Leavenworth County, Kansas Genealogy

United StatesKansas Leavenworth County

Parent County
1855--Leavenworth County was created 30 August 1855 as an original county. County seat: Leavenworth

Record Loss
The Courthouse Burned

Leavenworth County Lost a [sic] of 1871 by Fire Early This Morning.

LEAVENWORTH, Kas., March 22. - Fire which started at 1 o'clock this morning practically destroyed the courthouse of Leavenworth County. All the county records were burned. The building was built at a cost of $100,000 in 1871.

The fire started in the west side of the building in the first floor. It quickly spread all over that floor and to the top floors. The flames were fanned by a high wind which carried the sparks over the town.

The building was nearly a block long and three stories high. It was built of stone. The building was between Third and Fourth streets on Walnut.

From 7 to 9 o'clock last night two men were at work oiling the floor in the office of the clerk of the district court. The fire was discovered by William Wissler, the watchman, and the alarm turned in by him. It is supposed that a match dropped by one of the workmen may have started a small blaze. The fire soon spread from the clerk's office to the tower containing the clock. By the time the firemen and citizens arrived the building was full of smoke and flames and no one daired enter to carry out any of the records.

The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, MO, 22 Mar 1911

source: gendisasters.com

Neighboring Counties

 * Atchison
 * Douglas
 * Jefferson
 * Johnson
 * Platte County, Missouri
 * Wyandotte

Cemeteries

 * Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth BillionGraves
 * Mount Muncie Cemetery, Lansing BillionGraves
 * Congregational Cemetery, Linwood BillionGraves

Church
LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Leavenworth

Migration
Early migration routes to and from for European and African American settlers included:


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

Military
Leavenworth County furnished more troops in the Civil War than any other county in the State. By May 20, 1861, eighteen companies had been organized and were ready for service. These companies were known as follows: Home Guards, Leavenworth Fencibles, German Rifles, Leavenworth Guards, Emmett Guards, Steuben Guards, Delaware Guards, Delaware Rifles, Lincoln Rangers, Mounted Rifles, Leavenworth Grays, Shields Guards, Phoenix Guards, Union Guards, Leavenworth Light Infantry, Lafayette Guards, Lane Rifles, Leavenworth Rifles, Stranger Township Union Home Guards, Kickapoo Guards, Captain Black's Guards, Lyon Guards, Fourth Ward Guards, "Old Guards", Third Ward Guards, Leavenworth Mercantile Guards and Leavenworth Light Cavalry. During the Civil War men from this county enlisted in the 1st Regiment, Kansas Infantry; 7th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry;11th Regiment, Kansas Infantry; 15th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry, Companies C, F, L, and K; and the 17th Regiment, Kansas Infantry.

Vital Records

 * Leavenworth County, Kansas Obituary Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. From Various Funeral Homes in the Leavenworth, Lansing, Fairmount, Basehor, and Tonanoxie areas.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Leavenworth Kansas Family History Center

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Leavenworth County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Leavenworth County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)