Hodgeman County was created on February 26, 1867 (Organized in 1879) from Peketon Territory. The County Seat is Jetmore. The County was named for Capt. Amos Hodgman of Co. H, Seventh Kansas Cavalry, who died 16 Oct 1863 near Oxford, Miss., of wounds received in action at Wyatt, Miss., on 10 Oct 1863. The statute creating the county added an extra 'e' in his surname.
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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 500 Main, PO Box 247, Jetmore, KS 67854-0247; Phone: (620) 357-6421.NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
Hodgeman County Clerks Officehas Birth Records from 18?, Marriage Records from 1880 and Death Records from 18?.
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.
Hodgeman County Register of Deeds Officehas Land Records from 1879. Phone 620-357-8536
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.
Hodgeman County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1887 and Court Records from 1880. 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.
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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.
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Hodgeman 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 Hodgeman County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Hodgeman 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 Hodgeman County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Hodgeman 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
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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 Hodgeman County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Hodgeman 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 Hodgeman County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Hodgeman County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Hodgeman County Genealogical Society,
P.O. Box 441,
Jetmore 67854
Hodgeman County Historical Society,
Route 2, Box 114,
Jetmore 67854
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 Hodgeman County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Hodgeman 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 Hodgeman County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Hodgeman 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.
Hodgeman County.—The territory now included in Hodgeman county was first embraced in Hageman county (q. v.), which was erected by the act of Feb. 26, 1867. By the act of March 6, 1873, Hodgeman county was called into existence with the following boundaries: "Commencing at a point where the 4th standard parallel intersects the east line of range 21 west; thence south along range line to its intersection with the north line of township 25 south; thence west along township line to where it intersects the east line of range 27 west; thence north along range line to its intersection with the 4th standard parallel; thence east along the line of the 4th standard parallel to the place of beginning."
The county was named for Amos Hodgman, captain of Company H, Seventh Kansas cavalry, who was wounded at Wyatt, Miss., Oct. 10, 1863, and died on the 16th. The original act gave the name as "Hodgman," but a subsequent legislature placed the letter "e" at the end of the first syllable, and that form has remained. In 1883 the county was enlarged, but in 1887 the original boundaries as established in 1873 were restored.
The first settlement in the county was made at Duncan's ranch on the Pawnee river, in the northeast corner, in 1871. Soon afterward a party came from New York on a buffalo bunt and built a hunting house and stockade not far from Duncan's, but made no permanent settlement. Bowman, Adair and other cattle men established ranches along the Pawnee river and Buckner creek in 1873, and the following year T. W. Pelman located at the junction of Buckner and Saw Log creeks, being at that time the most western settler in the county. From that time until 1878 there was a steady influx of settlers, among whom were James Gilland, J. W. Harlan, S. J. Eakin, L. E. Carter, J. R. Wilson, S. A. Sheldon, Samuel Townsend, J. R. Baird and Clawson Parker. Early in 1879 a census was taken by S. A. Sheldon. It showed that the county had the number of inhabitants required by law for an independent county organization. The people selected John W. Hunter, Samuel Townsend and D. McCarty for county commissioners, E. M. Trimble for county cleric, and petitioned the governor to issue a proclamation declaring the county organized.
Accordingly, Gov. St. John issued a proclamation to that effect on March 29, 1879, but, with the exception of John W. Hunter, he did not appoint any of the officers recommended by the people. The commissioners named by the governor were Jonathan R. Wilson, John W. Hunter and S. A. Sheldon, and the clerk was W. W. Wheeland. Hodgeman Center, 2 1/2 miles east of the present town of Jetmore, was designated as the temporary seat of justice. The first meeting of the commissioners was called for April 14, 1879, but one of the commissioners and the clerk were absent and nothing was done at that meeting.
In the meantime two newspapers had been started in the county. The Hodgeman Center Agitator began its career in March, and the first number of the Fordham Republican was issued on April 9, 1879, by Guy F. Carleton. The former lived until Jan., 1880, and the latter suspended in Oct., 1879. The governor's appointments evidently failed to give satisfaction. When the first meeting of the commissioners resulted in failure the Fordham Republican said "We presume that Mr. Wheeland, the governor's county clerk, will be on hand at the next meeting, providing by that time he establishes a residence in the county. It looks as though the governor was straining a point somewhat when he ignored the fact that we had competent material for county officers and went to Edwards county for a clerk."
On July 7, 1879, the commissioners appointed the other county officers, who served until the general election the following November, when the following were elected: Samuel Townsend, representative; George Curtis, sheriff; E. M. Prindle, county clerk; A. O. Dickinson, clerk of the district court; James Whiteside, Jr., register of deeds; W. A. Frush, treasurer; E. R. Fuller, county attorney; G. A. Curtis, superintendent of schools; C. E. Boughton, Philip Best and Lewis Stroud, commissioners. At the same time the people voted on the question of a permanent location for the county seat. Buckner (now Jetmore) received 199 votes; Marena, 107; Hodgeman Center, 40, and Fordham, 5. The county offices were established at Buckner soon after the election.
Hodgeman county is bounded on the north by Ness county; on the east by Pawnee and Edwards; on the south by Ford, and on the west by Gray and Finney. It has an area of 864 square miles and an elevation of about 2,500 feet above the sea level. The general surface is undulating prairie. Along the streams are belts of timber, the principal varieties being ash, oak, cottonwood, box-elder and hackberry, the total area of natural timber being about 5,000 acres. The Pawnee river flows through the northern part; Buckner creek rises near the southwest corner and flows in a northeasterly direction through the county, and the southeastern part is watered by the Saw Log creek. These streams with their tributaries form an abundant natural water supply. The climate is healthful and invigorating, there being neither swamps nor marshes to breed malaria. The bottom lands average nearly a mile in width and constitute about one-tenth of the entire area. Limestone and a soft sandstone are found in the bluffs along the streams, native lime is plentiful, and there is some gypsum near the center of the county.
The county is divided into the following townships: Benton, Center, Hallet, Marena, North Roscoe, Saw Log, South Roscoe, Sterling and valley. It has only about 20 miles of railroad, the western part of the Larned & Jetmore division of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe system. In 1910 the U. S. census reported a population of 2,930. The assessed valuation of property was a little over $6,500,000, and the value of agricultural products for the year was $1,158,560. Wheat, corn, sorghum, Kafir corn and hay are the leading crops.
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