Labette County, Kansas Genealogy

Guide to Labette 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 a creek which runs through the county; the creek had been named for an early trader, Pierre LaBette. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Labette County Courthouse 501 Merchant Street PO Box 387 Oswego, Kansas 67356 Phone: 620-421-5255 Labette County Website

County Clerk has birth records 1885-1896 and death records 1885-1889. Probate Judge has marriage and probate records from 1870. Clerk District Court has divorce and court records from 1870. Register of Deeds has land records from 1875. A yearly county census was taken 1915-1979.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch — index

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
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1915 - 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.

Church Records

 * 1861-1918 - at FamilySearch — index


 * Brown Chapel, African Methodist Episcopal
 * Cecil Church (historical)
 * Center Bethel Church
 * Center Chapel
 * Edna Baptist Church
 * Elm Church
 * Hopewell Church
 * Mount Pleasant Baptist
 * Mount Zion Baptist Church (historical)
 * Pleasant Hill Church
 * St. Paul's Church. [See book: Protestant Episcopal Church, Kansas Parish Registers of Baptisms, Burials, Marriages, Etc: Chetopa, St. Paul's Church, 1889-1960]
 * Salem Church (historical)
 * Spring Valley Church
 * Zion Hill Church

Court Records
Labette County Courthouse 501 Merchant Street PO Box 387 Oswego, Kansas 67356 Phone: 620-421-5255 Labette County Website

Land and Property Records
The Labette County Register of Deeds Office has land records from 1867.

An additional resource is: 'Deed records, Labette County, 1868-1877, Kansas by the Daughters of the American Revolution, Oceanic Hopkins Chapter (Pittsburg, Kansas) and Margaret Grandle. Available on microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and FamilySearch Centers worldwide.

Online Land Records
 * Land records at Kansas Historical Society
 * 1906 Land Plat book for Labette County - image of plat book
 * 1916 Land Plat book for Labette 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
 * 1863-1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images

Local Histories
See WorldCatto locate the following materials: [Note: some digital versions are available online.]

Brotherton, Mike, and Mattox, David. Labette County. Arcadia Pub. , 2011.

Canfield, Thomas H. Business Directory of the City of Oswego: Labette County, Kansas, Containing a History of the Town from the Beginning, with the Present Business of the Place, Together with an Outline Map of the City and Its Surroundings, Its Population and Its Railroad Facilities, Present and Future. Oswego: Printed by Colver &amp; M'Gill, 1870.

Earle, Jonathan, Ted Wilson, Norman Saul, Paul Kelton, Stephen Hasiotis, and John N. Mack. Swords into Ploughshares: the Struggle to Build an Ordered Community of Liberty on the Southeast Kansas Frontier 1867-1876. , 2009. Internet resource at KU Scholar Works.

Graue, Bertha I, and Norman R. Peters. The Bartlett Book: A Collection of Newspaper Articles Containing a History of the Many Families Who Have Lived in the Southern Part of Labette County, Kansas, 1850-1977. Washington, D.C.] (Box 21117, Washington 20009: N.R. Peters, 1982.

James Lincoln Stice Papers: Scrapbooks, Letters, Newspaper Clippings, Photographs. Fayetteville, Ark: Special Collections Division, University Libraries, 1999.

Kinton, Maxine L. Some Ohioans to Labette Co., Kansas. Mansfield, Ohio: M.L. Kinton, 1980.

Labette County, Kansas. S.l.: General Books, 2010.

Lightfoot, W H. Our Heroes in Our Defense: Labette County, Kansas. Parsons, Kan: Printed by Commercial publishing co, 1921. Digital versions at Internet Archive and Hathi Trust.

Nixon, Ruth. History of Big Hill and Old Mt. Zion. Cherryvale? (Kan.: s.n., 1982.

Parsons, Labette County, Kansas Years from 1869 to 1895 : Story of "the Benders". Parsons, Kan. : Bell Bookcraft, 1970. Digital version at Internet Archive.

Online County Histories
 * History of Labette County, Kansas and Representative Citizens. 1901. Edited and compiled by Hon. Nelson Case. Chicago, Illinois : Biographical Pub. Co. Online at:, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($);.
 * History of Labette County, Kansas, From the First Settlement to the Close of 1892. 1893. By Nelson Case. Topeka, Kansas : Crane & Co. Online at:, Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books;.

Maps and Gazetteers
The David Rumsey Map Collection website has digitized atlas maps of Labette County, as well as the cities of Altamont, Chetopa, Dennis, Labette City, Mathewson, Montana, Mortimer, Mound Valley, Neosho Falls, Oswego, and Parsons. The maps' source is "The Official State Atlas of Kansas compiled from government surveys, county records and personal investigations" Philadelphia. L.H. Everts &amp; Co. 1887.

