Seward County, Kansas Genealogy Facts and Records

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KS Court, Land & Wills

KS Public Records

KS Birth, Marriage & Death

Seward County History and Information

Seward County Facts

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

Seward County was created on March 20, 1873 (Organized on 1886) from Unorganized Territory. The County Seat is Liberal. The County was named for William H. Seward (1801-1872), senator from New York and a leader of the anti-slavery wing of the Whig Party. Joining the Republican Party in 1855, he served as Secretary of State under Lincoln and Johnson, and arranged to purchase Alaska ("Seward's Folly") from Russia.

Counties adjacent to Seward County are Haskell County (north), Meade County (east), Beaver County, Oklahoma (southeast), Texas County, Oklahoma (southwest), Stevens County (west). Cities and Towns Include Liberal and Kismet. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

Kansas Settlers, 1854-1879: Listing of over 3200 early settlers of Kansas
The Seward County Official Government Website
Search the Kansas USGenWeb Archives
Seward 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 Seward 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 415 North Washington, Suite 116, Liberal, KS 67901-3462; Phone: (620) 626-3201. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Seward County Clerks Office has Birth Records from 18?, Marriage Records from 1886 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.

Seward County Register of Deeds Office has Land Records from 1886.
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.

Seward County Clerk of District Court has Probate Records from 1886 and Court Records from 1886.
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 Seward County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Seward 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)
Seward County, Kansas Court Books at Amazon.com

Seward 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 Seward County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Seward 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
Seward County, Kansas Military Books at Amazon.com

Seward 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 Seward County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Seward County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

Seward County Historical Society, 567 E Ceadar, Liberal 67901
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

Seward 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 Seward County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Seward 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 Seward County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Seward 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 Seward County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Seward County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Sites on USGenweb: [ Seward County ] [ Kansas ] [ Main Page ]
Seward 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
Seward 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.

Seward County, in the southern tier, is the third county east from Colorado. It is bounded on the north by Haskell county; on the east by Meade; on the south by the State of Oklahoma, and on the west by Stevens county. It was created in 1873 and named in honor of William H. Seward of New York, who was secretary of state during Lincoln's administration. The boundaries were defined as follows: "Commencing at the intersection of the east line of range 31 west with the 6th standard parallel; thence south on said range line to the southern boundary line of the State of Kansas; thence west on said southern boundary line of the State of Kansas to the east line of range 35 west; thence north on said range line to the 6th standard parallel; thence east to the place of beginning."

Ten years later the area was increased nearly threefold by the addition of territory from the adjoining counties, which for a time lost their identity. In 1886 the original limits were restored and the county was organized. C. L. Calvert was appointed census taker in March, and according to his returns, which were made June 5, there were 2,551 bona fide residents in the county, of whom 843 were householders. The taxable property amounted to $421,985, of which $182,719 was real estate. Gov. John A. Martin issued his proclamation on June 17, designating Springfield as the temporary county seat and appointing the following officers: County clerk, J. M. Wilson; commissioners, Walter H. Harwood, E. M. Campbell and Edwin A. Watson. Fargo Springs was the rival of Springfield for county seat honors and the governor, hoping to divide favors, appointed Fargo Springs adherents as commissioners. They divided the territory of the county into election districts in such a manner as to give their town the advantage over Springfield. The voting place for Seward township was at Fargo Springs. The night before the election, which was held on Aug. 5, 1886, it is said the Fargo men, 40 strong, took possession of the polling place, organized the election board early the next morning and began the voting an hour before the time fixed. It was charged that the Fargo people "voted early and often." The farmers, not approving the way the election was conducted, hauled a wagon up beside the building in which the polls were located and established a voting booth of their own. The commissioners refused to canvass the vote deposited in the ballot box in the wagon bed. There were 225 votes cast in this manner, of which a majority were for Springfield. The matter was taken to the courts, the commissioners were compelled to canvass the vote, and Springfield was declared the permanent county seat in March, 1887. Fargo Springs, which was located less than 4 miles south of Springfield, moved to the latter place.

The officers chosen at the August election were as follows: County clerk, Oliver Leisure; treasurer, Adam T. Ragland; probate judge, L. A. Etzold; register of deeds, George Ferner; sheriff, George Neeley; coroner, Dr. W. H. Dorsett; surveyor, A. L. Stickel; attorney, C. J. Traxler; clerk of the district court, W. E. McClure; commissioners, E. M. Campbell, W. W. Kimball and Charles Mayo.

The settlement within the present boundaries of Seward county did not begin until 1884. Among the first settlers, who afterward became prominent in the business and political life of the county, were W. J. Tipton, who came in 1884, and the following who came in 1885: Oliver Leisure, L. J. Fulton, L. P. Roberts, Harry C. Nelson, A. T. Ragland, E. M. Campbell, A. H. Saunders, L. A. Etzold, J. M. Adams and J. L. Lundsford. The immigration was heavy during the years 1885 and 1886. The Springfield Town company was organized in the fall of 1885, but the town was not laid out until about three weeks before the county was organized. The first newspaper was the Springfield Transcript, established in 1886 by L. P. Kemper. County buildings were not built for several years, but in a short time there was nevertheless a large bonded indebtedness. The county scrip was handled very extravagantly by the officials. In 1888 legal action was brought by the attorney-general of the state against Oliver Leisure, county clerk, and two of the commissioners, charging them with defrauding the county out of several thousand dollars.

In that year the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad was built and the town of Liberal was founded. In August, four months after it was laid out, the population had reached 800 and it was incorporated as a city of the third class. The people of the south part of the county began a campaign to have it made the county seat. In 1890 the county records were burned at Springfield, and the facts then came to public notice that the county had a bonded indebtedness of $100,000 with practically nothing to show for it. In 1892 the last county seat election was held. The candidates were Liberal and Springfield. The former won by 125 votes. So confident were the Liberal adherents of a victory that a large number of farm wagons were drawn up before the county offices, and as soon as the vote was announced the removal of the county property began. In less than three hours it was all on the road to Liberal.

The county is divided into three townships, Fargo, Liberal and Seward. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad enters on the eastern boundary line, north of the center, and crosses southwest into Oklahoma, a distance of 30 miles. The general surface is undulating with but few hills, and there is practically no timber. The Cimarron river enters near the northwest corner and flows southeast into Meade county. Limestone of good quality is found in the southwest portion.

The total value of farm products in 1910 was $885,529. Wheat, the most valuable crop, brought $258,152; milo maize, $138,270; broomcorn, $110,022; corn, nearly $70,000; Kafir corn, $81,825; hay, $55,634; animals sold for slaughter, $80,701. The live stock aggregated 10,537 head, worth $561,618, and the assessed valuation of property was $6,117,868.

The population in 1890 was 1,503, in 1900 it was 822 and in 1910 it was 4,091. This large increase during the last decade was due to the improved methods of farming and to the fact that the farmers have learned how to handle the soil in the climate of southwest Kansas to the best advantage.

County Courthouse

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