Breckinridge County was created on August 25, 1855 (Organized on 1859) as an Original County. The County Seat is Emporia. The County was named for John C. Breckinridge (1821-1875), congressman from Kentucky and subsequently vice-president of the United States under James Buchanan from 1857 to 1861. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1860, he was expelled the following year for supporting the rebellion; he served as a major-general in the Confederate Army and briefly as the southern Secretary of War. Breckinridge County was renamed Lyon County due to Breckinridge's political sympathies.
The Territorial Legislature of 1855 organized Breckinridge County, attaching it to Madison County for civil, criminal, and military purposes. Agnes City was the first county seat. It was during 1858-59 that the bitterest fight occurred between Americus and Emporia over the location of the county seat; Americus won by a total of 14 votes.
Although a courthouse was not erected in Americus, it continued to be regarded as the county seat up until the general election of 1860. Emporia received 384 votes for the honor, Americus 141, Fremont 73, Breckinridge Center 14, and Forest Hill 1. This election decided the matter.
The first school in the county was opened by Rev. G.W. Torrence in the summer of 1858. In October of that year, Miss Mary Jane Watson opened a free school in Emporia.
In 1861, Madison County was abolished, and its northern part was given to Breckinridge.
The County's Name changed to Lyon County, on February 05, 1862, In honor of Gen. Nathaniel Lyon (1818-1861), who became the first Union general to die in battle in the Civil War when he was killed in action at Wilson's Creek, Missouri, on 10 Aug 1861.
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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 430 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS 66801-4000; Phone: (620) 342-4950.NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
Lyon County Clerks Officehas Birth Records from 1886-1911, Marriage Records from 1856 and Death Records from 1886-1911.
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.
Lyon County Register of Deeds Officehas Land Records from 1859.
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.
Lyon County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1859 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.
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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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Lyon 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Lyon County was originally known as Breckenridge County. With the secession of the South, however, the residents of the county changed the name to Lyon in honor of Nathaniel Lyon, the first Union General killed in the War Between the States. The late Walter M. Anderson, an area historian and photographer, documented the early days of the county, and how Emporia became the county seat. The following is an explanation Mr. Anderson compiled regarding those early days of the county.
Transcribed from Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912.
Lyon County, created as Breckenridge county (q. v.) by the first territorial legislature, was not organized until 1858, and did not assume its present boundaries until 1864. These boundaries are as follows: Wabaunsee county on the north; Osage and Coffey on the east; Greenwood on the south, and Chase and Morris on the west. In 1862, the former vice-president Breckenridge having become a secessionist, the patriotic anti-slavery legislature changed the name of the county to Lyon, in honor of Nathaniel Lyon, the Union general who had lost his life at Wilson's creek the previous August.
The first settler was Charles H. Withington, who located in the extreme northern part of the county on the Santa Fe trail, a short distance south of the present town of Allen, in 1846. He opened a store in 1854, which was the first one in the county, and also the only one in southern Kansas outside of the regular Indian posts. His store was a hotel as well as a supply station. Mr. Withington was influential in the settlement of the county and prominent in all public affairs. In April, 1855, Oliver Phillips located on One Hundred and Forty-second creek. He was elected to the legislature in 1859; was a delegate to the Osawatomie convention, and repeatedly held county offices. Chris Ward and J. S. Pigman came about the same time. Others who came during the same year were: Charles Johnson, James Pheanis, David Vangundy, John Rosenquist, Joseph Moon, Rev. Thomas J. Addis (at that time the only free-state man), Lorenzo Dow, R. H. Abraham, William Grimsley, Thomas Shockley, Joseph Hadley, William H. Eikenbery, Joel Halworth, Dr. Gregg, Mr. Carver, James Hendricks, Albert Watkins, John Fowler, G. D. Humphreys and L. H. Johnson. These, with very few exceptions, settled along the creeks in the northem half of the county.
