Leavenworth County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Leavenworth County, Kansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for Henry Leavenworth, an officer in the War of 1812. The County has Leavenworth as its seat and the County was created August 25, 1855. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Leavenworth County Courthouse 601 S. Third St. Ste 3051 Leavenworth, Kansas 66048-2781 Phone: 913.684.0700 Leavenworth County Website Probate Judge has marriage and probate records from 1855. Register of Deeds has land records. Clerk District Court has court and naturalization records from 1855.

Populated Places
The following are locations in Leavenworth County, Kansas:

Prior to July 2014, some residences south of Hwy 24/40 in Leavenworth County had postal addresses of Bonner Springs, Kansas.

Cemeteries
BillionGraves:
 * Congregational Cemetery, Linwood
 * Lansing Cemetery, Leavenworth
 * Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth
 * Mount Muncie Cemetery, Lansing

State and Territorial Census Records

 * 1855-1925 - Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images; covers census years 1855-1859, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925
 * 1860 - at FamilySearch — Index and images
 * 1860 - 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Kansas Territory at Ancestry — ($), Index and images
 * 1865 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1875 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — images
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1919-1961 - Kansas, City and County Census Records, 1919-1961 at Ancestry — Partial index (4 counties) and images

Federal Census Records
The 1870 Census was the first Federal Census taken for Kansas after it became a state in 1861. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Kansas Census.

Church Records
LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Leavenworth

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records
 * Land records at Kansas Historical Society
 * 1878 Land Plat book for Leavenworth County - image of plat book
 * 1903 Land Plat book for Leavenworth County - image of plat book

For more information see Kansas Land and Property
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796-1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1861-1936 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1936 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories
Online County Histories
 * Centennial Historical Program, Leavenworth, Kansas. Title also known as Centennial Leavenworth, 1854-1954. [1954]. By Historical Program Committee. Leavenworth, Kansas : Historical Program Committee. Online at:.
 * Early History of Leavenworth City and County. 1906. By Henry Miles Moore. Leavenworth, Kan. : Sam'l Dodsworth Book Co. Online at:, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of Leavenworth County, Kansas. 1921. By Jesse A. Hall and LeRoy T. Hand.  Topeka, Kansas : Historical Pub. Co.  Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of Leavenworth County, Kansas. 1990. Compiled and edited by Leavenworth County Genealogical Society.  Salina, Kansas : Kancen Printing & Advertising.  Online at: ;.
 * Portrait and Biographical Record of Leavenworth, Douglas and Franklin counties, Kansas. 1899. Chicago [IL] : Chapman Publishing Co. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books;.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Leavenworth County, Kansas Genealogy for European and African American settlers included:


 * Missouri River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Mormon Trail 1846 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Military Records
Leavenworth County furnished more troops in the Civil War than any other county in the State. By May 20, 1861, eighteen companies had been organized and were ready for service. These companies were known as follows: Home Guards, Leavenworth Fencibles, German Rifles, Leavenworth Guards, Emmett Guards, Steuben Guards, Delaware Guards, Delaware Rifles, Lincoln Rangers, Mounted Rifles, Leavenworth Grays, Shields Guards, Phoenix Guards, Union Guards, Leavenworth Light Infantry, Lafayette Guards, Lane Rifles, Leavenworth Rifles, Stranger Township Union Home Guards, Kickapoo Guards, Captain Black's Guards, Lyon Guards, Fourth Ward Guards, "Old Guards", Third Ward Guards, Leavenworth Mercantile Guards and Leavenworth Light Cavalry. During the Civil War men from this county enlisted in the 1st Regiment, Kansas Infantry; 7th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry;11th Regiment, Kansas Infantry; 15th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Companies C, F, L, and K; and the 17th Regiment, Kansas Infantry.

Newspapers
Kansas Newspapers Online Kansas Newspaper Catalogs
 * Kansas Newspapers at Newspapers.com - ($), free to Kansas residents through Kansas Historical Society
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Kansas newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Kansas newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Kansas newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites
 * Kansas Online Historical Newspapers - contains a list of known Kansas newspapers online and the websites they are found on
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper

Probate Records
'''Online Records


 * 1803 – 1987 Kansas Wills and Probate Records 1803-1987 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Birth

 * 1818 - 1936 at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1885 - 1911 Kansas, Births and Christenings Index, 1885-1911 at Ancestry.com — index $

Marriage

 * 1811 - 1911 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1840 - 1935 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1855 - 1911 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1855 - 1911 Kansas, County Marriages, 1855-1911 at Ancestry.com — images $
 * Leavenworth County, Kansas Obituary Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. From Various Funeral Homes in the Leavenworth, Lansing, Fairmount, Basehor, and Tonanoxie areas.

Death

 * 1885 - 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1885 - 1930 Kansas, Deaths and Burials, Index, 1885-1930 at Ancestry.com — index $

Family History Centers

 * Leavenworth Kansas Family History Center

Societies
Leavenworth County Historical Society 1128 5th Ave Leavenworth, KS 66048 Telephone Number: 913-682-7759 Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
 * Leavenworth County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)