Buffalo County, Nebraska Genealogy
Guide to Buffalo County, Nebraska ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named after the then-prevalent buffalo herds. Buffalo County was named for American bison. It is located in the south central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Buffalo County Courthouse
P.O. Box 520
1512 Central Ave.
Kearney, NE 68848
Phone: 308-236-1228
Buffalo County Website
County Clerk has marriage records from 1872.
County Judge has probate and court records from 1872.
Clerk District Court has divorce records.
Register of Deeds has land records. [1]
Buffalo County, Nebraska Record Dates[edit | edit source]
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 |
| 1904 | 1872 | 1904 | 1872 | 1870 | 1872 | 1854 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
The records are in the county record office.
|
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[4]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Additional Information
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 114 | — |
| 1870 | 193 | 69.3% |
| 1880 | 7,531 | 3802.1% |
| 1890 | 22,162 | 194.3% |
| 1900 | 20,254 | −8.6% |
| 1910 | 21,907 | 8.2% |
| 1920 | 23,787 | 8.6% |
| 1930 | 24,338 | 2.3% |
| 1940 | 23,655 | −2.8% |
| 1950 | 25,134 | 6.3% |
| 1960 | 26,236 | 4.4% |
| 1970 | 31,222 | 19.0% |
| 1980 | 34,797 | 11.5% |
| 1990 | 37,447 | 7.6% |
| 2000 | 42,259 | 12.9% |
| 2010 | 46,102 | 9.1% |
| 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 Buffalo County, Nebraska Genealogy census records online, see: Nebraska Census.
State Census Records
- 1854 - 1870 - Nebraska, Compiled Census Index, 1854-1870 at Ancestry.com - index ($)
- 1860 - 1885 - Nebraska State Census Collection 1860-1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
- 1885 - Nebraska State Census 1885 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1885 - Nebraska State Census 1885 at Ancestry.com - index and images ($)
Church Records[edit | edit source]
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
- 1875-1899 - Nebraska, Church Records, 1875-1899 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Buffalo County houses a District Court and a County Court. The District Court issues writs and orders, collects and disperses child support fees, keeps court records, and records court proceedings.The County Court handles probate, civil, criminal and traffic cases.
- Buffalo County District Court
P.O. Box 520
Kearney, NE 68848
Phone: 308-236-1246
Website - County Court of Buffalo County
1512 Central Ave,P.O. Box 520
Kearney, NE 68848
Telephone: 308-236-1228
Website
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney
- O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Elm Creek, Gibbon, and Kearney
- Rasmussen Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Ravenna
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
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.
- Buffalo County Register of Deeds
P.O. Box 1270
Kearney, NE 68848
In Nebraska counties with more than 20,000 inhabitants, there is a separate office for the Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds website has an alphabetical index to Buffalo County Land Patents compiled by the agency. - 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 and images
For more information see Nebraska Land and Property
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Buffalo 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.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to and from Buffalo County for European and African American settlers included:
- Platte River
- Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon[5]
- California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California[6]
- Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah[7]
|
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
- 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 - ($), Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the War of 1812, the Mexico War, and the War of the Rebellion, residing in Nebraska June 1, 1891
- 1893 - Roster of Nebraska Veterans - list of veterans in 1893
- For more nationwide Civil War databases, see US Military Online Genealogy Records.
World War II[edit | edit source]
- 1940 - 1945 - Nebraska, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1855-1989 - Nebraska, Naturalization Records, 1855-1989 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
For information on Nebraska newspapers, see Nebraska Newspapers.
Nebraska Newspapers Online
- Nebraska Newspapers - contains images of newspapers throughout Nebraska
- GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
- Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Nebraska newspapers
- Chronicling America - contains images of some Nebraska newspapers; searching tips
- Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
Nebraska Newspaper Catalogs
- Nebraska State Historical Society - catalog of known Nebraska newspapers; lists repositories that have the newspapers
- U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
- 1870 - 1990 — Nebraska Prisoner Records 1870-1990 — index only
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Nebraska, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate ticklers, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for Nebraska - Buffalo - Probate records.
Probate records are held and created by the Buffalo County Court listed in the County section on this page.
The Family History Library has microfilm copies of Buffalo County probate records 1906-1956 housed by the North Platte Genealogical Society in North Platte, Nebraska. As of April 2010 the society has an internet address but no web content.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1806-1989 Nebraska Wills and Probate Records 1806-1989 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
- 1906-1956 Probate Records, 1906-1956(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Nebraska tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses before 1820 or to supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.
The Family History Library has microfilm copies of Buffalo County marriage records 1896-1993 housed in the Nebraska State Historical Society and the Buffalo County Courthouse.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1855 - 1995 — Nebraska Marriages, 1855-1995 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index only
- 1856 - 1898 — Nebraska Marriages 1856-1898 at Ancestry.com ($), index only
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1861 - 1948 - Nebraska, Grand Army of the Republic, Burial Records, 1861-1948 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1904-1955 Reclaim the Records: Nebraska Death Index at Archive.org - images of index
- 1904-1968 Nebraska, U.S., Index to Deaths, 1904-1968 at Ancestry — index, ($)
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Buffalo County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Nebraska Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History 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 family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Buffalo County. For state-wide library facilities, see Nebraska Archives and Libraries.
- Kearney Public Library
2020 1st Avenue
Kearney, NE 68847-5306
Phone: 308-233-3282
Fax: 308-233-3291
Facebook
- Kearney Public Library
Museums[edit | edit source]
- Trails and Rails Museum
710 W 11th St
PO Box 523
Kearney, NE 68848
Phone: 308-234-3041
Email bchs.us@hotmail.com
Facebook
- Trails and Rails Museum
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Buffalo County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Nebraska Societies.
- Fort Kearney Genealogical Society
PO Box 22
Kearney, NE 68848
308-234-6708
Email: ftkrnygensoc@gmail.com
- Fort Kearney Genealogical Society
- Ravenna Genealogical and Historical Society
PO Box 33
Ravenna, NE 68869
Phone: 308-293-9200
Email: mrussell@nctc.net
- Ravenna Genealogical and Historical Society
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Buffalo County NEGenWeb
- Buffalo County USGenWeb
- 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Nebraska. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_County,_Nebraska accessed 10/26/2016
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Buffalo County, Nebraska. Page 428-435 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL 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.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Buffalo County, Nebraska," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_County,_Nebraska, accessed 17 January 2019.
- ↑ Jim Tompkins, "The Oregon Trail 1841-1848 Map II" in Oregon Trail Landmarks at
(accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ "Oregon California Trails Association" at http://octatrails.micromaps.com/ (accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ "The Pioneer Story: The Mormon Pioneer Trail" in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/pioneer-trek (accessed 18 July 2011).
