Osage County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Osage 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 Osage Nation. The County has Lyndon as its seat and the County was created 1859. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Osage County Courthouse 717 Topeka Street Lyndon, Kansas 66451-0226 Phone: 785.828.4812 Osage County Website County Clerk has birth records 1886-1921, marriage records 1885-1911 and death records 1885-1909. Clerk District Court has divorce records from 1863. County Court has court records from 1929. Register of Deeds has land records from 1858.

Populated Places
The following are locations in Osage 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
 * 1879 Land Plat book for Osage County - image of plat book
 * 1899 Land Plat book for Osage County - image of plat book
 * 1918 Land Plat book for Osage 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
 * Early Days in Kansas. 1914-1922. By Charles R. Green.  Olathe, Kansas : C.R. Green.  Online at:,  (additional), Hathitrust, Hathitrust (additional), Internet Archive, Internet Archive (additional), Google Books; .  Note: there are several volumes to this work and each volume has a different subtitle. Each of these links may connect to one or more volumes.''
 * History of Osage City and Osage County. By O. A. Copple assisted by Joyce M. Hitchings. N.p.: n.p.  Online at: ;.

Military Records
During the Civil War men from Osage county enlisted in the 2nd Regiment Kansas Infantry, the 11th Regiment Kansas Cavalry and the Osage County Militia Battalion.

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 $

Birth

 * 1818 - 1936 at FamilySearch.org — index


 * 1885 - 1911 Kansas, Births and Christenings Index, 1885-1911 at Ancestry.com — index $

Marriage

 * 1811 - 1911 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1840 - 1935 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1855 - 1911 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1855 - 1911 Kansas, County Marriages, 1855-1911 at Ancestry.com — images $

Death

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

Societies
Osage County Historical Society, INC.  And Hawley Genealogical Research Center 631 Topeka Avenue PO Box 361 Lyndon, KS 66541 Telephone Number:785-828-3477 E-mail:[mailto:researchosagechs@embarqmail.com researchosagechs@embarqmail.com] Website

Osage County Genealogy Society 127 East 6th St. Lyndon, Kansas 66451 Telephone Number: 785-828-4520

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
 * Osage County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)