Finney County, Kansas
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |

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Finney County was created on March 6, 1873 (Originally named as Sequoyah, renamed on February 22, 1883) from Peketon Territory. The County Seat is Garden City. The County was named for David W. Finney (1839-1916), at the time lieutenant governor of Kansas.

Sequoyah county was composed of townships 21 through 26 south and ranges 31 through 34 west, which made it twenty-four miles east to west and thirty-six miles north and south. The creating statute gave the boundaries as: "Commencing at the intersection of the east line of range 31 west with the 4th standard parallel; thence south along range line to the intersection with the north line of township 27 south; thence west along township lie to where it intersect the east line of range 35 west; thence north along range line to where it intersects the 4th standard parallel; thence east to the place of beginning." The County was named in honor of the Cherokee Indian leader Sequoyah (1776-1843), the inventor of the Cherokee alphabet. Sequoyah County was absorbed by Finney County in 1883.

Counties adjacent to Finney County are Scott County (north), Lane County (north), Ness County (northeast), Hodgeman County (east), Haskell County (south), Gray County (south), Grant County (southwest), Kearny County (west). Cities and Towns Include Garden City, Holcomb, Pierceville. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

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Records at the Finney County Courthouse

See Also Kansas Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

All Departments below can be contacted by clicking the link, by contacting the Phone number below for each department or contacting the County Courthouse at 311 N. 9th Street, Garden City, KS 67846-5312; Phone: (620)272-3522. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Finney County Clerks Office has Birth Records from 1885-1910, Marriage Records from 1884 and Death Records from 1886-1910.

The Register of Deeds shall have custody of and safely keep and preserve all the books, records, deeds, maps, papers and microphotographs deposited or kept in the office of the Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds shall also record or cause to be recorded all deeds, mortgages, maps, instruments and writings authorized by law to be recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds and shall perform all other duties as are required by law.

Finney County Register of Deeds Office has Land Records from 1873.

The Register of Deeds shall have custody of and safely keep and preserve all the books, records, deeds, maps, papers and microphotographs deposited or kept in the office of the Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds shall also record or cause to be recorded all deeds, mortgages, maps, instruments and writings authorized by law to be recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds and shall perform all other duties as are required by law.

Finney County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1873 and Court Records from 1885.

The Clerk of Court is part of the Judicial Branch of local government and as such is required to maintain a record of all documents filed with the courts, keep a record of all court proceedings, and collect various fines and forfeitures ordered by the court and specified by statute.

Below is a list of online resources for Finney County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Finney County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Kansas Election List, 1854: Listing of voters from Kansas in 1854 taken from Congressional report in 1856
  • Kansas Voter Registration Lists, 1854-1856: Voter registration lists from the territory of Kansas between 1854 and 1856
  • Kansas Settlers, 1854-1879: Listing of over 3200 early settlers of Kansas
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • Finney County, Kansas Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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Finney County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

For the most part, tax records remain at the local level. Assessment and tax rolls are kept, permanently, by the County Treasurer's office.

Below is a list of online resources for Finney County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Finney County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Finney County Treasurers Office
    The County Treasurer's Office by Kansas State law is responsible for the tax billing, collection and distribution of tax money for the State, County, Cities and all other taxing entities that levy Ad Valorem and/or special assessment taxes.
  • Finney County, Kansas Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Finney County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Kansas

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! All Fees below cover a five-year record search – one certified copy is issued if the record is found and if not found, the fee is retained. You will receive either the certified copy or a letter explaining the search conducted and that no record was located. All Request Filled requests take 2-4 weeks when ordered by mail (Application for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death) or 2-5 Days when you order ONLINE.

Office of Vital Statistics, 1000 S W Jackson, Suite 110, Topeka, KS 66612; (785) 296-1400 Info; (785) 296-3253. They have the following records:

