Pottawatomie 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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Pottawatomie County was created on February 20, 1857 from Riley and Calhoun Counties. The County Seat is Westmoreland. The County was named for the Indian tribe.

Counties adjacent to Pottawatomie County are Marshall County (north), Nemaha County (northeast), Jackson County (east), Shawnee County (southeast), Wabaunsee County (south), Riley County (west). Cities and Towns Include Wamego, St. Marys, Onaga, Westmoreland, 643 St. George, Emmett, Belvue, Louisville, Olsburg, Havensville, Wheaton. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

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Records at the Pottawatomie 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 207 N. First, Westmoreland, KS 66549; Phone: (785)457-3314. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Pottawatomie County Clerks Office has Birth Records from 1885-1911, Marriage Records from 1855 and Death Records from 1885-1911.

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.

Pottawatomie County Register of Deeds Office has Land Records from 1856.

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.

Pottawatomie County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1856 and Court Records from 1862.

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 Pottawatomie County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Pottawatomie 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)
  • Pottawatomie 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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Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Pottawatomie County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Pottawatomie 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.
  • Pottawatomie County, Kansas Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Pottawatomie 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
  • Pottawatomie 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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Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie County, Kansas are 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Pottawatomie County, Kansas are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1860, 1870 and 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 Pottawatomie County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Pottawatomie 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
  • Pottawatomie 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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Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie County Maps. Email us with websites containing Pottawatomie County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Pottawatomie County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Pottawatomie County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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  • 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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Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Pottawatomie 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: [ Pottawatomie County ] [ Kansas ] [ Main Page ]
  • Pottawatomie 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.
  • Pottawatomie 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.

Pottawatomie County, formerly a part of Riley, was organized by the territorial legislature of 1857 with northern and southern boundaries the same as at present; the western boundary 5 miles east of the site of Manhattan, and the eastern boundary extending 5 miles beyond that of the present. The county is the second from Nebraska and the third west from Missouri. It is bounded on the north by Marshall and Nemaha counties; on the east by Jackson and Shawnee; on the south by Wabaunsee and Riley, and on the west by Riley. The Kaw river forms the southern boundary, and the Big Blue the western.

The first white people to settle within the borders of the county were Catholic missionaries who went to St. Marys a few weeks preceding the immigration of the Pottawatomie Indians to their reservation, of which St. Marys was a central point. This was in 1848. The mission and a log house near it were built the same year. The Indians contributed to the erection of the mission school, which was 15 years in advance of the common schools. A band of Michigan Pottawatomies joined their tribesmen on the reservation in 1850. In 1853 the population consisted of the Catholic missionaries, a few traders, 5 government employees, and the following settlers: Dr. L. R. Palmer and his family, Alexander Peltier, Basil Germore, William Martell, Francis Bergeron, Antoine Tescier, J. B. Frapp, Robert Wilson and family, Joseph Truchey, Alva Higbee, O. H. P. Polk, Baptiste Ogee, Mrs. Zoe Durcharm, Mrs. E. A. Bertrand, Mrs. A. P. Bertrand and Mrs. Clara Bertrand.

Dr. Palmer, who came in Sept., 1850, was later a member of the first free-state territorial council and of the convention which framed the Wyandotte constitution. His son, Francis X. Palmer, born March 17, 1851, was the first white child born in the county. James Graham, who came with the priests, was probably the first white settler. Robert Wilson was the first man to stake off a claim and he built the first house outside of the reservation on the site of the present town of Louisville in 1853. The first Indian agent was Luke Lee, stationed at St. Marys. The last was Dr. Palmer in 1870.

In Feb., 1857, after the founding of the new county, St. George was made the county seat, and Gov. Geary appointed the following officers: Robert Wilson, probate judge; J. L. Wilson, sheriff; George W. Gillespie and Charles Jenkins, commissioners. The commissioners met at St. George and divided the county into four townships, Pottawatomie, St. George, Blue and Shannon. They also appointed L. R. Palmer, county clerk; Josiah D. Adams, treasurer; J. A. J. Chapman, surveyor; W. L. Seymore, coroner; and James S. Gillespie, assessor. During the next two years Vienna and Louisville townships were organized. In 1861 an election for the location of county seat was held. Louisville won by a majority of 12 votes and the next year the legislature declared it the county seat. It continued as such until 1882, when another election gave the honor to Westmoreland. By that time 15 new townships had been organized, making 21 in all.

The public lands were surveyed in 1857-58, and the settlers began to get clear titles to their farms, which they had been occupying and improving for several years. During the war Pottawatomie contributed her quota of soldiers for the defense of the nation, as well as taking care of her own troubles.

The population in 1860 was 1,529; in 1870, 7,848; and in 1910 it was 17,552. The assessed valuation of property was $32,573,774, which would make an average of $1,944 for each person. The total value of farm products was $5,279,294, of which field crops amounted to $2,804,778, and animals slaughtered to $2,196,761. The wheat crop sold for $35,088, and the corn for $1,693,629. Other important farm crops are sweet and Irish potatoes, oats, Kafir corn, sorghum and alfalfa. The fruit trees of bearing age numbered 150,000, of which 90,000 were apple trees.

The general surface is rolling, with bluffs along the Kansas and Big Blue rivers, in which limestone is extensively quarried for building purposes. Bottom lands average 2 miles in width and comprise one-fourth of the whole area. A good quality of gypsum is found along the water courses, especially at the mouth of Spring creek. Potter's clay is found in the southern and central parts of the county. There are thin veins of coal in the east and south which have received little attention. There is said to be a mineral spring of medicinal properties at Onaga. Besides the Big Blue and the Kansas rivers, which form the western and southern boundaries, there is the Vermillion flowing south through the eastern portion of the county and emptying into the Kansas. Its tributaries from the west are French and Mill creeks, and the tributaries of the Big Blue are Spring creek with eastern branches, Four Mile as a western branch, Shannon, Carnahan, McEntire, Cedar and Elbow creeks.

Pottawatomie county is well supplied with railroads to handle her products. The main line of the Union Pacific crosses the extreme south following the north bank of the Kansas river, the Topeka & Marysville branch of the same road is extended to Onaga and is in process of construction northwest from that point. The Leavenworth, Kansas & Western branch of the Union Pacific enters in the northeast and crosses west to Elaine, thence southwest into Riley county. The Kansas, Southern & Gulf operates a line from Blaine to Westmoreland. There are 98.23 miles of track in the county. There are 120 organized school districts in the county and several high schools. St. Mary's College at St. Marys is one of the leading Catholic educational institutions in the West. There is also a Catholic parochial school at that place, an Evangelical school at Belvue, and St. Luke's (a German Lutheran school) at Onaga.

The county is divided into 23 townships: Belvue, Blue, Blue Valley, Center, Clear Creek, Emmett, Grant, Green, Lincoln, Lone Tree, Louisville, Mill Creek, Pottawatomie, Rock Creek, Shannon, Sherman, Spring Creek, St. Clere, St. George, St. Marys, Union, Vienna and Wamego. The towns and villages are: Arispie, Belvue, Blaine, Broderick, Emmett, Flush, Fostoria, Garrison, Havensville, Holy Cross, Laclede, Louisville, Moodyville, Myers Valley, Olsburg, Onaga, St. Clere, St. George, St. Marys, Springside, Wamego, Westmoreland and Wheaton.

County Courthouse

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