Elk County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Elk 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 the stream which runs through it. The County is located in the south central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Elk County Courthouse 127 N. Pine Street Howard, Kansas 67349-0606 Phone: 316.374.2490 Elk County Website Clerk District has birth and death records 1885-1911, marriage and probate records from 1875, divorce and court records from 1906 and land records from 1871.

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:

Bible Records

 * Bible Record at KSGenWeb Digital Library

State and Territorial Census Records

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

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 — index - How to Use this Collection

List of Churches and Church Parishes


 * FamilySearch Places

Funeral Homes

 * 1928-1960 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1944-1953 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images


 * Countryside Funeral Home in Howard

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records


 * Land records at Kansas Historical Society


 * 1885 Land Plat book for COUNTY - image of plat book
 * 1903 Land Plat book for COUNTY - image of plat book
 * 1927 Land Plat book for 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.com - ($), index and images

For more information see Kansas Land and Property

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


 * 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

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 and images ($)
 * 1872-1926 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1874-1985 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1875-1920 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1883-1930 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images.
 * 1887-1927 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — 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 — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1885 - 1911 at FamilySearch — Index and images, only covers Bulter, Cherokee, Clay, Elk, and Marion Counties. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1885 - 1911 Kansas, Births and Christenings Index, 1885-1911 at Ancestry.com — index $

Marriage

 * 1800 - 1946 - United States Marriages – Kansas, 1800-1946 at findmypast — ($), Index and images
 * 1811 - 1911 - at FamilySearch — Index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1811 - 1911 - Kansas, County Marriages, 1811-1911 at Ancestry — ($), Index
 * 1840 - 1935 - at FamilySearch.org — Index- How to Use this Collection
 * 1861 - 1918 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Death

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

Museums

 * The Benson Historical Museum Inc PO Box 1134 145 S Wabash Howard, KS 67349-1134 Phone 620-374-2333 Email:[mailto:info@howardbensonmuseum.com info@howardbensonmuseum.com] Website

Societies

 * Elk County Historical Society Caney Valley Ranch, Route 1 Grenola, Kansas 67346
 * Elk County Preservation Society< 1825 Indigo Howard, KS 67349-4908 br> Phone 620-779-1824 Email:[mailto:roebuckdebbie@hotmail.com roebuckdebbie@hotmail.com] Facebook Website
 * Grenola Historical Society PO Box 111 109 North Railroad Avenue Grenola, Kansas, 67346-0111 Phone 620-358-2820 Email:[mailto:www.GrenolaKansas.com www.GrenolaKansas.com] Facebook

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Elk County KS Genealogy Research.  Contains information for researching genealogy in Elk county KS,  Census, bios, obituary, birth, death, marriage, maps, and other records
 * Elk 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