McPherson County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to McPherson 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 Civil War General James B. McPherson. The County has McPherson as its seat and the County was created February 26, 1867. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
McPherson County Courthouse 117 N. Maple Street P.O. Box 425 McPherson, Kansas 67460 Phone: 316.241.3656 McPherson County Website County Clerk has birth records 1874-1911, marriage records 1887-1911, death records 1886-2922 and local census 1932. Clerk District Court has divorce and court records from 1873, probate records from 1870 and naturalization records. Register of Deeds has land records.

Populated Places
The following are locations in McPherson 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
 * 1884 Land Plat book for McPherson County - image of plat book
 * 1903 Land Plat book for McPherson County - image of plat book
 * 1921 Land Plat book for McPherson 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
 * Pioneer Life and Lore of McPherson County, Kansas. c1932. By Edna Nyquist.  Kansas : The Democrat-Opinion Press.  Online at:, Ancestry ($);.
 * Portrait and Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion Counties. 1893.  Chicago, Illinois : Chapman Bros.  Online at: ,Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books;.

Military Records

 * For information about Civil War records see Marion County.

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

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 $

Indices of McPherson County, Kansas Wills and Probate Records, McPherson County Old Mill Museum

Vital Records
The McPherson County, Kansas Official Website(Click "Department" tab, then "Clerk/Elections") has a partial list of early births, deaths, and marriages that occurred in the county.

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
 * 1870 - 1915 - McPherson County Research Library &amp; Archives, McPherson County, Kansas — missing some years

Death

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

Societies
Mcpherson County Historical Society 540 East Hill Mcpherson 67460

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
 * McPherson County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * McPherson County Archives, McPherson County Old Mill Museum