Records that survive
These are the record series from Shawnee County in the Kansas Historical Society's catalog of county government records, with the office that kept each and the earliest and latest years. Most are microfilm copies at the State Archives in Topeka. A span can include gaps.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Index to Marriage Records · Probate Court1856–1994
- Marriage License Register · Probate Court1856–1989
- Topeka Cemetery Burial Records1860–1948
- Registers of Births, Deaths, and Infectious Diseases · City Clerk1885–1912
- Vital Statistics Register · County Clerk1894–1911
- Birth Record · Health Department1930–1935
- Death Record · Health Department1930–1936
- Cemetary Lot Register · Richland Cemetery1948–1992
Deeds and land
- General index to deeds · Register of Deeds1856–1901
- Mortgage indexes · Register of Deeds1856–1937
- Land Deeds - Townships 10-12 - Numerical Index · Register of Deeds1857–1930
- Deed records · Register of Deeds1859–1918
- Receiving book · Register of Deeds1880–1890
- Survey Plat; K.N. & D. Station Grounds · City Clerk1890
- Miscellaneous deed records · Register of Deeds1893–1916
- Survey Plats for Streets · City Clerk1893
- Sales of Real Estate - Minors · Probate Court1920–1939
- Chattel Mortgage Record · Register of Deeds1943
- Land Deeds - Indian Reserve Lands - Numerical Index · Register of Deeds1944
- Township Board of Trustees Records · Clerk's Office2004
Wills and estates
- Williamsport Township Records · Williamsport Township1854–1971
- Probate Journals · District/Probate Court1859–1957
- Probate Court Case Index · District/Probate Court1860–1950
- Adoption Index · Probate Court1866–1986
- Probate Records, Various · District/Probate Court1870–1918
- Lunacy Record · Probate Court1881–1948
- Probate Case Files · Probate Court1896–1946
- Adoption Record · Probate Court1903–1935
- Topeka Orphans Home Records · Probate Court1904–1943
- Fee books, probate division · District/Probate Court1913–1978
- Detention Home Record · Probate Court1917–1921
- Inventory, Appraisement, and Allowance Record · Probate Court1918–1942
- Bonds and Letters of Guardianship · Probate Court1919–1944
- Final Settlement of Estates · Probate Court1919–1939
- and 21 more series in the full listing
Naturalization
- Naturalization Records · District/Probate Court1865–1902
- Naturalization Declarations of Intention1876–1906
- Naturalization Petitions · District/Probate Court1906–1911
- Naturalization Petitions and Records1911–1929
- Naturalization Record - Declaration of Intention · District Court1929–1932
- Topeka Citizen's Service Council Records · Civilian Defense Council1942–1946
Military and pensions
- Topeka hospital (unknown) admission and discharge register ; employee time and pay record · Health Department1920
- Journal Entry - Final Discharge · Probate Court1937–1941
Tax records
- Tax Rolls · County Treasurer1859–1968
- Tax Rolls - Railroads and Utilities · County Treasurer1874–1936
- Taxes Levied and Funds Ledger · City Clerk1893–1907
- Record of Delinquent Tax Sales · County Treasurer1895–1944
- Special Assessment Rolls Sewer Districts · City Clerk1904–1937
- Tax Ledger - Street, Sewer, and Miscellaneous Assessments · City Clerk1907–1908
- Report of the South Side Levee Board to the Board of County Commissioners and an Assessment Roll of Town Lots, Topeka1908
- Quarterly Financial Reports, Board of Education Tax Valuations, and Miscellaneous Register · City Clerk1910–1926
- Special Assessment Rolls - Streets and Alleys · City Clerk1910–1939
- Eastlawn and Edgewood Park Assessments · City Clerk1914–1919
- Special Assessment Rolls - Illumination · City Clerk1924
- Abstract of Tax Rolls · County Treasurer1925–1931
- Order Of Tax Commission Record · Probate Court1936–1947
- Personal Property Tax Registers · County Appraiser1970–1975
Court records
- Topeka City Council Minutes1858–1971
- Sample Legal Papers · District Court1860–1865
- Rossville City Council Minutes and Ordinances1881–2001
- Register of General Revenue Orders · City Clerk1884–1907
- Warrant Registers - General Work Orders · City Clerk1884–1892
- Police Court Docket · City Clerk1885–1887
- South Topeka Council Minutes1885–1887
- Minutes · City Council1888–1891
- Fire Department - Orders Register · City Clerk1890–1914
- Civil and Criminal Appearance Docket · Justice of the Peace1898–1926
- Police Department Orders · City Clerk1900–1908
- Advisory Board of Health Minutes · Health Department1902–1917
- Juvenile Court Appearance Dockets · District Court1905–1962
- Water Works Orders · City Clerk1905–1908
- and 11 more series in the full listing
Schools
- Shawnee County School District 11 records · Schools1859–1923
- Teachers Daily Register - District Number 54 · Superintendent of Public Instruction1872–1875
