Kansas: Swedish American

Background
A good background article about the emigration and life of Swedish Americans in Kansas was written by Emory Lindquist. The article can be found in the Kansas Historical Quarterly, Spring 1963 (Vol. XXIX, No. 1) pages 1 to 24. The article can also by found and read at the following website: http://www.kancoll.org/khq/1963/63_1_lindquist.htm

Bethany College Archives
Serves the Central States Synod and the Augustana Heritage Association Record of holdings include: Closed Church Archives for Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado Conference and Synod Minutes Publications Other holdings Phone: 785-227-3380 ext. 8342 Fax: 785-227-2860 E-mail: [mailto:carsond@bethanylb.edu carsond@bethanylb.edu] Will do searches for fee.

Kansas State Historical Society
Kansas State Historical Society Archives Center for Historical Society Archives Reference Dept. 6425 SW Sixth Avenue Topeka, Kansas 66615-1099

Phone: (785) 272-8681, ext. 117

Website: http://www.kshs.org/

McPherson County Old Mill Museum Archive
The Old Mill Museum Archive in Lindsborg, Kansas has a number of collections for McPherson County: Census records(also for Saline County), marriage records, divorce records, wills and probate records, cemetery records, church records on microfilm, naturalization records, school records, land records, tax records, newspapers, directories &amp; phone books, maps, and some miscellaneous records.

McPherson County Old Mill Museum 120 Mill Street/P.O. Box 94 Lindsborg, Kansas 67456 Phone 785-227-3595 Email: [mailto:info@oldmillmuseum.org info@oldmillmuseum.org] Website: www.oldmillmuseum.org - click on Archives Call ahead for appointment

Midwest Historical and Genealogical Library
Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society 1203 North Main Wichita, Kansas, 67201

Phone:(316)264-3611

Website: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/mhgs/mhgs_library.htm

Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center
Although this center is not in Kansas, it has records (church records, newspapers, etc.)for Swedes in Kansas

Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center Augustana College 639 38th Street Rock Island IL 61201-2296

Website: http://www.augustana.edu/swenson/index.htm

For the index to the Swedish Church Records of Kansas at the Swenson Center see website:  http://www.augustana.edu/swenson/SwedishAmericanChurchIndex/KS-MI.html These records can be searched at the Swenson Center or they will do searches there for a fee. These records are not available on interlibrary loan.

Regional Archives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church In America
The ELCA synodical and regional archives collect records relating to synods and congregations, including records from dissolved congregations. Some may also have records from early ELCA predecessor bodies.

Region 4 (Central States Synod) of the ELCA for Kansas and Missouri

For the Central States Synod, the archives are located at Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas, which had been the traditional location of the archives of the former Augustana Kansas Conference and its successors.

Bethany College Archives Wallerstedt Library 335 E. Swensson Street Lindsborg, Kansas 67456-1897 (785) 227-3380, Ext. 8342 Fax: 785-227-2860 Archivist E-mail: [mailto:carsond@bethanylb.edu carsond@bethanylb.edu]

Biographies of Swedish-Americans
Biographical sketches of Swedes in Kansas Available at the Swedish Connection online at: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/republic/Swedish/TSC-BIOS.html

Index to files of biographical information in Kansas, primarily newspaper clippings http://www.kshs.org/genealogists/individuals/vertical/index.htm created by the Kansas State Historical Society Library and Archives division

Cemeteries
Swedish Cemeteries in Kansas 

Reference: Cemeteries in Kansas, 1906 http://www.kshs.org/genealogists/vital/cemetery.htm

See also Cemeteries of Kansas: http://www.interment.net/us/ks/index.htm

Churches
The Swedish American churches listed below have microfilmed records in the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at the Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. These microfilms are not available via interlibrary loan but may be searched in person or a search may be requested for a fee. See http://www.augustana.edu/x13917.xml for years of availability, guidelines, and research request forms.

Allen County
Evangelical Covenant Church Savonburg, Kansas

Friends Home Lutheran Church Savonburg, Kansas

Clay County
Evangelical Covenant Church Clay Center, Kansas

First Lutheran Church Clay Center, Kansas

Cloud County
The Baptist Church Concordia, Kansas

Dickinson County
Bethlehem Lutheran Church Enterprise, Kansas

Douglas County
Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church Lawrence, Kansas

