Bourbon County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Bourbon 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 Bourbon County, Kentucky--a member of the Territorial Legislature, Samuel A. Williams, requested that it be named for his former home county. The County has Fort Scott as its seat and the County was created 1855. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bourbon County Courthouse 210 S. National Ave. Fort Scott, Kansas 66701-1328 Phone: 316.223.3800 Bourbon County Website Clerk Circuit has divorce records from 1870. Probate Judge has marriage and probate records from 1870 and court records from 1963.

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

See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Bourbon County, Kansas

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.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records
 * Land records at Kansas Historical Society
 * 1878 Land Plat book for Bourbon County - image of plat book
 * 1920 Land Plat book for Bourbon 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
 * 1883 History of Bourbon County, Kansas. 1883; 1976 reprint. By A.T. Andreas. Reprint published: Topeka, Kan. : Kansas State Historical Society.  Online at:.
 * Fort Scott as I Knew It. 1940. By Elmer Coe. Fort Scott, Kan. : Printed by Monitor Binding and Printing Company. Online at:.
 * History of Bourbon County, Kansas : to the Close of 1865. 1894; 1975 Reprint. By T.F. Robley. Orig. published: Fort Scott, Kansas : Monitor Book & Printing Co.  Online at:, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.

Military Records

 * Men from Bourbon county enlisted in the 1st Regiment, Company A and in the 2nd Regiment.

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 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 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 $

Death

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

Societies
Old Fort Genealogical Society PO Box 786 1 E. 3rd St. Fort Scott, KS 66701 Telephone Number: 620-223-3300

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
 * Bourbon County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)