state is being facilitated by a continuing cemetery location project of the Florida State Genealogical Society.

Below is a list of online resources for Osceola County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Osceola County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Osceola County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Osceola County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

Osceola County was created in 1886. Osceola County is a 1,506 square mile area that serves as the south/central boundary of the Central Florida Region and the Greater Metropolitan Area. The City of Kissimmee, the County Seat, is 18 miles due south of Orlando. Osceola�s only other incorporated City, St. Cloud, is 9 miles east of Kissimmee, and approximately 45 miles west of the City of Melbourne on the Atlantic Coast.

Osceola County has historically served as a transportation crossroad and is currently crossed by the Florida East Coast, Seaboard and Amtrak Railroad Systems, Interstate Highway 4 and U.S. 17/92, 441, 192 and the Florida Turnpike. The transportation network includes connections to the Orlando Beltway and Osceola Parkway, which provide access from the Turnpike to Walt Disney World. Osceola County is served by the Kissimmee Municipal Airport and is just 10 miles south of Orlando International Airport.

An urban and urbanizing area in the northwest quadrant of the County dominates Osceola County's geography. This area is adjoining to Polk and Orange County and includes most of Osceola's population. It includes the incorporated areas of Kissimmee and St. Cloud, the unincorporated communities of Poinciana and Buenaventura Lakes, and unincorporated subdivisions ranging from Narcoossee in the northeast to Campbell City and Intercession City in the southwest to Deer Run and the St. Cloud Manor areas in the south.

Beyond this northwest quadrant and to the south and east with the exception of a few very small, rural towns, like Holopaw, Kenansville, and Yeehaw Junction, ranch lands and undeveloped prairie, woods and marsh dominate the County. These large regions include the Mormon Church owned Desert Ranches and a number of other large, privately operated ranch and agricultural lands. Also included are the State of Florida's wildlife management areas and preserves at Bull Creek, Prairie Lakes, and the Three Lakes. As the "headwaters" of the South Florida Water Management district and the Lake Okeechobee/Florida everglades ecosystem, Osceola County is bounded by the Kissimmee River, is crossed by a number of partially accessible creeks, and is home to the Kissimmee Chain-of-Lakes, that includes some of the State�s largest and finest fishing and recreational attractions.

Osceola's economic base is dominated by tourism, serving as a "gateway" to Disney World and other Central Florida attractions. The area's historical investments in ranching and citrus are still very strong, while light industry and service enterprises are growing due to Osceola's transportation advantages and proximity to the Greater Orlando area.

The Osceola County courthouse was constructed in 1889 and is the oldest continuously active County Seat in Florida. Kissimmee has a strong historical association with the Florida cattle frontier. On the other hand, St. Cloud's roots include a northern land baron, who failed in an attempt to site a sugarcane plantation nearby, while the city's birth was primarily due to an early land sale organized by Union Army Civil War Veterans.

The contrasting origins of Kissimmee and St. Cloud are still reflected in many ways in the background of Osceola County's present population. This includes native Floridians, a large and growing number of immigrant settlers and retirees from the north, and of course, a large and continuous influx of visitors and tourists from just about everywhere. Osceola's African-American minority population is relatively small in comparison with other areas of Florida. On the other hand, Hispanic-American numbers are growing, and the Buenaventura Lakes subdivision, which was originally financed by Mexican investors, has a growing Spanish-speaking population.

Osceola County Government is one level of government serving the residents of, and visitors to, Osceola County. Osceola County Government is unique and distinct from the Federal and State agencies and other local governments operating in the County. For instance, Osceola County Government is distinct from the two City Governments and School Board, each of which have its own elected officials and government staffs. Osceola County Government is unique because it is "different" from City or other local governments in several important ways. First, part of the County Government is run by an elected County Commission, while another part of it is run by five independently elected Constitutional Officers. Cities and the School Board each have only one elected council. Second, the mission of Cities and the School Board is "clearer". Cities are "multi-purpose" local governments providing "municipal" services only to the residents within the Cities' boundaries. The School Board is a "single-purpose" government serving all County residents with one overall program. Osceola County Government is a "multi-purpose" government providing different services at different levels. Osceola County provides "municipal" services to unincorporated County residents and "Countywide" services to all County residents, whether they live in the Cities or not.

Osceola County is a Charter County, and an administrative subdivision of the State of Florida. Voters approved the County Charter in March 1992, and it took effect on October 1, 1992. The structure of County government under the charter does not depart dramatically from the structure of a County government outlined in the Florida Statutes.

Osceola County Government is governed by three sets of elected officials, each of which independently directs separate branches of County Government. These include: the five-member County Commission, five separate Constitutional Officers, and a number of Judicial Officers. Under State law, the County Commission is responsible for funding the budgets of all Osceola County Government, including the independently elected Constitutional Officers and Judicial Officers, as well as the Commission's own departments. Each independent officer has discretion to administer his or her own programs. The County Commission exercises oversight only over its own departments.

The County Commission portion of Osceola County operates as a Commission/Manager Form of Government. In April 1986, the Osceola County Commission hired its first County Administrator. As of October 1, 1992, the position of County Administrator was re-titled County Manager and the County Commission formally hires a County Manager, County Attorney, and Commission Auditor. In February 2001, the Osceola County Commission authorized a reorganization of staff, thus creating a Deputy County Manager position, which was hired by the County Manager. The positions of Assistant County Managers were re-titled to Division Administrators covering five different groups of services throughout the county. Each division houses Department Directors that oversee several offices relative to the same service. With the exception of the Fire & EMS collective bargaining unit, there are no civil service or collective bargaining units in the County Commission's Departments.

Each independently elected Constitutional and Judicial Officer hires managers and staff to direct daily operations of their agencies. These employees are not governed by County Commission rules and serve at the pleasure of those elected officials, with the exception of the new State Career Service protection for certain Sheriff�s employees.

Courthouse History

Osceola County was carved from portions of Orange and Brevard Counties in 1887. The name honors the Seminole war leader. The county seat is Kissimmee, for which no translation has been determined, and which has been mispronounced by innumerable tourists in search of the Magic Kingdom.

 The first Osceola County Courthouses were the residence of Kissimmee mayor J. H. Allen, who allowed its free use, followed by a three-story wooden structure originally utilized as an opera house. One of the first official acts of the new county's voters was to issue bonds for $30,000 to construct a permanent facility. The Osceola County Courthouse, designed in the Romanesque Revival style by architect F. C. Johnson, was built around 1889 by George H. Frost. It is the oldest of Florida's courthouses still in active use. Because Osceola County was, and is, cattle country, the courthouse grounds once had a pen for containment of wandering animals.

  The Osceola County Courthouse was completed in 1890, three years after Osceola County was created from portions of Orange and Brevard Counties.  The oldest courthouse in Florida incontinuous use, the Osceola County Courthouse is a three-story red-brick building.  Typical of Romanesque revival courthouses constructed throughout the United States during the late 1800s, the building is one of four remaining in Florida.  The Romanesque architectural elements of the courthouse include the tower above the entrance, the round arches on the portico and above the doors, and the segmental arches above the windows.

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