A number of new settlers came in 1856, and a much larger number in 1857. The problem of securing mail now became a serious one. Previous to this time the mail for the settlements had been thrown off the Santa Fe coaches at Mr. Withington's place and was distributed by a horseman at private expense. When the government began giving them their mail by way of Jefferson City and Council Grove and established a postoffice at Columbia, there was a great deal of dissatisfaction, as the settlers did not wish to trust the pro-slavery men who handled it. Finally they secured a box at Lawrence, where all mail was sent, and thence brought by private conveyance to the hotel at Emporia. John Fowler, the postmaster at Columbia in the fall of 1857, resigned and the office was moved to Emporia, where W. H. Fick became postmaster. In August hack lines were established to Topeka and to Lawrence. A great deal of the mail was lost, there being about three bushels of mail belonging to Emporia lying at Osawatomie in Jan., 1858. The next year regular mail routes were established from Council Grove to Fort Scott by way of Emporia, and from Lawrence to Emporia. In Aug., 1860, there were tri-weekly coaches from Lawrence. By March, 1861, Emporia was receiving ten mails per week from different points.
The first school was established in 1858 and taught by Rev. G. W. Torrence. The first newspaper was the Emporia News, founded in 1857 by Hon. P. B. Plumb under the name of the Kansas News. (See Newspapers.) The first sawmill was built by G. D. Humphreys on the Cottonwood river in 1857. The first marriage was between Charles Carver and Sarah Vangundy in Jan., 1856. The first birth was in 1856 in a family by the name of Hennick. The first assessment of property was made in 1858, but was of little value, as the assessor is said to have been prejudiced.
Nearly all authorities give 1858 as the date of organization of the county, although an election for county officers was held on Oct. 6, 1857, which resulted in the election of the Americus ticket as follows: Probate judge, A. I. Baker; sheriff, E. Goddard; treasurer, N. S. Storrs; clerk and recorder, C. V. Eskridge; surveyor, Mr. Voke; coroner, W. B. Swisher; commissioners, H. W. Fick and William Grimsley. Prior to Oct., 1858, the county seat was at Agnes City, which was the residence of Arthur I. Baker, whom the legislature had appointed probate judge. The first term of district court was held on Dec. 20 at Amencus, Judge Elmore presiding. At the general election of 1860 Emporia was chosen as the permanent county seat. Other early towns which figured in the contest were: Fremont, 8 miles north of Emporia, founded in 1857; Waterloo, on the State road 15 miles north of Emporia, laid off in 1858; and Forest Hill, east of the Neosho river opposite the junction, founded in 1858.
In 1860 there were 3,500 inhabitants in Lyon county, but the drouth of that year so discouraged the settlers that many returned east and those who stayed saw actual want and suffering in spite of the relief obtained from Atchison. The next year the breaking out of the war put an end to the already paralyzed activity in business and industry.
The first military company to leave for the seat of war was the "Emporia Guards" in May, 1861. They numbered 50 men and had been drilled by W. F. Cloud, a veteran of the Mexican war. The company took part in the engagement at Wilson's creek, Mo., in August. A. J. Mitchell raised a company of artillery numbering 47 men. L. T. Heritage recruited a company for duty within the state, which became Company B of the Eighth regiment. In the fall of 1862, in response to President Lincoln's call for more troops, 150 Lyon county men immediately offered their services. They were recruited by P. B. Plumb and formed a company in the Eleventh regiment. Soon afterward they were engaged in a battle at Prairie Grove, where several were killed. In 1864, when Gen. Price threatened Kansas, 300 more answered the call to repel the invasion. They were in active duty about a month. Besides this the men of Lyon county played their part in protecting their homes and in driving out hostile Indians in the west and southwest and the bushwhackers in the south.
