Kearny County was created on March 20, 1873 (Organized on March 27, 1888) from Peketon Territory. The County was abolished in 1883. In 1887 the County was reorganized from Hamilton and Finney Counties. The County Seat is Lakin. The County was named for Gen. Phillip Kearny (1815-1862), a career soldier who served with distinction in the Mexican War. He received the French Legion of Honor for his actions at Solferino while serving in Napoleon III's Imperial Guard, but returned to the United States at the beginning of the Civil War and won acclaim during the Peninsula Campaign. He was killed instantly when he accidentally rode into the enemy lines during the Battle of Chantilly, 1 Sept 1862.
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 305 North Main Street, PO Box 86, Lakin, KS 67860-0086; Phone: (620) 355-6422.NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
Kearny County Clerks Officehas Birth Records from 1888, Marriage Records from 1888 and Death 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.
Kearny County Register of Deeds Officehas Land Records from 1888. Phone 620-355-6241
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.
Kearny County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1888 and Court Records from 1888. 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 Kearny County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Kearny 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 Kearny County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Kearny County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
Kearny 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 Kearny County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Kearny 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 Kearny County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Kearny 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 Kearny County Maps. Email us with websites containing Kearny 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 Kearny County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Kearny 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 Kearny County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Kearny County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Kearny County Historical Society,
101 South Buffalo Street, Box 32,
Lakin 67860
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 Kearny County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Kearny 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 Kearny County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Kearny 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.
Kearny County, one of the newer counties of the state, is the second east from the Colorado line, and the third north from Oklahoma. It is bounded on the north by the county of Wichita; on the east by Finney; on the south by Grant, and on the west by Hamilton. It was named for Gen. Philip Kearny, an officer of note in the Civil and Indian wars. It was first created and the boundaries defined in 1879. These boundaries did not differ from those defined in 1887, which are the same as at present. The description was as follows: "Commencing at the intersection of the east line of range 35 west with the 4th standard parallel; thence south along range line to its intersection with the north line of township 27 south; thence west along township line to where it is intersected by the east line of range 39; thence north along range line to its intersection with the 4th standard parallel; thence east to the place of beginning."
In 1879 it was attached to Hamilton county for judicial purposes. In 1881 it was one of the unorganized counties to be attached to Ford for judicial purposes and was in the 16th district. In 1873 John O'Laughlin established a trading post on the Santa Fe trail at Lakin. This was the earliest settlement in the county. By 1883 Lakin had grown sufficient to have a newspaper (the Herald). Prior to 1885 there were few people in the county. At that time the Alameda Grape Growers association caused a boom by the purchase of 21,000 acres of land in the vicinity of Lakin, and in the spring of 1886 several thousand acres were planted to vines. The population of Lakin increased by about 400 people at the time this work was being done, and agitation for county organization was begun by the newspapers of the county, published at Lakin, Hartland and Kearney, all three of these towns being candidates for the county seat.
In 1887, in response to a petition, Gov. Martin appointed S. S. Prouty census taker. The enumeration of the inhabitants was not an easy undertaking, owing to the fact that each legal voter was entitled to sign the petition of some one of the towns for county seat. The promoters representing each of the towns did everything they could to have as many as possible enumerated who would be on their side and leave those uncounted who were opposed. This led to several confusing situations. It was charged that Lakin shipped in from 200 to 300 transient voters from Colorado, who were distributed all over the county. These charges came from Chantilly, which took the place of Kearney as the candidate in the northern part of the county, and was far ahead until the very last of the enumeration, which gave some color to the charges. Hartland openly offered town lots in exchange for signatures to their petition. Gov. Martin advised that no person be enumerated who had not been in the county at least 30 days before the beginning of the census.
When the report of Mr. Prouty was submitted to the governor in July it showed a population of 2,891, of whom 812 were householders. The valuation of property, exclusive of railroads, was $1,079,091, of which $799,824 was real estate. Lakin appeared to have the largest number of names on her petition, but the attorneys of Chantilly appeared before the governor with charges of fraud and several hearings were held over the matter that summer. It was later taken into the court of Shawnee county. The charges of Chantilly were not sustained by the courts and in March, 1888, Gov. Martin issued a proclamation organizing the county, with Lakin as the temporary county seat and naming the following officers: Commissioners, W. J. Price, H. A. W. Cornfield and Samuel R. Hibbard; county clerk, J. H. Waterman; sheriff, R. F. Thorne. Price and Cornfield were arrested in 1889 on charges of forgery, and the charges were sustained by Judge A. J. Abbott. In Feb., 1889, a county seat election was held. Hartland won over Lakin, but the county officers were Lakin men and they refused to move the offices. Again the matter was taken into the courts and after considerable fighting the supreme court in Jan., 1890, ordered the records moved to Hartland. This town continued to be the seat of justice until Sept., 1894, when the county seat was again moved to Lakin, where it has since remained.
While all this was going on, the county was building up and prospering. In 1887 an irrigation ditch was projected in the northern part by C. J. Jones. He succeeded in interesting the farmers of that section and 100 miles of ditch was constructed. This was much more important for the future than the county seat fight. A few years ago the government established an irrigation plant at Deerfield, which makes this one of the important irrigating sections of the country. A reservoir for the storage of the flood waters of the Arkansas has been built in the southeast. It is 5 miles long and has a storage capacity estimated at 2,352,000,000 cubic feet, providing irrigation for 100,000 acres of land. One of the most important crops is broom-corn, which in 1910 brought $225,048. Sugar beets are raised extensively and marketed in Garden City. This crop in 1910 was worth, $97,000; the hay crop in the same year was $108,094; wheat, $50,000; and the total value of farm products was $715,951.
The surface of the county is level or rolling, with an elevation of 3,000 feet. Water is easily accessible. The bottom lands in the valley of the Arkansas are from 4 to 6 miles in width. This river enters in the southwest and flows across southeast, east and northeast. Limestone and sandstone for building are plentiful. Blue limestone, from which lime is made, and gypsum are common.
Kearny is 24 miles wide by 36 miles long, having an area of 24 Congressional townships. The civil townships are Hartland, Hibbard, Kendall, Lakin and Southside. The postoffices are Lakin, Conquest, Deerfield, Hartland, Kearney, Oanica and Windsor. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. enters in the east and crosses southwest to Lakin, thence southwest and west, along the Arkansas river, into Hamilton county, a distance of about 27 miles. The assessed valuation of property in 1910 was $5,961,662. The population in the same year was 3,206, an increase of 2,099 or nearly 200 per cent, over that of 1900.
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