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Office: Daviess County Emergency Management Agency – 102 North Main Street, Gallatin, MO 64640; confirm current phone via daviesscountymo.gov.
Sheriff: Daviess County Sheriff’s Office – 609 B South Main Street, Gallatin, MO 64640 | Non-emergency (660) 663-2031 | Fax: (660) 663-2149 | Email: [email protected] | Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM; Sheriff Larry Adams Jr. IMPORTANT: Daviess County operates the Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail, described as the only regional jail of its kind in Missouri, serving both Daviess and DeKalb Counties jointly.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-6 and MO-13 serve Gallatin, the county seat, in northwest Missouri.
Notes: Daviess County offices are centered at 102 N. Main St., Gallatin, MO 64640, (660) 663-3300 ext. 4.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Daviess County Courthouse – 102 N. Main St., Gallatin, MO 64640.
Notes: Gallatin holds genuine significance in American outlaw history. On December 7, 1869, Frank and Jesse James (with accomplices) robbed the Daviess County Savings Association, shooting and killing cashier Capt. John W. Sheets – reportedly mistaking him for the militia officer who had killed Confederate guerrilla “Bloody Bill” Anderson. The robbers escaped with only about $700 (some accounts report as little as $5 in usable currency) despite far more being available. This robbery is historically significant as the first time Frank and Jesse James were formally and publicly identified as bank robbers and proclaimed outlaws by the State of Missouri, launching their national outlaw reputation. A historical marker stands at the robbery site today at Market and Grant Streets, and the Daviess County Historical Society periodically hosts a public reenactment. The nearby 1889 “Squirrel Cage Jail,” located two blocks from the courthouse, is NRHP-listed and now serves as a visitor center by appointment.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Daviess County Veterans Service – confirm current contact via daviesscountymo.gov.
Federal: VA facilities accessible via the Kansas City VA Medical Center; confirm current routing.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Daviess County Library – 306 W Grand St, Gallatin, MO 64640 | (660) 663-3222 | Fax: (660) 663-3250 | Email: [email protected] | Hours: Mon-Thu 9 AM-6 PM, Fri 9 AM-5 PM, Sat 9 AM-Noon; also serves as a designated extreme-heat/extreme-cold warming/cooling center. An additional Jamesport Branch operates at 101 E Main Street, Jamesport, MO 64648, (660) 684-6120, open Thu 12-5 PM and Sat 9 AM-2 PM.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The 1869 James Gang bank robbery historical marker, the 1889 Squirrel Cage Jail, and the Daviess County Historical Society’s programming are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine origin of the James brothers’ formal outlaw designation is one of the most historically notable local facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Daviess County Assessor – confirm current contact via daviesscountymo.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current animal control arrangements via daviesscountymo.gov or the Sheriff’s Office, (660) 663-2031.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Daviess County – confirm current contact via daviesscountymo.gov.
NOTES: Daviess County is the fourth county in the fifth batch of the Missouri v2 A+ sourced redo. The genuine 1869 Jesse James/Frank James bank robbery in Gallatin – the moment they were first formally proclaimed outlaws – is one of the most historically notable local facts covered anywhere in this project. The Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail, Missouri’s only regional jail, is directly InmateAid-relevant. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Daviess County County
Daviess County is north-central Missouri’s Mormon heritage and Grand River agricultural county – the Far West temple site where Latter-day Saints were driven from Missouri by gubernatorial extermination order and the rolling Grand River farming landscape define a county whose history includes one of the most dramatic episodes of religious persecution in American frontier history.
Gallatin (the county seat, population ~1,700) is Daviess County’s governmental hub, a small north-central Missouri agricultural community on US 69 whose Mormon heritage, Grand River access, and farming economy anchor its identity.
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Daviess County Assessor at 102 N. Main Street, Gallatin, MO 64640, phone 660-663-3411. MO residential assessed at 19% of true value.
Courts & Legal
Daviess County Circuit Court at 102 N. Main Street, Gallatin, MO 64640, phone 660-663-3411, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
102 N. Main St., Gallatin, MO 64640
(660) 663-2641
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Daviess County Circuit Court, Probate Division (probate case files – see Probate section above).
The 1907-08 Daviess County Courthouse, NRHP-listed, is a significant local landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Daviess County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Daviess County Circuit Court, Probate Division 102 N. Main Street (mail: P.O. Box 337), Gallatin, MO 64640 (660) 663-3300
Daviess County was founded December 29, 1836, named for Major Joseph Hamilton Daviess, in northwestern Missouri, seated in Gallatin. The 1907-08 Daviess County Courthouse, Second Renaissance Revival in style, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Missouri probate is governed by Title XXXI of the Missouri Revised Statutes (Chapters 470-475), the Probate Code.
Small Estate Affidavit (RSMo § 473.097) – available when the entire estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $40,000. A 30-day waiting period after death applies, and only if no application for letters is pending. If the property listed is worth more than $15,000, the clerk must publish a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. A bond may be required. Once the court issues a certified small estate certificate, the affiant presents it directly to whoever holds the property to collect and distribute assets – avoiding full probate. Typical timeline: about two months to close, versus six months to a year or more for full probate.
Formal Administration – required for larger or more complex estates. A petition for Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without one) is filed with the probate division. After review, the court appoints the personal representative and issues the letters. Missouri offers both supervised and independent administration. Missouri requires an attorney to represent the personal representative in both types of administration.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a petition with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled.
The court appoints the personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, and gives direct notice to known creditors. Creditors have 6 months from the date of first publication to file claims.
Within 30 days of appointment (unless the court extends the deadline), the personal representative files an inventory and appraisement of all estate assets.
After debts are paid and the creditor claim period expires, the personal representative distributes the remaining assets and files a final settlement with the court to close the estate.
What it costs
Missouri sets statutory minimum fees for attorneys and personal representatives based on a percentage of the estate’s value, though additional fees may be allowed for extraordinary services.
Missouri has no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax could apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
102 N. Main St., Gallatin, MO 64640
(660) 663-3131
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
102 N. Main St., Gallatin, MO 64640
(660) 663-2641
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Daviess County Health Department – confirm current phone via daviesscountymo.gov.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Gallatin
Population: 8,000
Area: 566 sq mi
Established: 1836
Public Records
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