Leavenworth County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Leavenworth County, Kansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for Henry Leavenworth, an officer in the War of 1812. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Leavenworth County Courthouse 601 S. Third St. Ste 3051 Leavenworth, Kansas 66048-2781 Phone: 913.684.0700 Leavenworth County Website Probate Judge has marriage and probate records from 1855. Register of Deeds has land records. Clerk District Court has court and naturalization records from 1855.

Populated Places
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:

Prior to July 2014, some residences south of Hwy 24/40 in Leavenworth County had postal addresses of Bonner Springs, Kansas.

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Ward Divisions of the City of Leavenworth
The city of Leavenworth was divided into wards for several federal and state censuses (four wards in the censuses of 1860, 1865, 1870, and 1885; six wards in the censuses of 1895, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1940). The 1880 census used nine Enumeration Districts, and the 1930 census used ten EDs. The 1875 census reported the entire city in a single unit.

Additional material is under research to identify the boundaries of these wards.

State and Territorial Census Records

 * 1855-1925 - Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images; covers census years 1855-1859, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925
 * 1860 - at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1860 - 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Kansas Territory at Ancestry — ($), Index and images
 * 1865 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1875 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;  images
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 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 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Federal Census Records
The 1870 Census was the first Federal Census taken for Kansas after it became a state in 1861. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Kansas Census.

Church Records

 * 1861-1918 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Leavenworth
 * FamilySearch Places

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records


 * Land records at Kansas Historical Society


 * 1878 Land Plat book for Leavenworth County - image of plat book
 * 1903 Land Plat book for Leavenworth 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
Online County Histories


 * Centennial Historical Program, Leavenworth, Kansas. Title also known as Centennial Leavenworth, 1854-1954. [1954]. By Historical Program Committee. Leavenworth, Kansas : Historical Program Committee. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Early History of Leavenworth City and County. 1906. By Henry Miles Moore. Leavenworth, Kan. : Sam'l Dodsworth Book Co. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of Leavenworth County, Kansas. 1921. By Jesse A. Hall and LeRoy T. Hand.  Topeka, Kansas : Historical Pub. Co.  Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of Leavenworth County, Kansas. 1990. Compiled and edited by Leavenworth County Genealogical Society.  Salina, Kansas : Kancen Printing & Advertising.  Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library;.
 * Portrait and Biographical Record of Leavenworth, Douglas and Franklin counties, Kansas. 1899. Chicago [IL] : Chapman Publishing Co. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Leavenworth County, Kansas Genealogy for European and African American settlers included:
 * Missouri River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Mormon Trail 1846 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Online Collections
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 Leavenworth County furnished more troops in the Civil War than any other county in the State. By May 20, 1861, eighteen companies had been organized and were ready for service. These companies were known as follows: Home Guards, Leavenworth Fencibles, German Rifles, Leavenworth Guards, Emmett Guards, Steuben Guards, Delaware Guards, Delaware Rifles, Lincoln Rangers, Mounted Rifles, Leavenworth Grays, Shields Guards, Phoenix Guards, Union Guards, Leavenworth Light Infantry, Lafayette Guards, Lane Rifles, Leavenworth Rifles, Stranger Township Union Home Guards, Kickapoo Guards, Captain Black's Guards, Lyon Guards, Fourth Ward Guards, "Old Guards", Third Ward Guards, Leavenworth Mercantile Guards and Leavenworth Light Cavalry. During the Civil War men from this county enlisted in the 1st Regiment, Kansas Infantry; 7th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry;11th Regiment, Kansas Infantry; 15th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Companies C, F, L, and K; and the 17th Regiment, Kansas Infantry.


 * 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

Korean War


 * U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Korean War for Kansas - Index only

Vietnam War


 * U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Vietnam War for Kansas - Index only

For further information see Kansas Military Records.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 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
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

Other Records
Voter Records


 * 1854 - Kansas Election List, 1854 at Ancestry — ($), Index
 * 1854 - 1856 - Kansas Voter Registration Lists, 1854-1856 at Ancestry — ($), Index

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1803 – 1987 Kansas Wills and Probate Records 1803-1987 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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.

Birth

 * 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

 * 1800 - 1946 - United States Marriages – Kansas, 1800-1946 at findmypast — ($), Index and images
 * 1811 - 1911 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1811 - 1911 - Kansas, County Marriages, 1811-1911 at Ancestry — ($), Index
 * 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 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Death

 * 1885 - 1930 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1885 - 1930 Kansas, Deaths and Burials, Index, 1885-1930 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * Leavenworth County, Kansas Obituary Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. From Various Funeral Homes in the Leavenworth, Lansing, Fairmount, Basehor, and Tonanoxie areas.

Family History Centers

 * Leavenworth Kansas Family History Center

Societies

 * Fort Leavenworth Historical Society LTC Chris Johnson /Department of Military History US Army Command and General Staff College 100 Stimson Ave br> Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027 Phone 913-684-3349 Facebook


 * Leavenworth County Historical Society 1128 5th Ave Leavenworth, KS 66048 Phone 913-682-7759 Email:[mailto:museum@leavenworthhistory.org museum@leavenworthhistory.org] Facebook Website


 * Former Leavenworth County Genealogy Society Website Website

Websites

 * Leavenworth Genealogy Research   Contains information for researching genealogy in Leavenworth county KS,  Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
 * Leavenworth County USGenWeb Archives
 * 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
 * Leavenworth County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)