Shawnee County, Kansas Genealogy
Guide to Shawnee County, Kansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for the Shawnee people. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Shawnee County Courthouse
200 E 7th
Topeka, KS 66603
Phone: 785.233.8200
Shawnee County Website
County Clerk has birth, marriage, and death records 1894-1911.
Probate Court has marriage records 1856-1906.
Clerk District Court has divorce, probate and court records.
Register of Deeds has land records from 1855. [3]
Shawnee County, Kansas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1894 | 1856 | 1894 | 1858 | 1855 | 1859 | 1855 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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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:[7]
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Kansas DAR Bible Records at DAR Library Catalog
Biographies[edit | edit source]
All of the family biographies from the History of Shawnee County, Kansas and Representative Citizens (1905) by James L. King, published by Richmond & Arnold are available free online at My Genealogy Hound.
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- Topeka State Hospital, a publicly funded institution for the care and treatment of the mentally ill in Topeka, Kansas, was in operation from 1872 to 1997. For some, the grounds of the hospital became their final resting place. There is a searchable index to the 1157 individuals buried in the hospital cemetery. With only a few exceptions, individuals were buried without a headstone. Because most individuals were buried in unmarked graves, hospital officials used a grid pattern and designated gravesites by their distance from stone markers placed at the end of each row. The 'Location' is the distance in feet and inches from the eastern marker west to the gravesite.
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 3,513 | — |
| 1870 | 13,121 | 273.5% |
| 1880 | 29,093 | 121.7% |
| 1890 | 49,172 | 69.0% |
| 1900 | 53,727 | 9.3% |
| 1910 | 61,874 | 15.2% |
| 1920 | 69,159 | 11.8% |
| 1930 | 85,200 | 23.2% |
| 1940 | 91,247 | 7.1% |
| 1950 | 105,418 | 15.5% |
| 1960 | 141,286 | 34.0% |
| 1970 | 155,322 | 9.9% |
| 1980 | 154,916 | −0.3% |
| 1990 | 160,976 | 3.9% |
| 2000 | 169,871 | 5.5% |
| 2010 | 177,934 | 4.7% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Kansas became a territory in 1854 and the first territory census taken was in 1855. It was also enumerated as Kansas Territory in the 1860 Federal Census, although there were 15 counties that were marked with "no population" in them. The state continued to take state censuses after it was admitted to the Union in 1861.[8] See links listed below.
State and Territorial Census Records[edit | edit source]
- 1855-1925 - Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images; covers census years 1855-1859, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925
- 1860 - 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Kansas Territory at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection - Index and images
- 1860 - 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Kansas Territory at Ancestry - ($), Index and images
- 1865 - Kansas State Census, 1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection— index and images
- 1875 - Kansas State Census, 1875 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index and images
- 1885 - Kansas State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — images
- 1895 - Kansas State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index and images
- 1905 - Kansas State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index
- 1915 - Kansas State Census, 1915 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index and images
- 1919-1961 - Kansas, City and County Census Records, 1919-1961 at Ancestry - Partial index (4 counties) and images
- 1925 - Kansas State Census, 1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index
Federal Census Records[edit | edit source]
The 1870 Census was the first Federal Census taken for Kansas after it became a state in 1861.[9] For links to Federal Census indexes, see Kansas Census.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Kansas Church Records.
- 1861-1918 - Kansas, Swedish Church Records, 1861-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection —index
Ward and Branch Records
- Topeka
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
- Honor Roll, Shawnee County, Kansas : Designed, Engraved, and Edited by the Burger Engraving Co.(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African Americans[edit | edit source]
Cox. Thomas C. Blacks in Topeaka, (Shawnee County) Kansas, 1865-1915. :a social history - Baton Rouge: Louisiana State university Press c.1982 236 p. F689.T6 C69 1982
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Bowser Johnson Funeral Chapel in Topeka
- Brennan Mathena Funeral Services in Topeka
- Chapel Oaks Cremation and Funeral Services in Topeka
- Davidson Funeral Home in Topeka
- Dove Cremations and Funerals in Topeka
- Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home in Topeka
- Parker-Price Cremations, Funerals and Receptions in Topeka
- Peaceful Rest Funeral Chapel in Topeka
- Penwell-Gabel Cremations, Funerals and Receptions in Topeka
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 Kansas Land and Property for additional information about early Kansas land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Records
- 1873 Land Plat book for Shawnee County - image of plat book
- 1898 Land Plat book for Shawnee County - image of plat book
- 1913 Land Plat book for Shawnee County - image of plat book
- 1921 Land Plat book for Shawnee County - image of plat book
- 1873 Land Plat book for Shawnee County - image of plat book
- 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 - ($), index and images
For more information see Kansas Land and Property
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Shawnee County, Kansas Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Kansas Local Histories.