A number of tragedies occurred in connection with the guerrilla activities between pro-slavery and anti-slavery bands. One of these was the death of Mrs. Carver, who was killed by a free-state mob from Topeka. She was in bed, and the men, on being refused admission to the house, fired into the building at random, two of the shots taking effect in her body. In 1862 occurred the most noted raid in the history of the county. Judge A. I. Baker had called the notorious "Bill" Anderson, his father and brother Jim, horse thieves, and later was obliged to shoot the elder Anderson in self-defense. About the same time a Mexican who belonged to the Anderson gang was hanged by a mob at Americus. A few weeks later the Andersons, with four others, one of whom represented himself to be Quantrill, came to the Baker home, persuaded him to go to his store to get them some whiskey, and just as he was going down the cellar steps shot him a number of times. He drew his revolver and inflicted a flesh wound upon Jim Anderson. The ruffians shot Baker's brother-in-law, Segur, and threw him into the cellar. Then they piled boxes on the cellar door and set them on fire. Baker died before the fire reached him, and Segur escaped by a back window but died a few hours later. All of Baker's property was destroyed by fire and his horses stolen. After a number of other robberies the guerrillas came to the residence of C. H. Withington at Allen. Here they placed all the men under arrest, took what they wanted and destroyed some property. Mr. Withington escaped death through the intercession of Quantrill. At Elm creek they attacked the house of a Mr. Jacoby, whose life was saved by a Santa Fe train which happened to be passing.
The first efforts to secure a railroad were in 1864, but it was not until 1870 that the first road was built. This was the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, which runs south from Topeka. The county issued $200,000 in bonds to aid in its construction. A like amount was voted to the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, which crosses the county in a southeasterly direction and which was built in the same year. Another line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe from Kansas City enters the county in the east and crosses into Chase county. A third line runs from Emporia south into Greenwood county. The Missouri Pacific crosses the northern part from east to west.
The general surface of the county is prairie, with but few bluffs. The principal streams are the Neosho river, which runs across the county in a southeasterly direction; the Cottonwood river which crosses from west to east and joins the Neosho just above Neosho Rapids; and numerous creeks, of which Duck, Dows and Eagle are the most important. The timber belts along these streams average one-half mile in width, and contain the following varieties: oak, walnut, cottonwood, hickory, elm, hackberry, coffee-bean and locust. Magnesian limestone and sandstone are abundant, and a good quality of potter's clay is found between the Neosho and Cottonwood rivers. The bottom lands along the rivers and creeks comprise about 15 per cent. of the total area.
Lyon is one of the two leading counties in the production of Kafir corn. In 1910 this crop amounted to nearly $300,000. Corn the same year brought $1,750,000; oats, $130,000; wheat, $40,000; tame grass, $170,000; and wild grass, $260,000. Live stock netted $1,630,000; poultry and eggs, $180,000. The total output of the farms for the county that year was nearly $4,500,000. About 400,000 acres are under cultivation. There are 300,000 fruit trees, two-thirds of which are apples. Lyon is the foremost county in the state in the production of live stock. The population, according to the census of 1910, was 24,927. The assessed valuation of property in the same year was $38,600,000.
County Courthouse
Breckenridge County was organized in 1855. For a time, the new county was attached to Madison County for "Civil/Criminal and Military Purposes." Columbia was designated as the county seat, but no county business was transacted.
On February 17, 1857, Waterloo was declared the county seat. About this same time, Breckenridge County was detached from Madison County. Also, about this time, Americus was established and was a candidate for the county seat.
With the election in the autumn of 1858, Americus was voted to become the county seat.
The south county line of Breckenridge was originally located at Logan Avenue in Emporia. Emporia, with aspirations to become the county seat, secured the southern county line three miles north of the town of Madison. Thus, Emporia became nearer the geographical center of the county.
In the year of 1860, it was voted and Emporia carried 155 votes over Americus, to become the new county seat of Breckenridge County.
The stone courthouse of Breckenridge County, located on the northwest corner of Third Avenue (the Santa Fe tracks) and Commercial Street, was built in the year of 1866 at a cost of $19,795.00. The plans for the courthouse were furnished by John Hammond. The contract for the building went to Dr. Thomas Armor and Perry B. Mazson. Peter B. Hughes and Richard Howl did the stonework. George Plumb burned the lime that was used for the mortar in the construction of the building.
The stone courthouse was used until about 1902 when a new courthouse was erected on the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Commercial Street.
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