Military Records
The WorldCat websiteprovides holdings details for the following publications and archival materials:

Civil War Veterans to Labette Co., Kansas. Kansas?: s.n, 1900.

Hollingsworth, Patricia Merrill. World War I Draft Registration Cards Labette County Kansas. Mariba, Kentucky : P.M. Hollingsworth, 2003. (Available at FamilySearch centers.)

Kinton, Maxine L. Some Civil War Veterans to Labette Co., Kansas. Mansfield, Ohio: M.L. Kinton, 1980.

Mack, John N. "A Second Revolution: The Struggle to Define the Meaning of the Civil War in Southeast Kansas, 1867-1876." Kansas History. 32.1 (2009)

Memorial ... Parsons, Kansas. Parsons, Kan.?: s.n., 1970.

Nixon, Perry O. C. [Civil War Memoir of Perry O.C. Nixon, Sergeant, Company C, 10th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, 1861-1865]. , 1907

Online Collections
These collections are unique to Kansas. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Kansas Military Records. Collections Covering Multiple Wars Civil War Spanish-American War (1898) World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War For further information see Kansas Military Records.
 * Kansas Military Index at Kansas Historical Society - Index only, includes Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts
 * Records of the Deaths and Burials at the Kansas State Soldiers Home - Index only, the home is located in Fort Dodge, Ford County, Kansas.
 * Kansas Civil War Soldiers at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index only
 * 1862, 1863, 1868: Kansas, Civil War Enlistment Papers, 1862, 1863, 1868 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1866-1931: Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Bound Post Records, 1866-1931 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1880-1940: Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Post Reports, 1880-1940 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1889: Kansas, Enrollment of Civil War Veterans, 1889 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * Kansas Civil War Soldiers at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1945-1970: Kansas, United Spanish War Veterans Reports of Deaths, 1945-1970 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * History and Roster of the Kansas State Guard (WWI) at KSGenWeb - Taken from the book by the Adjutant General's Office
 * 1917-1919: Kansas, World War I Veteran Collection, 1917-1919 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1930: Kansas, Enrollment of WWI Veterans, 1930 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * 1940-1946: Web: Kansas, WWII Selective Service Index, 1940-1946 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
 * World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing, State of Kansas, War Dept-June 1946 at KSGenWeb - Index only
 * U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Korean War for Kansas - Index only
 * U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Vietnam War for Kansas - Index only

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1864 - 1972 - Kansas, Naturalization Abstracts, 1864-1972 at Ancestry — ($), Index
 * 1865 - 1874 - Kansas Indian Naturalizations, ca. 1865-1874 at the National Archives — Index, District of Kansas, Record Group 21.
 * 1865 - 1984 - Kansas, Federal Naturalization Records, 1865-1984 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images
 * 1917 - 1918 - Kansas, Registration Affidavits of Alien Enemies, 1917-1918 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images, includes German and other aliens living in Kansas

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

Current newspapers in Labette include the Altamont Journal, Chetopa Advance, Labette Avenue, Oswego Independent-Observer, and Parsons Sun.

Historical newspapers: The Kansas Historical Society holds the following newspapers on microfilm: [for dates and additional information see the Newspaper Index at their website.

Altamont Gazette, Altamont Journal, Altamont Saturday Item, Altamont Sentinel, American Crank, Anti-Monopolist, Arbitrator, Bartlett News, Blade-Democra, Breeze, Chetopa Advance, Chetopa Advance Reunion Daily, Chetopa Advance-Clipper, Chetopa Clipper, Chetopa Democrat, Chetopa Herald, Chetopa Statesman, Chetopa Times, Coffins Business Directory, Daily Eclipse, Daily Eli, Daily Evening Star, Daily News, Daily Out-Look, Daily Pilot, Daily Republican, Democrat, Dennis Hustler, Dennis Leader, Edna Enterprise, Edna Independent, Edna News, Edna Star, Edna Sun, Evening Herald, Evening Journal, Eye Opener, Farm Talk, Golden Rod, High School Sentiment, Independent, Infant Wonder [many variant titles], Kansas Advocate, Kansas Christian Advocate, Kansas Democrat, Kansas Farm and Home, Kansas Messenger, Kansas State Alliance, Kansas Workman, Labette County Democrat, Labette County Statesman, Labette County Times, Labette County Times-Statesman, Labette Record, Labette Sentinel, Labette Star, Mills' Weekly World, Mound Valley Herald, Mound Valley Journal, Mound Valley News, Mound Valley Times, Oswego Bee, Oswego Blade, Oswego Courant, Oswego Daily Bee, Oswego Daily Independent, Oswego Daily Republican, Oswego Democrat, Oswego Independent, Oswego Independent-Observer, Oswego News-Blade, Oswego Register, Oswego Republican, Oswego Weekly Blade, Oswego Weekly Republican, Our Home, Parsons Advertiser, Parsons Broadaxe, Parsons Business College Journal, Parsons Daily Eclipse, Parsons Daily Journal, Parsons Daily News, Parsons Daily Republican, Parsons Daily Sun, Parsons Eclipse, Parsons Evening Globe, Parsons Independent, Parsons News, Parsons Palladium, Parsons School Reporter, Parsons Sun, Parsons Sun and Semi Weekly Herald, Parsons Surprise, Parsons Visitor, Parsons Weekly Blade, Parsons Weekly Eclipse, Parsons Weekly Globe, Parsons Weekly Herald, Parsons Weekly Star, Parsons Weekly Sun, Pilot , Railway Employee, School Reporter, Senior Annual, Sentiment, Settler's Guide, South East Kansas Independent Observer, Southern Kansas Advance, State Alliance-Workman, Sun, Times-Journal, Union Blade, United Labor, Weekly Clarion, Western Enterprise, Western World, White Banner, Wilsonton Journal

