Sumner County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Sumner 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 Charles Sumner. The County has Wellington as its seat and the County was created December 20, 1870. The County is located in the south central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Sumner County Courthouse 500 N. Washington Ave. Wellington, Kansas 67152-4096 Phone: 620.326.3395 Sumner County Website Probate Judge has marriage and probate records. Clerk District Court has divorce records. County Clerk has land records.

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

Cities

Unincorporated Communities

''Ghost towns

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
 * 1883 Land Plat book for Sumner County - image of plat book
 * 1902 Land Plat book for Sumner County - image of plat book
 * 1918 Land Plat book for Sumner 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
 * Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc..
 * Portrait and Biographical Album of Sumner County, Kansas. 1890.  Chicago, Illinois : Chapman Brothers.  Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books.

Maps and Gazetteers
Plot Maps of Sumner County from the Kansas Historical Society.

Migration
The Chisholm Trail entered Kansas south through Caldwell and moved northeastward missing Wellington by 7 miles to the west. The trail that hosted cattle travel from the 1860’s well into the 1870’s was virtually abandoned as settlers staked out homesteads diverting cattle to the West. The Santa Fe Railroad brought the Trail back to life when the railroad came to Caldwell in 1880.

Military Records

 * Sumner County was organized after the Civil War began. Please see Butler and Marion counties for Civil War records

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

Newspapers and addresses
 * Belle Plaine News - 431 N. Merchant Belle Plaine Ks 67013 620-488-2234
 * Caldwell Messenger - 111 S. Main P.O. Box 313 Caldwell Ks 67022 620-845-2320
 * Conway Springs Star - Argonia Argosy - 214 W. Spring Conway Springs Ks 620-456-2473
 * Mulvane News - 204 W. Main Mulvane Ks 67110 ~ 620-777-4233
 * Oxford Register 110 E. Myrtle Oxford Ks 67119 ~ 620 455 3535
 * South Haven New Era South Haven Ks
 * Wellington Daily News 113 W. Harvey / Wellington, KS 67152 (620) 326-3326

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 $

Death

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

Societies
Sumner County Historical and Genealogical Center 208 N Washington Ave PO Box 402 Wellington, KS 67152 Telephone Number: 785-339-3127 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
 * Sumner County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)