Republic County, Kansas Genealogy Facts and Records

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KS Court, Land & Wills

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Republic County History and Information

Republic County Facts

Click HERE to see full size D.O.T. County Map

Republic County was created on February 27, 1860 (Organized on 1868) as an Original County. The County Seat is Belleville. The County was named for the Republican River, which flows through the county. The valley of that river was the seat of the Pawnee Republic, a major division of the Pawnee tribe.

Counties adjacent to Republic County are Thayer County, Nebraska (north), Jefferson County, Nebraska (northeast), Washington County (east), Cloud County (south), Jewell County (west), Nuckolls County, Nebraska (northwest). Cities and Towns Include Belleville, Scandia, Courtland, Cuba, Republic, Munden, Narka, Agenda. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

Kansas Settlers, 1854-1879: Listing of over 3200 early settlers of Kansas
The Republic County Official Government Website
Search the Kansas USGenWeb Archives
Republic County, Kansas History Books at Amazon.com
Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

There are free downloadable and printable forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms, U.K. Census Extraction Forms, Research Calendar, Ancestral Chart, Research Extract, Correspondence Record , Family Group Sheet , Source Summary Form.

Records at the Republic County Courthouse

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 1815 M Street, Belleville, KS 66935-2242; Phone: (785) 527-7231. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Republic County Clerks Office has Birth Records from 1885-1911, Marriage Records from 1869 and Death Records from 1885-1911.
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.

Republic County Register of Deeds Office has Land Records from 1868.
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.

Republic County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1868 and Court Records from 1871.
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.

Click Here to Search Kansas Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Below is a list of online resources for Republic County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Republic 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
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)
Republic County, Kansas Court Books at Amazon.com

Republic County Tax Records

See Also Military Records in Kansas

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.

Below is a list of online resources for Republic County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Republic 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.
Kansas Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, 2601 Central Avenue, Dodge City, KS 67801; (620) 225-1951
National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006; Phone: (202) 628-1776
Kansas Society of Sons of the American Revolution
National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Kansas (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
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.
1883 List of Pensioners on the Roll - Veterans or widows of veterans living in Kansas who have applied for a Pension
Republic County, Kansas Military Books at Amazon.com

Republic County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Kansasa 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 Republic County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Republic County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

Republic County Historical Society, P.O. Box 218, Belleville 66935
Local Kansas Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
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.)
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.
Kansas Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

Republic County Church & Cemeteries

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.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Republic County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Republic 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 Republic County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Republic County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Click Here to Search Kansas Obituary 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 Republic County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Republic County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Sites on USGenweb: [ Republic County ] [ Kansas ] [ Main Page ]
Republic County USGenweb Archives
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Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Kansas Family Group Sheets
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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.
Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
Republic County, Kansas Family Books at Amazon.com

County History

Transcribed from Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912.

Republic County, located in the northern tier of counties with the 6th principal meridian forming the eastern boundary, has 20 civil townships, viz: Albion, Beaver, Belleville, Big Bend, Courtland, Elk Creek, Fairview, Farmington, Freedom, Grant, Jefferson, Liberty, Lincoln, Norway, Richland, Rose Creek, Scandia, Union, Washington and White Rock. The towns are Agenda, Belleville, Courtland, Cuba Haworth, Kackley, Munden, Narka, Norway, Republic, Rydal, Scandia, Sherdahl, Talmo, Warwick, Wayne and White Rock.

There are five railroads with an aggregate of 140 miles—the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, the Missouri Pacific, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Union Pacific.

The surface is rolling prairie with 10 per cent. bottom and 90 per cent. upland. The Republican river enters the county in the northwestern corner and traverses its entire width in a southerly direction; Mill and Rose creeks flow east into the Little Blue; White Rock creek flows northeast, and Beaver creek southeast into the Republican; West and Elk creeks flow south. The county is watered by numerous natural springs. The mineral products are coal, limestone and salt, and the principal farm products are corn, wheat and oats.

The early history of Republic county is interesting through the fact that it contained the site of the famous Pawnee Republic (q. v.), and that Capt. Pike raised the first American flag within its borders. (See Pike's Expedition.) In 1857 the government opened a military road through this county, anticipating the building of which the wagon trains bound for California began to take this route before the bridges were built. One train with 8 wagons, 25 people and 400 head of stock came to grief in that year near Republic City. Their trail was dogged by the Indians from the settlements, and when 90 miles from the western outpost they were attacked early in the morning, the train destroyed, 4 men killed and the remnant, including several wounded persons and some women and children, made their way to the settlements, reaching help half dead and crazed from suffering.

Some time before the first settlement in the county a company of twenty Mormons bound for Salt Lake City was attacked near the site of the present town of Scandia and all but one were murdered. The dead were buried on a high bluff by the soldiers and triangular flagstones put up to mark the spot.

The legislature of 1860 defined the boundaries of the county and gave it its name, taken from the Republican river, which was named from Pawnee Republic. The first settlement was made on Feb. 28, 1861, by Daniel and Conrad Myers, in Lincoln township. It is said that Daniel Myers often left his claim during times of Indian alarms but that Conrad stayed on his claim, making the first settlement permanent. The first dwelling house was that of Daniel Myers, built in Sept., 1861.

