Coffey County was created on August 25, 1855 (Organized in 1859) as an Original County. The County Seat is Burlington. The County was named for Col. A. M. Coffey, a member of the Legislative Council of Kansas Territory.
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 110 S. 6th Street, Burlington, Kansas 66839-1798; Phone: (620) 364-2191. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
Coffey County Clerks Officehas Birth Records from 1892-1908, Marriage Records from 1858 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.
Coffey County Register of Deeds Officehas Land Records from 1858.
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.
Coffey County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1857 and Court Records from 1858. 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 Coffey County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Coffey County Court Records by clicking the link below:
Kansas Election List, 1854: Listing of voters from Kansas in 1854 taken from Congressional report in 1856
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 Coffey County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Coffey County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
Coffey 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.
Click Here to Search Kansas Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
Office of Vital Statistics, 1000 S W Jackson, Suite 110, Topeka, KS 66612; (785) 296-1400 Info; (785) 296-3253.
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.
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 On-Line: To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek.
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 Coffey County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Coffey County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Kansas Voter Lists & Census Records! - 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.
Below is a list of online resources for Coffey County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Coffey 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.
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 Coffey County Maps. Email us with websites containing Coffey County Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Kansas Military Records! - 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. A list of Wars fought on American.
Below is a list of online resources for Coffey County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Coffey County Military Records by clicking the link below:
Kansas Civil War Soldiers: Listing of over 20,000 men who served in the Union Army from Kansas, 1861-1865
Leavenworth, Kansas Veterans, 1915-16: One of the oldest and most important communities in Kansas, Leavenworth has been home to thousands of military veterans. This database is a listing of residents of the Western Branch of the Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers between 1915 and 1916.
Southern Claims Commission from the State of Kansas (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
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 Coffey County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Coffey County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Coffey County Genealogical Society,
712 Sanders,
Burlington 66839
Kansas Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Click Here to Search Kansas Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. 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.
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 Coffey County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Coffey County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Kansas Family Tree Records! - 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 Coffey County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Coffey County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Kansas Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
Transcribed from Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912.
Coffey County, in the third tier of counties from the Missouri line, and the fourth tier from Oklahoma, is bounded on the north by Osage county; on the east by Franklin and Anderson; on the south by Woodson, and on the west by Greenwood and Lyon. Its area is 648 square miles, and it was named for Col. A. M. Coffey, a member of the first territorial legislature.
The first known settlement of white men within the county was made in the Neosho valley in 1854 by Frederick Troxel, who built a log cabin on the old Indian trail about three-fourths of a mile south of the present town of Le Roy and moved there with his family. Mrs. Troxel's brother, Gen. John B. Scott, the founder of Le Roy, was at that time an Indian trader at the Sac and Fox agency. The Indian trail extended from the agency southwest through Coffey county, crossing the Neosho river where Burlington now stands, where the Indians had a burial ground, and continuing to the Buffalo hunting grounds in the Indian Territory. A small colony from New York, including Ahijah Jones and his son, George, William R. and Alban Saunders, settled at the present location of Le Roy in Dec., 1854. They brought their families the next year. Washington Vickery and Levi Heddens (who is said to have been the first man to cross the Neosho river in a wagon) were here in 1854, but did not locate until 1855. Others who came in 1855 were, Dr. Hamilton Smith, a free-state man prominent in territorial struggles, Morgan Dix, Simpson Despain, Hiram Hoover, Judge Strawn and Joe Lebo, all of whom settled near the present site of Ottumwa, and Mr. Crall on Lebo creek, also the "Hampden Colony" consisting of 100 men and women from Hampden, Mass.
This colony founded a town across the river from the present city of Burlington. Its promoters expected to make it the leading commercial center of southeastern Kansas. They put up business establishments and organized a county court, but the founding of Burlington was a serious check to it, and with the permanent location of the county seat at the latter place in 1865, Hampden faded from view entirely. Le Roy and Ottumwa were located in 1855, and the county was pretty well settled by the end of 1856.
The boundaries of the county were fixed by act of the legislature in July, 1855, as follows: "Beginning at the southeast corner of Weller (Osage) county, thence south 24 miles; thence west 24 miles; thence north 24 miles, and thence east 24 miles to the place of beginning." Although the county was not yet organized a court was establised[sic] at Hampden under Judge Cato, which the next year was moved to Le Roy. When the legislature officially organized the county in 1857 Le Roy was made the temporary county seat, and the following officers were appointed: F. C. Amsden, sheriff; John Woolman, probate judge; Richard Burr and Samuel Lock, commissioners. An election for commissioners was held in September and resulted in the choice of John Evans, John Wooster and Enos Strawn. Efforts were made by the Burlington town company to secure the county seat, but Wooster and Evans being favorable to Le Roy it was located at that place. The legislature of 1858 changed the seat of justice to Burlington and provided for an election on the matter in Oct., 1858. In the meantime the board of supervisors met at Hampden, where the county clerk, Silas Fearl, lived, the other officers retaining their offices at Le Roy. The first meeting of the supervisors to be held at Burlington was on Oct. 5, the next day after the election. Although Le Roy received the largest number of votes for county seat, it was never officially recognized. The county officers were retained there until Judge Rush Elmore came to Burlington to hold a session of court for Coffey county. He ordered the county recorder to move his office to Burlington, and court was held at that place.