Online County Histories
- Historical Sketch of Shawnee County, Kansas. 1876. By Frye William Giles. Topeka, Kansas : Commonwealth Steam Book and Job Printing House. Online at: Internet Archive.
- History of Shawnee County Kansas. 1905. Edited by James L. King. Chicago, Illinois : Richmond & Arnold. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); At various libraries (WorldCat).
- William W. Cone's Historical Sketch of Shawnee County, Kansas. 1877. By William W. Cone. Topeka, Kansas : Kansas Farmer Printing House. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Witness of the Times : a History of Shawnee County. c1976. By Roy D. Bird, Douglass W. Wallace, Shawnee County Historical Society. Topeka, Kansas : Shawnee County Historical Society. At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
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Early migration routes to and from Shawnee County, Kansas Genealogy for European and African American settlers included:
- Kansas River
- Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon[10]
- California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California[11]
- Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah[12]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Online Collections[edit | edit source]
These collections are unique to Kansas. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Kansas Military Records.
Collections Covering Multiple Wars
- Kansas Military Index at Kansas Historical Society - Index only, includes Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts
- Records of the Deaths and Burials at the Kansas State Soldiers Home - Index only, the home is located in Fort Dodge, Ford County, Kansas.
Civil War
- During the Civil War men from this county enlisted in the 1st Kansas Infantry Regiment, Company A, Second Kansas Infantry Regiment, Second Kansas Cavalry Regiment, Third Kansas Cavalry Regiment, Fifth Kansas Cavalry Regiment, Sixth Kansas Cavalry Regiment, Seventh Kansas Cavalry Regiment, Eighth Kansas Infantry Regiment, Ninth Kansas Cavalry Regiment, 10th Kansas Infantry Regiment, 11th Kansas Cavalry Regiment, 12th Kansas Infantry Regiment, 14th Kansas Cavalry Regiment, 15th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Company F, 16th Regiment Kansas Cavalry, 17th Regiment Kansas Infantry, First Kansas Colored Regiment, Second Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment, First Regiment Kansas Battery, Third Regiment Kansas Battery, Eighth Regiment Kansas United States Volunteers, 18th Regiment Kansas Cavalry and 19th Regiment Kansas Cavalry.
- Kansas Civil War Soldiers at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index only
- 1862, 1863, 1868: Kansas, Civil War Enlistment Papers, 1862, 1863, 1868 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
- 1866-1931: Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Bound Post Records, 1866-1931 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
- 1880-1940: Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Post Reports, 1880-1940 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
- 1889: Kansas, Enrollment of Civil War Veterans, 1889 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
- Kansas Civil War Soldiers at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
Spanish-American War (1898)
- 1945-1970: Kansas, United Spanish War Veterans Reports of Deaths, 1945-1970 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
World War I
- History and Roster of the Kansas State Guard (WWI) at KSGenWeb - Taken from the book by the Adjutant General's Office
- 1917-1919: Kansas, World War I Veteran Collection, 1917-1919 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
- 1930: Kansas, Enrollment of WWI Veterans, 1930 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
World War II
- 1940-1946: Web: Kansas, WWII Selective Service Index, 1940-1946 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
- World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing, State of Kansas, War Dept-June 1946 at KSGenWeb - Index only
- Men and women in the Armed Forces from Shawnee County. Topeka, Kan. : Pictorial Yearbooks of Myers & Co., 1946?
Korean War
Vietnam War
For further information see Kansas Military Records.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1864 - 1972 - Kansas, Naturalization Abstracts, 1864-1972 at Ancestry — ($), Index
- 1865 - 1874 - Kansas Indian Naturalizations, ca. 1865-1874 at the National Archives — Index, District of Kansas, Record Group 21.
- 1865 - 1984 - Kansas, Federal Naturalization Records, 1865-1984 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images
- 1917 - 1918 - Kansas, Registration Affidavits of Alien Enemies, 1917-1918 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images, includes German and other aliens living in Kansas
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
For more information, see Kansas Newspapers.