The next settlement was made by James F. Van Natta and David and John Cory early in 1862. No more permanent settlements were made until 1866, when James G. Tuthill settled near the present town of Seapo. In the same year J. C. Riley and family settled near Belleville; D. N. Davis near Republic City, and Thomas Lovewell crossed the Republican and settled on White Rock creek. The settlers who had come into the county during the intervening years had been driven out by Indians. The first organized resistance was made in 1864, when the settlers of Clay, Cloud and Republic counties formed a company under the captaincy of Isaac M. Schooly, who was commissioned by the government. The first militia, composed entirely of Republic county men, was the "Independent Company of Salt Creek Militia," organized in 1868 with W. P. Peake as first lieutenant. He was subsequently made captain and W. H. H. Riley was commissioned first lieutenant. There were 50 men in the company. Arms and ammunition were furnished by the state, but the men furnished their own horses, saddles and bridles. In the summer of 1868 another company of 6 men was recruited in the northern part of the county under Capt. R. T. Stanfield, with Peter Johnson as first lieutenant. A log fort was built by this company in Belleville township, in which were stationed the following men from July to Oct. 18: Noah Thompson, corporal in command, George Mathews, William Little, Oliver Gross, Samuel Darling and Ephraim H. Wilcox. The company made several expeditions into the Indian country. In August Gordon Winbigler, who was harvesting with several other men, was killed by the Indians not far from the fort.

The next year there was a great influx of settlers, principally Scandanavians, a colony of 300 settling on White Rock creek. The Arapahoes and Cheyennes came that year as usual into the Republican valley. The settlers fortified their dugouts and kept guards on the bluffs until they supposed the Indians gone. As soon as the guards were removed the Indians came over the bluff, drove away 7 horses and killed a young son of F. E. Granstadt who was watching them. That year Capt. Stanfield, A. Davis, W. P. Phillips and Clarke Tenike were besieged in the blockhouse by over 100 Indians. A message was sent out tied to a cow's tail. The cow reached Scandia the next day, but the Scandanavians were afraid to go to the rescue. In May a party of 7 hunters with J. McChesney as guide was attacked on White Rock creek and all but McChesney were killed. This was the last of the fatalities from Indian attacks. In the next two years immigration was heavy.

Republic county was organized in 1868 by proclamation of Gov. Harvey, who fixed the county seat at Pleasant Hill. The election of 1869 located it temporarily at Belleville, and the next year it was permanently located at that place. The first election was held in March, 1868, the whole county being one precinct, and only 13 votes were cast. J. C. Riley was chosen trustee; J. E. Van Natta, justice; and J. H. Frint constable.

The first postoffice was at Marsh Creek, Grant township, with James G. Tuthill as postmaster. The first lawsuit was tried before Justice Van Natta in 1869, when Henry Mead sued Conrad Myers for breach of contract, each acting as his own lawyer, as there was no attorney nearer than Manhattan. The law library of the county at that time consisted of the "Territorial Laws" of 1859, the session laws of 1865, the Testament and Psalms and the Blue Laws of Connecticut.

The first marriage was between Thomas C. Riley and Nancy Campbell on June 7, 1867. The first birth was that of Lincoln Myers on Sept. 15, 1861. The first death was that of John Myers in April, 1861. The first school was opened in 1867, with 13 pupils and Mrs. Margaret Tate as teacher. The building was a log house 18 by 20 feet, built by Peter Moe.

In 1873 bonds were voted for the extension of the Central Branch railroad into the county. They were never issued as the railroad company failed to keep its part of the agreement. Another attempt was made in 1878 to get a road, this time with the Kansas Pacific. The proposal to issue bonds for $4,000 per mile was lost at the election. On Dec. 24 of that year the Missouri Pacific ran its first train to Scandia over a line extended from Concordia. In 1880 a branch of the Burlington was extended through the eastern portion of the county. Four years later the Union Pacific was extended from Junction City to Belleville, and a branch of the Burlington & Missouri River was extended through the county 18 miles. In 1887 the Rock Island built 54 miles of track, and the next year the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe built 13 miles.

The first agricultural society in Republic county, which was also the first west of the 6th principal meridian, was organized on Feb. 20, 1871, with the following officers: Albert Odell, president; R. P. West, vice president; I. O. Savage, secretary; John M. Ryan, treasurer. The county horticultural society was organized in 1879, the first officers of which were, O. A. A. Gardner, president; J. A. Mosher, vice president: W. P. Peake, secretary; Ezra Powell, treasurer; N. T. Van Natta, Adam Dixon and Dr. Henry Patrick, trustees.

About thirty newspapers have been established in the county from time to time, nine of which still exist. The oldest is the Belleville Telescope, established in Sept., 1870, by James C. Humphrey. The Scandia Journal was established on Feb. 7, 1872, in Belleville, under the name of the Belleville Republic, by A. B. Wilder. The Republic City News was started in 1881, by William Ketchum; the Courtland Register in 1889, by F. M. Coffey; and the Narka News in 1893, by James A. Harris The other papers in the county are, the Republic County Democrat at Belleville, God's Missionary Record (quarterly) at Belleville, the Cuban Daylight, Cuba, and the Comet at Courtland.

County Courthouse

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