Wabaunsee County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Wabaunsee 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 Chief Waubonsie. The County has Alma as its seat and the County was created 1859. The County is located in the east central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Wabaunsee County Courthouse 215 Kansas Ave. Alma, Kansas 66401-0278 Phone: 785.765.2401 Wabaunsee County Website County Clerk has birth, marriage and death records 1892-1910. Clerk District Court has divorce, probate and court records.

Populated Places
The following are locations in Wabaunsee 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
 * 1855-1856-1866, 1927 Land Plat book for Wabaunsee County - image of plat book
 * 1885 Land Plat book for Wabaunsee County - image of plat book
 * 1902 Land Plat book for Wabaunsee County - image of plat book
 * 1919 Land Plat book for Wabaunsee 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
 * Business Directory and History of Wabaunsee County. 1907.  By Kansas Directory Company.  Topeka, Kansas: n.p.  Online at: Internet Archive, Google Books.
 * Early History of Wabaunsee County. c1901.  By Matt Thomson.  Alma, Kansas : n.p.  Online at:, Internet Archive;.
 * New Branches From Old Trees : a New History of Wabaunsee County. By Wabaunsee County Historical Society.  Online at: ;.

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


 * Kansas River
 * Oregon Trail 1830s to 1890s from western Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon
 * California Trail 1846 to 1869 from western Missouri to northern California
 * Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah

Civil War
Men from Waubaunsee county enlisted in:


 * 2nd Regiment, Kansas Infantry, Company B
 * 8th Regiment, Kansas Infantry, Company E
 * 2nd Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Companies A, B, F, K
 * 5th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Company A
 * 6th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Company F
 * 9th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Company E
 * 11th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Companies E, G, K, L, M

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

Other Records
Voter Records
 * 1854 - Kansas Election List, 1854 at Ancestry — ($), Index
 * 1854 - 1856 - Kansas Voter Registration Lists, 1854-1856 at Ancestry — ($), Index

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

 * 1800 - 1946 - United States Marriages – Kansas, 1800-1946 at findmypast — ($), Index and images
 * 1811 - 1911 - at FamilySearch — Index
 * 1811 - 1911 - Kansas, County Marriages, 1811-1911 at Ancestry — ($), Index
 * 1840 - 1935 - at FamilySearch.org — Index
 * 1854 - 1861 - KHS Kansas Marriage Index, 1854-1861 at Kansas Historical Society — Index

Death

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

Societies
Wabaunsee County Historical Society 227 Missouri Street, Box 387 Alma 66401 Telephone Number:785-765-2200 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
 * Wabaunsee County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)