Nemaha County, Kansas Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for the Nemaha River. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Nemaha County Courthouse 607 Nemaha Street Seneca, Kansas 66538-1761 Phone: 785.336.2146 Nemaha County Website County Clerk has birth, marriage and death records 1885-1911. Clerk District Court has marriage, probate and court records from 1857.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:


 * Seneca City
 * Sabetha City

Bible Records

 * Zahm/Cox Family Bible at Nemaha County Genealogy

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch How to Use this Collection — index

State and Territorial Census Records

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

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

 * 1861-1918 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection —index

List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1859-1922 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1861-1919 (*); District Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Funeral Homes

 * Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca
 * Popkess Mortuaries in Sabetha and Seneca

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records


 * Land records at Kansas Historical Society


 * 1887 Land Plat book for Nemaha County - image of plat book
 * 1908 Land Plat book for Nemaha County - image of plat book
 * 1922 Land Plat book for Nemaha County - image of plat book


 * 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
 * 1863-1908 U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry - ($), index and images

For more information see Kansas Land and Property

Local Histories

 * History of Nemaha County, Kansas. 1916.  By Ralph Tennal.  Lawrence, Kan. : Standard Pub. Co. Online at: Hathitrust,Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).
 * History of the State of Kansas. (Includes section on Nemaha County) 1883.  By William G. Cutler.  Chicago, Illinois : A. T. Andreas. Online at: Kansas Collection Books
 * Old Settler's Tales : Pottawatomie and Nemaha Counties. 1973. By F. F. Crevecoeur and Mary Elizabeth Hoover Morrison.  N.p.: n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Old Settlers' Tales. 1902. By Ferdinand Francis Crevecoeur. [Onaga, Kan] : n.p. Online at: Hathitrust;.
 * Reflections of Nemaha County, Kansas. c1992. By Lillian Engelken. Dallas, Texas : Curtis Media Corp..

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Online Collections
These collections are unique to Kansas. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Kansas Military Records. Collections Covering Multiple Wars


 * Kansas Military Index at Kansas Historical Society - Index only, includes Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts
 * Records of the Deaths and Burials at the Kansas State Soldiers Home - Index only, the home is located in Fort Dodge, Ford County, Kansas.

Civil War

During the Civil War men from this county enlisted in the 7th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry; the 8th Regiment, Kansas Infantry; and the 11th, 13th and 15th Regiments, Kansas Infantry.


 * Kansas Civil War Soldiers at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index only
 * 1862, 1863, 1868: Kansas, Civil War Enlistment Papers, 1862, 1863, 1868 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1866-1931: Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Bound Post Records, 1866-1931 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1880-1940: Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Post Reports, 1880-1940 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1889: Kansas, Enrollment of Civil War Veterans, 1889 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * Kansas Civil War Soldiers at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images

Spanish-American War (1898)


 * 1945-1970: Kansas, United Spanish War Veterans Reports of Deaths, 1945-1970 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images

World War I


 * History and Roster of the Kansas State Guard (WWI) at KSGenWeb - Taken from the book by the Adjutant General's Office
 * 1917-1919: Kansas, World War I Veteran Collection, 1917-1919 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1930: Kansas, Enrollment of WWI Veterans, 1930 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images

World War II


 * 1940-1946: Web: Kansas, WWII Selective Service Index, 1940-1946 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing, State of Kansas, War Dept-June 1946 at KSGenWeb - Index only

Korean War


 * U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Korean War for Kansas - Index only

Vietnam War


 * U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Vietnam War for Kansas - Index only

For further information see Kansas Military Records.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1864 - 1972 Kansas, Naturalization Abstracts, 1864-1972 at Ancestry — ($), Index
 * 1865 - 1874 Kansas Indian Naturalizations, ca. 1865-1874 at the National Archives — Index, District of Kansas, Record Group 21.
 * 1865 - 1984 Kansas, Federal Naturalization Records, 1865-1984 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images
 * 1917 - 1918 Kansas, Registration Affidavits of Alien Enemies, 1917-1918 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images, includes German and other aliens living in Kansas

Newspapers
Kansas Newspapers Online
 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Kansas Newspapers at Newspapers.com - ($), 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 Newspaper Catalogs


 * 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

Seneca Area Newspaper Archive

Sabetha Herald Archive 1888-2011

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 Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1803–1987 Kansas Wills and Probate Records 1803-1987 at Ancestry.com — index & images, ($)
 * 1857-1934 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1857-1947 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1857-1965 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Birth

 * 1818 - 1936 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection  — 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 — ($), Index and images
 * 1811 - 1911 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — Index
 * 1811 - 1911 Kansas, County Marriages, 1811-1911 at Ancestry — ($), Index
 * 1840 - 1935 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection — Index
 * 1854 - 1861 KHS Kansas Marriage Index, 1854-1861 at Kansas Historical Society — Index
 * 1861 - 1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index

Death

 * 1885 - 1930 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection — index
 * 1885 - 1930 Kansas, Deaths and Burials, Index, 1885-1930 at Ancestry.com — index $

FamilySearch Centers

 * St Joseph Missouri FamilySearch Center


 * St Joseph Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Seneca Free Library - an affiliate library
 * Troy Library - Library District 1- - an affiliate library

Libraries
Mary Cotton Library 915 Virginia Street Sabetha, KS Phone: 785-284-3160 Email: [mailto:info@sabethalibrary.org info@sabethalibrary.org] Website Facebook Seneca Free Library 606 Main St Seneca, KS Phone: 785-336-2377 Email: [mailto:librarian@senecafreelibrary.org librarian@senecafreelibrary.org] Website Facebook Wetmore Public Library 328 2nd Street Wetmore, KS 66550 Phone: 785-866-2250 Email: [mailto:wetmorepubliclibrary@gmail.com wetmorepubliclibrary@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Museums
Albany Historical Museum 2441 204th Road Sabetha, Kansas 66534 Phone: 785-285-0349 Email: [mailto:ahs.general.email@gmail.com ahs.general.email@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Website]

Albany Historical Society 415 Grant Street PO Box 62 Sabetha, Kansas, 66534 Phone: 785-284-2769 Website Nemaha County Historical Society 113 N 6th Street PO Box 41 Seneca, Kansas 66538 Phone: 785-336-6366 Email:[mailto:nchs@rainbowtel.net nchs@rainbowtel.net] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Photos of People and Places in Nemaha County
 * Working Research Database of Nemaha County
 * Nemaha County KS Genealogy Research. Contains information for researching genealogy in Nemaha county KS, Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Nemaha County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * 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