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
The Labette County Clerk's Office holds the following records:
 * 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


 * Birth records: 1885 to 1896
 * Marriage records: 1867 to the present
 * Death records: 1885 to 1893

In addition, birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates are held by the State of Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Office of Vital Statistics. Post-1940 records are not public; to obtain copies one must be named on the record, or be an immediate family member, or need the record for legal rights. Pre-1940 records may be requested by an individual related as at least a cousin. Records held by the state are:


 * Birth and death certificates: July 1, 1911 to the present
 * Marriage licenses: May 1, 1913 to the present
 * Divorce certificates: July 1, 1951 to the present

The Kansas Historical Society has the following on microfilm:


 * Marriage records: 1867 to 1920
 * Marriage register: 1885 to 1896

The WorldCat website has information on holdings of these published and archival materials:
 * Early Marriage Records, Labette County, Kansas: 30 October 1867-13 April 1878, 15 May 1880-27 March 1881. Topeka, Kan: Topeka Genealogical Society, 1978.
 * Grandle, Margaret, and Susan G. Tillman. Birth Records Labette County, [Kansas], 1885-1892. Pittsburg, Kan: s.n, 1992.
 * Labette County Early Births Early Deaths. S.l: s.n, 1900.
 * Protestant Episcopal Church, Kansas Parish Registers of Baptisms, Burials, Marriages, Etc: Chetopa, St. Paul's Church, 1889-1960., 1889.

Death

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

Libraries

 * Altamont Public Library 407 Huston Ave Altamont, KS 67330 Phone: 620-784-5530 Website
 * Chetopa City Library 312 Maple Chetopa, KS 67336 Phone: 620-236-7194 Website
 * Edna Public Library 105 N Delaware Edna, KS 67342 Phone: 620-922-3470 Website
 * Mound Valley Library 411 Hickory Mound Valley, KS 67354 Phone: 620-328-3411 Website
 * Oswego Public Library 704 Fourth Street Oswego, KS 67356 Phone: 620-795-4921 Website
 * Parsons Public Library 311 S 17th Street Parsons, KS 67357 Phone: 620-421-5920 Website

Museums

 * Chetopa Historical Museum 419 Maple Chetopa, KS Phone: 620-236-7121
 * Edna Historical Museum 101 S. Delaware Edna, KS Phone: 620-922-3333 Facebook
 * Mound Valley Historical Museum Mound Valley, KS Phone: 620-328-2811
 * Oswego Historical Museum 410 Commercial Street Oswego, KS Phone: 620-795-4500 Facebook
 * Parsons Historical Society Museum 401 South 18th Parsons, KS 67357 Phone: 620-421-2109 Website Facebook
 * Parsons Iron Horse Museum 18th and Corning Parsons, KS 67357 Phone: 620-421-1959 Facebook
 * Southeast Kansas Education Museum 402 Ohio St Oswego, KS 67356 Phone: 620-795-2003 Email: [mailto:info@sekemuseum.org info@sekemuseum.org]

Societies

 * Labette County Genealogical Society, Inc. 1205 So. 32nd St Parsons, KS 67357 Website
 * Kansas Historical Society 6425 SW 6th Avenue Topeka, KS 66615-1099 Phone: 785-272-8681 Website
 * Mound Valley Historical Society 588 12000 Road Mound Valley, KS Facebook

Websites

 * Official Labette County, Kansas website
 * 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
 * Labette County, Kansas Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)