Johnson County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Johnson 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 American missionary Thomas Johnson. The County has Olathe as its seat and the County was created August 25, 1855. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Johnson County Courthouse 111 S. Cherry Street Olathe, Kansas 66061-3195 Phone: 913.764.8484 Johnson County Website Clerk District Court has divorce and court records from 1861. Probate Court has marriage and probate.

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


 * Cities included in Shawnee Mission, a postal designation encompassing cities or regions thereof in northeastern Johnson County, headquarter post office located in Mission.

Cemeteries
The Digital Cemetery is a photo-index of grave markers in the cemeteries in Johnson County. Includes complete cemetery transcriptions with photos taken from 2005-2010. Also includes cemetery histories, cemetery maps and diagrams, and searchable indexes with photos of markers and lost cemetery information. '''Johnson County Cemeteries '''Animal Cemetery '''Lost Cemeteries The lost cemeteries below were marked on historical atlas maps, mentioned in historic diaries of the period, or mentioned in land records.
 * Woolford Farms Horse Cemetery
 * Baptist Mission Church Cemetery
 * Cedar Junction Cemetery
 * Friends (Quaker) Mission Cemetery
 * Indian Creek Chapel Cemetery (aka Scarrett's Chapel)
 * Lanesfield Cemetery
 * Matthew King Burial Ground
 * Unknown Cemetery (Lexington Twp)
 * Unknown Cemetery (McCamishTwp)
 * Unknown Cemetery (MonticelloTwp)
 * Unknown Cemetery (Oxford Twp)

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.

Court Records

 * 1856-1969 Civil Court Cases indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb. Includes accession, location, folder and case numbers. Records are held at the Johnson County Archives.
 * 1861-1969 Criminal Court Cases A-F (partial) are indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb. Includes accession, location, folder and case numbers. Records are held at the Johnson County Archives.
 * Johnson County Kansas District Court Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, and Probate court records; Marriage Licenses.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records
 * Land records at Kansas Historical Society
 * 1857 Shawnee Indian Reservation Land Plat book for Johnson County - image of plat book
 * 1874 Land Plat book for Johnson County - image of plat book
 * 1886 Land Plat book for Johnson County - image of plat book
 * 1902 Land Plat book for Johnson County - image of plat book
 * 1922 Land Plat book for Johnson County - image of plat book
 * 1935 and 1939 Oil and Ownership Land Plat book for Johnson 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
 * Atlas map of Johnson County, Kansas. 1874. By E. F. Heisler and D. M. Smith. Wyandott, Kansas : Heisler. Online at: ;.
 * Black Bob Indian Lands. 1967. Compiled by Mrs. Howard W. Woodruff. Kansas City, Missouri : A.L.W. Woodruff. Online at:.
 * History of Johnson County, Kansas. 1915. By Ed Blair. Lawrence, Kan. : Standard Pub. Co.  Online at:, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books;.

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


 * Missouri 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

 * During the Civil War men from this county enlisted in the 2nd Regiment, Kansas Infantry, Companiy C ; 4th Regiment, Kansas Infantry; 5th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Company L; 8th Regiment, Kansas Infantry, Companies F and L; 9th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Company G; 12th Regiment, Kansas Infantry, Company H; 13th Regiment, Kansas Infantry and 15th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Companies A and K.

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

Obituaries
Johnson Co KSGenWeb Obituaries, Death Notices, News Articles &amp; Probate Notices Taken from Johnson County, KS Newspapers 1860-1907 (not complete)

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
Will records are indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb and includes accession, location, volume and page. The records are held in the Johnson County Archives in Olathe, KS.


 * Johnson County Kansas District Court - search for Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, Court, Marriage License and Probate Court

'''Online Records


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

Johnson County Kansas District Court Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, and Probate court records; Marriage Licenses.

Johnson Co KSGenWeb Obituaries, Death Notices, News Articles &amp; Probate Notices Taken from Johnson County, KS Newspapers 1860-1907 (not complete)

Tax Records

 * 1859 Delinquent Taxes indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb by township.

Birth
The State of Kansas began recording births in 1911. No birth records were kept in Johnson County prior to 1911.


 * 1818 - 1936 at FamilySearch.org — index


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

Marriage

 * Johnson County Kansas District Court Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, and Probate court records; Marriage Licenses.
 * 1811 - 1911 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1840 - 1935 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1843-1857  Shawnee marriages at the Shawnee Methodist Mission — Indexed on the Johnson County KSGenWeb site.
 * 1855 - 1911 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1855 - 1911 Kansas, County Marriages, 1855-1911 at Ancestry.com — images $
 * 1857-1907 Marriage Registries — indexed on Johnson County KSGenWeb and includes marriage book and page number. Other information may include date, age, residence, presiding official, and location. Browse by bride or groom. Index donated by the Johnson County Archives in Olathe, KS.

Death
The State of Kansas began recording deaths in 1911. No death records were kept in Johnson County prior to 1911.


 * Johnson County, Kansas Obituary Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. From Various Funeral Homes.
 * 1885 - 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1885 - 1930 Kansas, Deaths and Burials, Index, 1885-1930 at Ancestry.com — index $

Divorce

 * 1853-1882 divorces are indexed on Johnson Co KSGenWeb and includes the record accession number. Records are held at the Johnson County Archives in Olathe, KS.
 * Johnson County Kansas District Court Criminal/Juvenile/Traffic, Civil, and Probate court records; Marriage Licenses.

Family History Centers

 * Lenexa Kansas Family History Center
 * Olathe Kansas Family History Center

Societies
Johnson County Genealogical Society And Library PO Box 12666 Shawnee Mission 66282-2666 E-mail: [mailto:info@jcgsks.org info@jcgsks.org] 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
 * Johnson County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)