Kansas Newspapers Online
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- Kansas Newspapers at Newspapers.com - ($), free to Kansas residents through Kansas Historical Society
- GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Kansas newspapers
- Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Kansas newspapers
- Chronicling America - contains images of some Kansas newspapers; searching tips
- Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
Kansas Newspaper Catalogs
- Kansas Online Historical Newspapers - contains a list of known Kansas newspapers online and the websites they are found on
- U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library Newspaper Index. Click on "newspaper index". The keyword index contains articles, obituaries and events in the Topeka Capital Journal from 1989-1999.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library Obituaries Index. Click on "obituary index". The Index covers 1906-1935 and 1971 to the present.
Also, many obituaries from 1936-1971 have been indexed.
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voter Records
- 1854 - Kansas Election List, 1854 at Ancestry — ($), Index
- 1854 - 1856 - Kansas Voter Registration Lists, 1854-1856 at Ancestry — ($), Index
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Kansas, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, inventories, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for Kansas, Shawnee and click Probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1803-1987 Kansas Wills and Probate Records 1803-1987 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
- 1859-1935 Probate Records, 1859-1935 ; Probate Court Indexes, 1877-1926(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1895-1898 Probate Case Files, 1895-1898(*); Probate 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]
Kansas tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Tax lists were usually made every year, however, there may be gaps of several years. For more information, see the wiki page Kansas Taxation.
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 Kansas Office of Vital Statistics or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also Kansas Vital Records. For information about restrictions and costs for certificates, see the CDC Where to Write for Vital Records site.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1818 - 1936 Kansas, Births and Christenings, 1818-1936 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection — index
- 1885 - 1911 Kansas, Births and Christenings Index, 1885-1911 at Ancestry.com — index $
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1800 - 1946 - United States Marriages – Kansas, 1800-1946 at findmypast — ($), Index and images
- 1811 - 1911 - Kansas, Marriages, 1811-1911 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — Index
- 1811 - 1911 - Kansas, County Marriages, 1811-1911 at Ancestry — ($), Index
- 1840 - 1935 - Kansas, Marriages, 1840-1935 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection — Index
- 1854 - 1861 - KHS Kansas Marriage Index, 1854-1861 at Kansas Historical Society — Index
- 1861 - 1918 - Kansas, Swedish Church Vital Records, 1861-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1885 - 1930 Kansas, Deaths and Burials, 1885-1930 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection — index
- 1885 - 1930 Kansas, Deaths and Burials, Index, 1885-1930 at Ancestry.com — index $
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Shawnee County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Kansas 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 Shawnee County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kansas Archives and Libraries.
- Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
1515 SW 10th Ave
Topeka, Kansas 66604
Phone 785-580-4400
Genealogy Librarian 785-580-4510
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Shawnee County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Kansas Societies.
- Shawnee County Historical Society
PO Box 2201
1118 SE Madison Avenue
Topeka, KS 66601
Phone: 785-234-6097
Email: shawneecountyhistory@gmail.com
Website Facebook
- Topeka Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 4048
Topeka, KS 66604-0048
E-mail:President1@tgstopeka.org
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
- Shawnee County KS Genealogy Research. Contains information for researching genealogy in Shawnee county KS, Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
- Shawnee County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- 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]
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Shawnee, Kansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawnee_County,_Kansas" 9/12/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Shawnee County, Kansas page 256, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Shawnee County, Kansas. Page 256 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), 237.
- ↑ “Kansas Research Outline”, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Department, 2000), 40.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Shawnee County, Kansas" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawnee_County,_Kansas#Townships, accessed 17 October 2017.
- ↑ William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses (Bountiful, UT: American Genealogical Lending Library, 1985), page 118-119.
- ↑ William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses (Bountiful, UT: American Genealogical Lending Library, 1985), page 119.
- ↑ National Park Service, "(Auto Tour Route) Maps" in Oregon National Historic Trail at http://www.nps.gov/oreg/planyourvisit/maps.htm (accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ National Park Service, "(Auto Tour Route) Maps" in California National Historic Trail at http://www.nps.gov/cali/planyourvisit/maps.htm (accessed 18 July 2011).
- ↑ National Park Service, "Auto Tour Route Maps" in Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail at http://www.nps.gov/mopi/planyourvisit/maps.htm (accessed 18 July 2011).