Grove County
Saron Lutheran Church Grove, Kansas

Johnson County
First Lutheran Church Shawnee Mission, Kansas

Logan County
Bethesda Lutheran Church Page City, Kansas

Marshall County
Salem Lutheran Church Axtell, Kansas

Zion Covenant Church Axtell, Kansas

Cottage Hill Lutheran Church Waterville, Kansas

McPherson County
Bethel Lutheran Church Galva, Kansas

Bethany Lutheran Church Lindsborg, Kansas

Evangelical Covenant Church Lindsborg, Kansas

Freemount Lutheran Church Lindsborg, Kansas

Messiah Lutheran Church Lindsborg, Kansas

Swedish Baptist Church Lindsborg, Kansas

Trinity Methodist Church Lindsborg, Kansas

Elim Lutheran Church Marquette, Kansas

Evangelical Covenant Church Marquette, Kansas

Evangelical Covenant Church McPherson, Kansas

New Gottland Covenant Church McPherson, Kansas

New Gottland Lutheran Church McPherson, Kansas

Trinity Lutheran Church McPherson, Kansas

New Andover Lutheran Church Windom, Kansas

Morris County
Hebron Lutheran Church Burdick, Kansas

Marion Hill Lutheran Church White City, Kansas

Neosho County
Grant Avenue Baptist Church Chanute, Kansas

Osage County
Grace Lutheran Church Osage City, Kansas

Mission Covenant Church Osage City, Kansas

Osage City Baptist Church Osage City, Kansas

Stotler Mission CovenantChurch Osage City, Kansas

Evangelical Mission Covenant Church Scranton, Kansas

Pawnee County
Garfield Lutheran Church Garfield, Kansas

Pottawatomie County
Mariadahl Lutheran Church Cleburne, Kansas

Olsburg Lutheran Church Olsburg, Kansas

First Lutheran Church St. Marys, Kansas

Rawlins County
Bethel Lutheran Church Herndon, Kansas

Reno County
Emanuel Lutheran Church Hutchinson, Kansas

Republic County
Ada Lutheran Church Kackley (Courtland), Kansas

Amana Lutheran Church Scandia, Kansas

The Methodist Church Scandia, Kansas

Riley County
Alert Covenant Church Leonardville, Kansas

Walsburg Lutheran Church Leonardville, Kansas

First Lutheran Church Manhattan, Kansas

Evangelical Mission Covenant Church Randolph, Kansas

Saline County
Assaria Lutheran Church Assaria, Kansas

Falun Lutheran Church Falun (Smolan), Kansas

First Covenant Church Salina, Kansas

Immanuel lutheran Church Salina, Kansas

Salemsborg Lutheran Church Smolan, Kansas

Smolan Evangelical Covenant Church Smolan, Kansas

Smolan Lutheran Church Smolan, Kansas

Shawnee County
Brookwood Evangelical Covenant Church Topeka, Kansas

Trinity Lutheran Church Topeka, Kansas

Trego County
Emanuel Lutheran Church Ogallah, Kansas

Wabounsee County
Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church(see Bismarck) Auborn, Kansas

Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church Bismarck, Kansas

Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church (see Bismarck) Carbondale, Kansas

Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church (see Bismarck) Junction City, Kansas

Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church (see Bismarck) Manhattan, Kansas

Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church (see Bismarck) Topeka, Kansas

Wallace County
Bethany Lutheran Church Weskan, Kansas

Washington County
Zion Lutheran Church Clyde (Brantford), Kansas

Brantford Evangelical Covenant Church Clyde (Cloud), Kansas

Wilson County
Bethel Lutheran Church Vila (Chanute), Kansas

Wyandotte County
Messiah Lutheran Church Kansas City, Kansas

Newspapers
The above Swedish-American newspapers are available on microfilms at the Swenson Center at Augustana College and are available to borrow via interlibrary loan throughout the United States.

See http://www.augustana.edu/x14666.xml to see specific years you would like to view. Contact your local library if you are interested in placing a request. Supply your library with the following information:


 * Title of newspaper
 * The specific years you need for your research
 * Inform your library that the requests can be sent directly via OCLC (“ICY”), fax 309 794-7230, or via mail to Augustana College Library, 639 38th Street, Rock Island, IL 61201-2296

The Above and Other Newspapers in Kansas Virtually all newspapers published in Kansas from 1875 to present are available on microfilm or in original form at the Kansas Historical Society. Some newspapers prior to 1875 have also been acquired by the Society. These are available through interlibrary loan and some microfilm may be purchased from the society. Use the following website address to access the form to search the Society’s newspapers on microfilm database: http://www.kshs.org/library/news.htm You may search by any of the following:


 * City of Publication
 * Word in Title
 * County
 * State
 * Date Range (years)

You may borrow up to two reels of film at a time, for two weeks, by submitting a request to your local library or participating Family History Center. Films may only be used in the borrowing library. The loan period is for three weeks, including shipping time, with no renewal.

Social Life and Customs
Social Life and Customs of Swedish Americans in Kansas

The Swedish Immigrant and Life in Kansas. By Emory Lindquist. This article appeared in the Kansas Historical Quarterly, Spring 1963 (Vol. XXIX, No. 1) pages 1 to 24. This article can be found and read at the following website: http://www.kancoll.org/khq/1963/63_1_lindquist.htm

Svensk Hyllningsfest in Lindsborg

Lindsborg, Kansas is a town that still retains visible Swedish characteristics. A biennial tribute to the Swedish pioneers occurs here in October of odd numbered years. The festival features art, crafts, special foods, ethnic music, folk dancing, parade, smörgåsbord, and special entertainment. The festival coincides with the Bethany College homecoming. For information about the festival see http://www.svenskhyllningsfest.org/

Historical Fiction - Swedes in Kansas.

Butter in the Well: A Scandinavian Woman’s Tale of Life on the Prairie A book by Linda K. Hubalek. This is a fictional diary based on real life facts of Maja Kaja Swenson Runeberg who homesteaded in Saline County Kansas in 1868. Detailed insight of the Swedish immigrant’s humble life and beginnings on the prairie. This book is available for purchase among other places at http://www.amazon.com/Butter-Well-Scandanavian-Womans-Prairie/dp/1886652007

Prärieblomman: The Prairie Blossoms for an Immigrant’s Daughter A book by Linda K. Hubalek. This is the sequel to Butter in the Well. The story of the Swedish immigrant family featured in Butter in the well is continued as the children grow up and marry. Swedish traditions are intertwined with tidbits of Kansas history. This book is available for purchase among other places at http://www.amazon.com/

Societies
Kansas State Historical Society 6425 SW Sixth Avenue Topeka, Kansas 66615-1099 Phone: (785) 272-8681 Website: http://www.kshs.org/

Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society 1203 North Main Wichita, Kansas, 67201

Phone:(316)264-3611

Website: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/mhgs/mhgs_library.htm