Johnson County, Kansas Genealogy

United StatesKansasJohnson County

Guide to Johnson County, Kansas ancestry, family history and genealogy and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

County Courthouse
Johnson County Courthouse 111 S Cherry Olathe, KS 66061 Phone: 913.764.8484 ext. 5335 Clerk District Court has divorce and court records from 1861. Probate Court has marriage and probate.

Parent County
1855--Johnson County was created 30 August 1855 as an original county. County seat: Olathe

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Neighboring Counties



 * Cass County, Missouri
 * Douglas
 * Franklin
 * Jackson County, Missouri
 * Leavenworth
 * Miami
 * Wyandotte

Cemeteries
The Digital Cemetery is a photo-index of grave markers in the cemeteries in Johnson County. Includes complete cemetery transcriptions with photos taken from 2005-2010. Also includes cemetery histories, cemetery maps and diagrams, and searchable indexes with photos of markers and lost cemetery information.

Animal Cemetery

 * Woolford Farms Horse Cemetery

Lost Cemeteries
The lost cemeteries below were marked on historical atlas maps, mentioned in historic diaries of the period, or mentioned in land records.


 * Baptist Mission Church Cemetery
 * Cedar Junction Cemetery
 * Friends (Quaker) Mission Cemetery
 * Indian Creek Chapel Cemetery (aka Scarrett's Chapel)
 * Lanesfield Cemetery
 * Matthew King Burial Ground
 * Unknown Cemetery (Lexington Twp)
 * Unknown Cemetery (McCamishTwp)
 * Unknown Cemetery (MonticelloTwp)
 * Unknown Cemetery (Oxford Twp)

Court

 * 1856-1969 Civil Court Cases indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb. Includes accession, location, folder and case numbers. Records are held at the Johnson County Archives.


 * 1861-1969 Criminal Court Cases A-F (partial) are indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb. Includes accession, location, folder and case numbers. Records are held at the Johnson County Archives.


 * Johnson County Kansas District Court Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, and Probate court records; Marriage Licenses.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from for European and African American settlers included:


 * Missouri River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Military
During the Civil War men from this county enlisted in the 2nd Regiment, Kansas Infantry, Companiy C ; 4th Regiment, Kansas Infantry; 5th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Company L; 8th Regiment, Kansas Infantry, Companies F and L; 9th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Company G; 12th Regiment, Kansas Infantry, Company H; 13th Regiment, Kansas Infantry and 15th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Companies A and K.

Obituaries
Johnson Co KSGenWeb Obituaries, Death Notices, News Articles &amp; Probate Notices Taken from Johnson County, KS Newspapers 1860-1907 (not complete)

Probate
Online Records


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

Johnson County Kansas District Court Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, and Probate court records; Marriage Licenses.

Johnson Co KSGenWeb Obituaries, Death Notices, News Articles &amp; Probate Notices Taken from Johnson County, KS Newspapers 1860-1907 (not complete)

Taxation

 * 1859 Delinquent Taxes indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb by township.

Birth Records
The State of Kansas began recording births in 1911. No birth records were kept in Johnson County prior to 1911.


 * 1818 - 1936 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1885 - 1911 Kansas, Births and Christenings Index, 1885-1911 at Ancestry.com — index $

Death Records
The State of Kansas began recording deaths in 1911. No death records were kept in Johnson County prior to 1911.


 * Johnson County, Kansas Obituary Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. From Various Funeral Homes.
 * 1885 - 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1885 - 1930 Kansas, Deaths and Burials, Index, 1885-1930 at Ancestry.com — index $

Divorce Records
1853-1882 divorces are indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb and includes the record accession number. Records are held at the Johnson County Archives in Olathe, KS.


 * Johnson County Kansas District Court Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, and Probate court records; Marriage Licenses.

Marriage Records
1843-1857 Shawnee marriages at the Shawnee Methodist Mission. Indexed on the Johnson County KSGenWeb site.

1857-1907 marriage registries are indexed on Johnson County KSGenWeb and includes marriage book and page number. Other information may include date, age, residence, presiding official, and location. Browse by bride or groom. Index donated by the Johnson County Archives in Olathe, KS.


 * Johnson County Kansas District Court Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, and Probate court records; Marriage Licenses.
 * 1811 - 1911 at | FamilySearch — index
 * 1840 - 1935 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1855 - 1911 at | FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1855 - 1911 Kansas, County Marriages, 1855-1911 at Ancestry.com — images $

Wills
Will records are indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb and includes accession, location, volume and page. The records are held in the Johnson County Archives in Olathe, KS.


 * Johnson County Kansas District Court - search for Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, Court, Marriage License and Probate Court

Family History Centers



 * Lenexa Kansas Family History Center
 * Olathe Kansas Family History Center

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Johnson County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Johnson County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)