  • Birth Certificates: In Kansas, Birth certificates began being filed with the Office July 1, 1911. The Kansas Historical Society and/or the County Clerk holds birth records before July 1, 1911.
    • Cost: $12.00 fee for a certified birth certificate copy is $7 for each additional copy of same record ordered at same time.
    • Delayed Certificates of Birth: are on file with dates of birth dating back to the 1860's. In 1940, statutory authority was received by the Office which allowed individuals still alive in 1940 and later with no prior birth record filed to submit certain documentation to file a Delayed Certificate of Birth. A request for a Delayed Certificate of Birth is made in the same manner as one for a regular birth certificate – just specify the date of birth. If the date specified is between the late 1860's and July 1, 1911, a Delayed Certificate of Birth search will be conducted.
  • Death Certificates: In Kansas, Death certificates began being filed with the Office July 1, 1911. The Kansas Historical Society and/or the County Clerk holds death records before July 1, 1911.
    • Cost: $13.00 fee for a certified birth certificate copy is $8 for each additional copy of same record ordered at same time.
  • Marriage Certificates: In Kansas, Death certificates began being filed with the Office May 1, 1913. The Kansas Historical Society and/or the County Clerk holds marriage records before May 1, 1913.
    • Cost: $12.00 fee for a certified birth certificate copy is $7 for each additional copy of same record ordered at same time.
  • Divorces: Divorce Certificates began being filed with this office July 1, 1951. The divorce decree is not filed with this office. The decree is the court document detailing the settlement of the divorce. The divorce certificate is completed by the plaintiff's attorney and contains only basic information – names of husband and wife, date of marriage, date of divorce, etc. Certified copies of divorce decrees are obtained from the Clerk of the District Court in the county where the divorce was filed.
    • Cost: $12.00 is the cost for the search, which includes one copy of the divorce certificate, if found. Additional copies of the same record, requested at the same time as the first, are $7.00 each.
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service
  • Order In Person: Go to Curtis State Office Bldg., 1000 SW Jackson, Ste. 120, Topeka, KS 66612. Open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. weekdays.Payment made by cash, check, money order, or credit card.

Below is a list of online resources for Finney County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Finney County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Kansas newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Kansas Marriage Index, 1854-73: 22,000 records of Kansas marriages extracted from LDS records and newspapers
  • Finney County, Kansas Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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Finney County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Kansas

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Finney County, Kansas are 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Finney County, Kansas are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Finney County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Finney County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Kansas Census, 1850-90: This database contains indexes to the Kansas (U.S.A.) portions of the 1850-18700 U.S. Federal Censuses as well as to the 1855-1859 state and territorial census, and the 1890 Veterans Schedules. Information contained in these indexes can include name, state, county, township, year of record, and name of record set.
  • Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1915: This database contains state censuses for Kansas from 1855-1915. Information available in this database includes: name, age, gender, race, relationship to head of household, birthplace, marital status, and place of enumeration. Additional information about an individual may be listed on the original record.
  • Kansas Territorial Census, 1855: Index to persons whose names appear in the Kansas Territorial Census of 1855
  • Census Online - Kansas Census Records
  • The USGenWeb Archives Kansas CENSUS IMAGES PROJECT
  • Finney County, Kansas Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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Finney County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlases has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Kansas showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Kansas showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The Kansas Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Finney County Maps. Email us with websites containing Finney County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Finney County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Kansas

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Finney County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Finney County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Finney County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Kansas Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Finney County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Finney County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Finney County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 592, Garden City 67846
  • Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka KS 66615-1099
  • Kansas State Genealogical Society, 2109 Twentieth Avenue, Monroe, WI 53566
  • Kansas Genealogical Society, PO Box 103, 700 Avenue G and Vine Street, Dodge City, KS 67801; (620) 225-1951
  • National Archives - Great Lakes Region (Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898; 773-948-9001; E-mail: chicago.archives@nara.gov (Maintains retired records from Federal agencies and courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Kansas.)
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Kansas Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Finney County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Kansas

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Finney County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Finney County Tombstone Transcription Project.

The earliest churches were established among the native tribes settled in Kansas long before it was organized as a territory. The Methodist, Baptist, Society of Friends, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches all had early missions which grew as the white settlers immigrated.

There is no central registry of cemetery locations in Kansas. The Woman's Kansas Day Club has identified and located many Kansas cemeteries. The project's results are at the Kansas State Historical Society which has additional collections of published cemetery inscriptions, though not comprehensive, listed in their card catalog.

The Register of Deeds in each county is often able to assist in locating cemeteries. Certain maps distributed by the Kansas Department of Transportation show the location of known cemeteries in relation to county roads.

Below is a list of online resources for Finney County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Finney County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Finney County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Finney County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

  • Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
  • Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
  • Sites on USGenweb: [ Finney County ] [ Kansas ] [ Main Page ]
  • Finney County USGenweb Archives
  • [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
  • Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
  • Kansas Family Group Sheets
  • Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
  • Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
  • Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
  • Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
  • Finney County, Kansas Family Books at Amazon.com
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Extended History

 

Transcribed from Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912.

Finney County, in the southwestern part of the state, is the third county north from the Oklahoma line and the third east from Colorado. It is bounded on the north by Scott and Lane counties; on the east by Hodgeman and Gray; on the south by Gray and Haskell, and on the west by Kearny county. This territory was settled about 1880. but was traversed at early dates by Coronado (q. v.), Pike's Expedition and the Santa Fe road. As proof of the presence of Coronado in Finney county, historians cite the finding of an old two-edged sword in the northeastern part of the county, with the name of Juan Gallego inscribed on it and the following motto, which the Spanish were accustomed to put on their weapons: "No me saques sin razon. No me enbaines sin honor." As the two-edged swords went out of use about 1600, it must have been lost before that time. Fowler's Journal of Glenn's expedition for Oct. 30, 1821, says: "We camped on an Island Clothed with tall grass and Cotton Wood trees—the main Chanel on the north Some Small Islands on the South with out trees." Coues located this island about 8 or 10 miles above Garden City. The last Indian raid ever made through Kansas, that of the northern Cheyennes under Chief Dull Knife, came through the eastern part of this county on their way northward in 1878.

