Coffey County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Coffey 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 Col. A. M. Coffey, who was a member of the first Territorial Legislature. The County has Burlington as its seat and the County was created August 25, 1855. The County is located in the central east area of the state.

County Courthouse
Coffey County Courthouse 110 S. 6th Street Burlington, Kansas 66839 Phone: 620.364.2191 Coffey County Website Clerk District Court has birth and death records 1892-1910, marriage records from 1855, divorce, probate and court records from 1857. Register of Deeds has land records from 1857. Historical Society and Public Library have cemetery books.

Populated Places
The following are locations in Coffey 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 Coffey County - image of plat book
 * 1901 Land Plat book for Coffey County - image of plat book
 * 1919 Land Plat book for Coffey 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
 * Coffey County. 1987. By Wanda Christy. Burlington, KS : Coffey County Today. Online at: ;.
 * First Hand Historical Episodes of Early Coffey County. By George Throckmorton, John Redmond. N.p.: n.p. Online at:, Ancestry ($).

Civil War

 * Men from Atchison County enlisted in 1st Infantry Regiment, Company A.

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

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

 * 1800 - 1946 - United States Marriages – Kansas, 1800-1946 at findmypast — ($), Index and images
 * 1811 - 1911 - at FamilySearch — Index
 * 1811 - 1911 - Kansas, County Marriages, 1811-1911 at Ancestry — ($), Index
 * 1840 - 1935 - at FamilySearch.org — Index
 * 1854 - 1861 - KHS Kansas Marriage Index, 1854-1861 at Kansas Historical Society — Index

Death

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

Family History Centers

 * Colby Kansas Family History Center

Societies
Coffey County Genealogical Society 712 Sanders Burlington 66839

Coffey County Historical Society and Museum 1101 Neosho Street Bulington, KS 66839 Telephone Number: 620-364-2653 Fax:620-364-8933 E-mail: [mailto:visit.us@coffeymuseum.org visit.us@coffeymuseum.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
 * Coffey County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)