Lyon County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Lyon 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 General Nathaniel Lyon, who was killed at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in the Civil War. The County has Emporia as its seat and the County was created February 5, 1862. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lyon County Courthouse 402 Commercial Street Emporia, Kansas 67748-4000 Phone: 620-341-4380 Lyon County Website Clerk District Court has marriage records from 1861, divorce records from 1860, probate records from 1859 and court records from 1858. Register of Deeds has land records from 1856. City Clerk has birth and death records.

Populated Places
The following are locations in Lyon 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 Lyon County - image of plat book
 * 1901 Land Plat book for Lyon County - image of plat book
 * 1918 Land Plat book for Lyon 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
 * Annals of Emporia and Lyon County : Historical Incidents of the First Quarter of a Century, 1857 to 1882. By Jacob Stotler. Emporia, Kan. : n.p. Online at: , Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of Emporia and Lyon County. c1929. By Laura Margaret French. Emporia, Kansas : Emporia Gazette Print. Online at: Ancestry ($);.
 * A Memorial to Pioneers of Lyon County, 1855-1875. 1922.  [Emporia, Kan.] : Gazette.  Online at: ;.

Civil War
During the Civil War men from Lyon County enlisted in the Emporia Guards, the Emporia Artillery and the Emporia Cavalry, 2nd Regiment Kansas Volunteer Infantry, Company H; 8th Regiment Kansas Infantry, Company H which was tranferred to the 9th Regiment Kansas Infantry, Company B; and the 11th Regiment Kansas Cavalry, Company C.


 * - 11th Regiment, Missouri Cavalry (Union), Company B

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

Emporia Gazette

Obituaries
Emporia Gazette Death Notices Index 1892-1989 - Site gives information on the Index and how to obtain a copy of the obituary.

Emporia Gazette Death Notices Index 1990-1999 - Site gives information on the Index and how to obtain a copy of the obituary.

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

 * 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 $

Family History Centers

 * Emporia Kansas Family History Center

Museums
Lyon County History Center 225 E 6th St Emporia, KS 66801 E-mail:[mailto:lchsresearchcenter@gmail.com lchsresearchcenter@gmail.com] Website

Societies
Lyon County Historical Society 118 East 6th Avenue Emporia 66801

Flint Hills Genealogical Society PO Box 555 Emporia, KS 66801-0555

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