Franklin County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Franklin 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 American statesman Benjamin Franklin. The County has Ottawa as its seat and the County was created August 25, 1855. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Franklin County Courthouse 315 Main Street Ottawa, Kansas 66067 Phone: 785.242.1471 Franklin County Website Clerk District Court has marriage, divorce, probate and court records. Register of Deeds has land and military records.

Populated Places
The following are locations in Franklin County, Kansas:

See also: National Regiser of Historic Places listings in Franklin 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
 * 1878 Land Plat book for Franklin County - image of plat book
 * 1903 Land Plat book for Franklin County - image of plat book
 * 1920 Land Plat book for Franklin 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

 * Portrait and Biographical Record of Leavenworth, Douglas and Franklin Counties, Kansas. 1899. Chicago, IL : Chapman Publishing Company. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive,Google Books;.
 * Reflections of Franklin County and Chautauqua Days. 1961. By Franklin County Historical Society. Ottawa, Kansas : Franklin County Historical Society. Online at:.

Civil War

 * Men from this County enlisted in 1st Infantry Regiment, Company A and 15th Cavalry Regiment, Company A.

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

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 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 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 $

Family History Centers

 * Ottawa Kansas Family History Center

Societies
Franklin County Historical Society 1124 W 7th St Terrace PO Box 145 Ottawa 66067 Telephone Number: 785-242-1232 Website

Franklin County Genealogical Society PO Box 353 Ottawa, KS 66067 E-mail: [mailto:contactus@franklincountykansas.net contactus@franklincountykansas.net] Website
 * In the Genealogical Data section, a number of sources are indexed, such as probates, naturalizations, county marriages, county divorces, cemeteries, births, etc.

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