In 1861 another election was held to decide the county seat question. Le Roy received the largest number of votes, but not a majority, and the county seat was still maintained at Burlington. Considerable trouble was experienced in getting the county officials to move from Le Roy, and in some instances legal proceedings were instituted to compel removal. In May, 1863, another county seat election was called in which Hampden received a majority of all votes cast and was declared the county seat. Another election for the same purpose was held in Nov., 1865. After two ballots Burlington was finally successful and was declared to be the permanent judicial seat by the commissioners at their meeting in Jan., 1866. However, the people were not yet satisfied and a final election was held in October of that year, which resulted in a majority for Burlington.
When the Civil war broke out nearly all the able bodied men in the county enlisted; leaving only about 100 to protect the homes and to act as a reserve in case of border troubles. Company G, Fifth Kansas cavalry, was mostly made up at Ottumwa and Le Roy, and Company E of the same regiment was made up at Burlington and vicinity. In 1861 Gen. Lane sent out horsemen over the territory of eastern Kansas for help to repel the Price invasion in Bourbon county, which was threatening some of the valuable Federal supplies. The word reached Ottumwa on Saturday afternoon, and the next morning early 104 men left that point to reinforce Lane's command at Fort Lincoln. Here they defended the fort and labored on the earthworks while Gen. Lane was at the front. In May, 1862, the First and Second Indian regiments were organized at Le Roy from refugee Indians. Col. Coffin, who was at that time superintendent of Indian affairs for that section of the country, including the Indian territory, had his headquarters removed from Tallequah to Le Roy on account of the turbulent conditions in the Indian territory. Here he received the Indians who were driven from their homes, numbering some 8,000 persons belonging to the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, Uchee, Quapaw, Keechi, Southern Shawnee and Southern Delaware tribes. It was from these that the Indian regiments were organized and officered by white men. (See Indian Brigade.) From lack of military discipline over one-half of the first Indian regiment deserted and came back to Le Roy, but were induced by Lieut. Proudy to reënter the service.
As a pioneer country and a border district a good many tragedies and disasters of various kinds happened, but there was only one hanging, and that was of a semi-legal nature, being ordered by an improvised court of citizens. Just south of the old Indian cemetery at Burlington lived a family by the name of Claywell. Different members had been repeatedly arrested but there being no jails, they always managed to escape. Horse stealing was the particular offense of the two grown sons, and the citizens decided that the next time any of them committed a crime they would take things into their own hands. A short time after this conclusion had been reached one of the young men stole a horse from Le Roy and was arrested. Word was sent out and the citizens formed a court, with judge, jury, attorney for the defendant and attorney for the state. He was found guilty and, on vote of the mass who attended the trial, was hanged at Le Roy in presence of a vast throng of witnesses. This happened in 1858. Numerous murders were committed in the first ten years of the county's existence.
The first postoffice was established at Le Roy, the mail being carried from the Sac and Fox agency by private conveyance until postoffices were established at Burlington and Ottumwa, when a mail route was put in operation. The first marriage was between John Bowen and a Miss Crail in 1856. The first birth was that of John Whistler. The first school was Burlington district No. 1, organized in 1858.
The history of the railroads of Coffey county begins with the construction of the Neosho division of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas in 1870, though several roads were projected before the war. This road enters the county on the west and runs in a southeasterly direction into Woodson county, passing through Burlington and Le Roy junction. The Missouri Pacific, which runs through the southern part of the county from east to west, was built in 1880. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe was built in 1878. It extends from the northeast corner of the county southwest to Gridley. Another branch of this road crosses the county in the northwest corner.
The county was originally divided into 7 townships, Pottawatomie, Ottumwa, California, Avon, Burlington, Le Roy and Neosho. This division was made by the county commissioners in 1858, who the next year reduced the number to four, Avon, Le Roy, Burlington and Ottumwa. In 1860, the original 7 were reëstablished, Rock Creek was added in 1870, Pleasant, Hampden and Liberty in 1871, Spring Creek in 1872, Key West and Star in 1874. Lincoln has been added since.
The towns and villages of Coffey county are as follows: Burlington, the county seat, Agricola, Aliceville, Crandall, Hall Summit, Kong, Lebo, Le Roy, Ottumwa, Patmos, Pottawatomie, Sharpe, Strawn and Waverly.
Coffey is an agricultural county. The general surface is rolling prairie, and the bottom lands, averaging one to two miles in width, comprise one-eighth of the total area. The native trees are oak, hickory, hackberry, elm, black walnut, sycamore, soft maple, box elder, ash, locust and pecan. Sandstone, red ocher and clay for brick and tile are found in commercial quantities. Salt springs and marshes are plentiful along the Neosho. The county is underlaid with natural gas.
The Neosho river, the principal stream, enters the county on the west several miles below the northwest corner, crosses in a southeasterly direction, leaving near the southeast corner. Its tributaries from the north are, Lebo, Hickory, Wolf, Long, Crooked and Spring creeks, and from the south, Duck, Turkey, Big, Rock, Otter and Eagle creeks.
The total value of farm products for 1910 was $5,000,000. The wheat and corn crops went considerably over $1,000,000 each. Other important products are oats, hay, poultry, dairy products and live stock. The population in 1910 was 15,205, and the assessed valuation of property was $23,082,616, making the wealth per capita average over $1,500. This shows Coffey county to be in the first rank among the wealthy counties of the state.
The following companies are currently offering free trials on their subscriptions from 7 to 14 days. You can receive more information by clicking the links below:
l