The same year saw the first settlement, when William and James R. Foulton of Ohio located on the site of Garden City. Their houses were the only ones in the county except a section house at Sherlock and one at Pierceville. Very few people located in this region until about 1884-85. However, several consecutive years of rain and good crops brought settlers with a rush in 1885 and 1886. They were eastern people accustomed to farming and living in ways which were entirely unfitted to the climate of Finney county, and as a consequence had to devise new farming methods and new implements suited to the soil had to be invented before much success was achieved. Many of those who lacked the capital or the courage to do this went back east in a few years, but those who stayed have been well paid for their efforts, and they have been joined by enough newcomers to make land valuable.

The county was organized in 1884 and named in honor of Lieut.-Gov. David W. Finney. It then covered a much larger area than at present, the counties of Kearny, Sequoyah, Grant, Arapahoe, Kansas, Stevens, Meade and Clark, as they existed prior to 1883, were disorganized in that year to make Finney. In 1887 the area was reduced, so that it occupied less territory than it does now. In 1893 the present boundaries were formed. In Gov. Glick's proclamation organizing the county, which was made on Oct. 1, 1884, Garden City was named as the county seat and the following officers appointed: Commissioners, H. M. Wheeler, A. B. Kramer and John Speer; county cleric, H. E. Wentworth. The census at that time showed a population of 1,569 inhabitants, 375 of whom were householders.

The building of canals was begun early. The first one was the Garden City canal, which was built in 1879. In 1881 the Farmer's ditch was dug; in 1882 the Great Eastern canal; and in 1887 the Amazon, with a capacity of 400 cubic feet and capable of irrigating 8,000 acres. These ditches are in use at the present time, and many of the farmers who do not have access to them irrigate with windmills. Many of them have learned to raise good crops of certain vegetables without irrigation, by cultivating in such a manner as to conserve moisture. A government irrigation plant was built at Deerfield a few years ago at a cost of $250,000. The Arkansas river, which flows from west to east through the southern part, furnishes water for irrigation purposes.

The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe F. R. follows the course of the river through the county, running through Pierceville, Mansfield, Garden City and Holcomb. The Garden City, Gulf & Northern R. R. extends north from Garden City through Gillespie, Alfalfa and Tennis into Scott county. It is in process of construction south into Haskell county. There are but seven townships, the northeastern one being the territory which formerly comprised Garfield county. The townships are: Garfield, Garden City, Ivanhoe, Pierceville, Pleasant Valley, Sherlock and Terry. The postoffices are: Eminence, Essex, Friend, Garden City, Holcomb, Imperial, Kalvesta, Pierceville, Ravanna and Terryton.

The surface of the county is nearly level north of the Arkansas river, and undulating prairie in the south, with a range of sand dunes. The bottom lands along the Arkansas average 4 to 5 miles in width. Natural timber is very scarce, there being but a few cottonwood trees. The government has set apart 70,000 acres, which covers nearly the whole area south of the river as a forest reserve, and has planted the most of it to artificial forest. Magnesian limestone of a fair quality and sandstone are found in the northeast. Clay for bricks exists in various parts of the county and potter's clay and gypsum are found in small quantities.

The area of the county is 829,440 acres, about 300,000 of which have been brought under cultivation. The value of farm products is about $1,500,000 per year. The principal crop is sugar beets, which in 1910 brought $252,000. The next in importance is alfalfa. A great many of the farmers, after cutting their alfalfa two or three times, let it go to seed, and Finney county alfalfa seed took the gold medal at the Louisiana Purchase exposition at St. Louis in 1904. Other grains and vegetables are also raised in commercial quantities. Wheat, corn, oats, sorghum, broom-corn, barley, milo maize and Kafir corn are important field crops. Live stock yields about $250,000 per year. Dairy products, poultry, eggs and honey bring nearly $100,000 yearly to the farmers. There is a very fine and well equipped county farm with seldom an inmate. The same is true of the county jail.

The assessed valuation of property in Finney county in 1910 was $13,906,521, and the population in the same year was 6,908, which makes the average wealth per capita a trifle over $2,000. The gain in population from 1900 to 1910 was 3,439, or nearly 100 per cent.

County Courthouse

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