Kansas State Census, 1885 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
This census includes people who lived in Kansas in 1885. It was taken on March 1, 1885.

Record Description
Information is handwritten on pre-printed forms.

Record Content


The census generally gives the following information:


 * all members of the household by name
 * sex
 * age
 * race or color
 * place of birth
 * relationship to head of household
 * birthplace of parents
 * where from to Kansas
 * military record

How to Use the Record
Use this Kansas 1885 State Census Extraction Form. Fortunately, Kansas passed legislation to enumerate its population between Federal Census years. Use this census along with the 1880 to identify ancestors who were born after 1880. Since the 1890 Federal Census was destroyed, the Kansas 1885 State Census will be the most reliable census prior to 1900. The Kansas 1895 State Census was taken very carelessly according to the state argicultural board. See Kansas 1895 State Census.

Record History
Kansas became a state in 1861 and later passed a law requiring a state census every ten years to number the population of the various counties in order to determine apportionment of the state legislature. The first state census was taken in 1865 and continued until 1925, as the law was repealed in 1933.

Why this Record Was Created
The addintonal census was be used in conjuction with the 1880 census to more accurately determine population. ''"On March 1, 1885, the state census was taken, in accordance with constitutional provision. It showed the population of the state to be 1,268,562, upon which the new apportionment of the state into legislative districts was be made. The general assembly of 1885 had not been able to devise a method to avoid an extra session, and on Dec. 3, 1885, Gov. Martin issued a proclamation calling the legislature together on Jan. 19, 1886, to make a new apportionment as required by the constitution; to correct some mistakes in the acts of 1885 relating to the reform school and the school for feeble-minded; to make an appropriation to pay the salary and expenses of the commissioner of labor; and to correct the boundaries of certain judicial districts." ''

Record Reliability
Censuses are usually reliable, depending on the knowledge of the informant and the care of the census enumerator. Information may have been given to a census taker by any member of the family or by a neighbor. Some information may have been incorrect or deliberately falsified.

Related Web Sites
Kansas State Historical Society

Related Wiki Articles
Kansas Censuses Existing and Lost

Kansas_Census

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually. Collection Citation

“Kansas State Census, 1885,” database, "FamilySearch" (http://familysearch.org); from Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka. FHL Microfilm, 151 rolls, Family History Library Salt Lake City, Utah. Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):