Sherman 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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Sherman County was created on March 20, 1873 (Organized on 1886) from Unorganized Territory. The County Seat is Goodland. The County was named for General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891), most famous for his scorched-earth tactics during the Civil War, during the march from Atlanta to the sea. As general commander of the U.S. Army after 1869, he asserted that the aim of Indian policy should be to place the tribes on reservations and make them stay there, and he directed the campaigns through the 1870s that put this policy into practice.

Counties adjacent to Sherman County are Cheyenne County (north), Rawlins County (northeast), Thomas County (east), Logan County (southeast), Wallace County (south), Kit Carson County, Colorado (west). Cities and Towns Include Goodland and Kanorado. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

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Records at the Sherman 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 813 Broadway, Goodland, KS 67735-3056; Phone: (785) 899-4800. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Sherman County Clerks Office has Birth Records from 1888-1911, Marriage Records from 1886 and Death Records from 1888-1911.

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.

Sherman County Register of Deeds Office has Land Records from 1888.

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.

Sherman County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1886 and Court Records from 1887.

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

  • Sherman 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.
  • Sherman County, Kansas Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Sherman 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 Sherman County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Sherman 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
  • Sherman 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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Sherman 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 Sherman 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 Sherman 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 Sherman County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Sherman 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
  • Sherman 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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Sherman 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 Sherman County Maps. Email us with websites containing Sherman County Maps by clicking the link below:

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

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

  • Sherman County Historical Society, P.O. Box 684, Goodland 67735
  • 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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Sherman 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 Sherman County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Sherman 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 Sherman County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Sherman 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 Sherman County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Sherman 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: [ Sherman County ] [ Kansas ] [ Main Page ]
  • Sherman 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.
  • Sherman 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.

Sherman County, one of the western tier, the second south from Nebraska, is bounded on the north by Cheyenne county; on the east by Thomas; on the south by Wallace and Logan, and on the west by the State of Colorado. It was created in 1873 and named for Gen. William T. Sherman. The boundaries were defined as follows: "Commencing where the east line of range 37 west intersects the 1st standard parallel; thence south with said line to the 2nd standard parallel; thence west with said parallel to the west line of the State of Kansas; thence north on said line to the 1st standard parallel; thence east on said parallel to the place of beginning."

There were no settlers in the county at that time. The first town was laid out at the geographical center of the county about 1880 and was called Inez. It had disappeared, in name at least, before the county organization, which took place in 1886. The first newspaper in the county was the Voltaire Advertiser, founded in Dec., 1885, by Ernest J. Scott. In the spring of 1886 there was such an influx of new settlers that the population was sufficient for county organization. The citizens of Voltaire tried to bring about the organization before the newer settlers in the southwest part of the county were eligible to vote, hoping in this way to have their town made the county seat. In June they secured the appointment of O. T. McCormick as census taker and he was instructed to make all possible haste in the enumeration so that the election to complete the organization could be held not later than the middle of September. He did not make his returns until Aug. 30, and the people of Voltaire, learning that he had been given several lots in the town of Eustis, ascribed the delay to that fact.

The returns showed a population of 2,820, of whom 975 were householders. There was taxable property to the amount of $362,960, of which $129,320 was real estate. In order to delay the organization the Eustis men had claimed that there were less than 400 voters in the county. However, their petition to the governor asking that Eustis be made county seat had 2,500 names attached to it. The opponents of Eustis claimed that hundreds of these names were of people living in adjoining counties, but this was not proven and Eustis was made the temporary county seat. The following officers were appointed: county clerk, J. H. Tate; commissioners, L. J. Gandy, O. D. Dickey and R. R. Edwards. The other candidates for county seat were, Itasca, Shermanville and Voltaire. The first named town moved to Shermanville, which began to be called Sherman Center. An effort was made to get Voltaire to move, and the Voltaire newspaper was very much in favor of joining forces against Eustis and making Sherman Center the county seat. About half of the people of Voltaire moved but those who remained entered the town in the lists at November election, when Eustis won by 61 votes, and the following officers were elected: county clerk, G. W. Benson; sheriff, R. G. Albright; treasurer, J. E. Rule; superintendent of public instruction, F. S. Palmer; register of deeds, E. W. Penny; county attorney, W. K. Brown; probate judge, L. E. Tobias; clerk of the district court, P. C. Brown; surveyor, L. M. Harwood; coroner, A. E. Tice; commissioners, C. E. Bennett, John Bray and E. L. Lyons.

In the spring of 1887 Goodland was founded just south of the geographical center of the county and not far from Sherman Center. The latter town was induced to move to the new site. The county seat matter was again voted upon in Nov., 1887. The vote was not properly canvassed and a mandamus was issued by the supreme court the next spring to compel a canvass of all the returns of the election. It was found that Goodland had a majority and that town became the permanent county seat. Eustis moved to Goodland and the county seat contest was ended.

At their first meeting in 1886 the commissioners divided the county into 6 townships, Grant, Voltaire, Shermanville, McPherson, Itasca and Washington. Since that time, Iowa, Lincoln, Llanos, Logan, Smoky, State Line and Union have been organized, making 13 in all. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad crosses the center of the county from east to west, a distance of 36 miles.

The general surface is undulating prairie, with a few bluffs and some rough lands along Beaver creek and in the western part of the county. Lamborn (railroad name Kanorado) is the highest point in the state. Its altitude is 3,906 feet. Timber is scarce, existing only in thin belts along the north fork of the Smoky Hill river and on the middle fork of the Sappa. The north fork of the Smoky Hill enters near the southwest corner and flows across the southern portion into Wallace county. The north and middle forks of the Sappa have their source in the central part of the county and flow northeast across the eastern boundary. Beaver and Little Beaver creeks rise in the northern part and flow north into Cheyenne county. Limestone is found in the southwest.

In 1885 there were 2,605 head of live stock in the county valued at $12,138. The next year there were 4,409 head with a total value of $100,087. The field crops that year amounted to $82,628, the wool clip to $1,548, the produce to $2,000 and the milk sold to $100. In 1910 the value of live stock was $1,035,082, and the number of head was 19,756. The value of animals sold for slaughter in the same year was over $66,000; the value of corn, the largest field crop, was $158,214; barley, $126,694; wheat, $137,569; hay, $94,863; sorghum, $45,465; oats, $22,540; poultry and eggs, $18,203; dairy products, $53,230. The total value of farm products in 1910 was $776,149.

The population in 1890 was 5,261, nearly twice what it was in 1886. During the next ten years there was a decrease incident to poor crops and heavy immigration to the southwestern states and the population in 1900 was but 3,341. The last few years have seen an increase and in 1910 the number of inhabitants had reached 4,549. The assessed valuation of property in that year was $9,343,387. The average wealth per capita being $2,054, several hundred dollars above the average for the state.

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