- School and Class Register · Superintendent of Public Instruction1876–1882
- Files Regarding McKinley, Curtis, and Quincy Schools · School District 501 (Topeka)1880–1970
- Board of Education Funds Ledger · City Clerk1881–1914
- Parent Day in the Public Schools of Shawnee County · Superintendent of Public Instruction1897
- Lincoln School Records · Superintendent of Public Instruction1904–1910
- Warrant Registers - Board of Education · City Clerk1906–1913
- Daily Attendance Registers · Kaw Valley School District 871921–1935
- Kaw Valley School District 87 Records · Kaw Valley School District 871921
- Clerk's Record for School District No. 41 · Superintendent of Public Instruction1930–1946
- Board of Education's Budget & Financial Statement · School District 231933–1960
- Clerk's Records · Seabrook School District 881933–1950
- Treasurer's Records · Seabrook School District 881949–1950
- and 4 more series in the full listing
Elections and voters
- Abstract of Election Returns · County Clerk1862–1871
- Voter Registration - First Ward · City Clerk1884
- Register of Electors and Results of District Bond Election · Superintendent of Public Instruction1886
- Poll Books · Clerk's Office1890–1896
- Voter Registration - All Males Registered in City of Topeka · City Clerk1894
- Poll Books · County Clerk1896
- Voter Registration Records1905–1969
- Register of Foreign-Born Voters · Election Commissioner1919–1970
- Voter Registration Lists · Election Officer1980–1998
- List of Polling Places · Election Commissioner1992
- List of Voting Percentage By Ward/precinct · Election Commissioner1992
Town and city records
- Warrant Registers - Miscellaneous · City Clerk1864–1927
- Dog Registers · City Clerk1867–1901
- Miscellaneous Documents · City Clerk1867–1907
- Funds Ledger · City Clerk1869–1910
- Sidewalk Register · City Clerk1869–1882
- Licenses Issued · City Clerk1870–1887
- Fire Department - Record of Building Permits · City Clerk1880–1968
- Weightmasters Register · City Clerk1883–1885
- Ledger · City Clerk1885–1886
- Appraisers' Reports for Street Improvements · City Clerk1886–1922
- Appraiser's Report for Sewer Districts · City Clerk1887–1897
- Mayor's Appointments and Miscellaneous Register · City Clerk1887–1905
- Special Improvement Disbursement Ledger · City Clerk1887–1897
- City Funds Ledgers · City Clerk1888–1903
- and 33 more series in the full listing
County government
- General Index for Journals · County Offices1855–1928
- Bond Register · City Clerk1866
- Bonds Funds and Disbursements Ledger · City Clerk1872–1891
- Bonds Register - Internal Improvement · City Clerk1887–1906
- Sewer Bonds Register · City Clerk1887–1936
- Bonds Register · City Clerk1889
- Proceedings and official ballots · Election Commissioner1889–1915
- Adoption Journal · Probate Court1893–1904
- Bonds Registers - Paving and Miscellaneous · City Clerk1904–1948
- Officials Appointments and Miscellaneous Register · City Clerk1905–1914
- Bond Register - Miscellaneous · City Clerk1925–1935
- Bond Register - Internal Improvements · City Clerk1927–1936
- Journal Annual Accounts · Probate Court1928–1931
- Financial Records · Clerk's Office1933–1987
Other records
- Resignation of B. J. Newsom · County Clerk1856
- Territorial Era Records · County Clerk1857–1859
- Miscellaneous Records · County Clerk1858–1888
- Justin Waugh's Oath of Office as Deputy Sheriff · Sheriff's Office1860
- Certificate of Sale · Sheriff's Office1868
- Clerks Register of Claims · Clerk's Office1877–1936
- Stray Record · Justice of the Peace1879–1899
- Contributors List · Superintendent of Public Instruction1889
- Jail calendar, Shawnee County, Kansas1890–1948
- Warrant Receipts · County Treasurer1894
- Male residents of Topeka, Kan. · Topeka1896–1897
- Register of Milk Wagons · Health Department1903–1908
- Record of Revenue from Licenses Issued · Finance Department1907–1909
- Tuberculosis Record · Health Department1913–1943
- and 10 more series in the full listing
See the full list at the Kansas Historical Society
Source: Kansas Historical Society, catalog of county government records (the county searches on its County Records On Microfilm page). Most of the film was made by the Genealogical Society of Utah, so FamilySearch may have it too. Kansas began statewide registration of births and deaths in 1911.
Where to find the records
- Shawnee County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the register of deeds, the probate court, the clerk of the district court and the county clerk, and any online record search the county offers.
- The register of deeds
Deeds, mortgages and other land records, usually from the county's beginning.
- The probate court
Wills, estates, guardianships and, for most years, marriage licenses. Since court unification in 1977 the probate court has been part of the district court, so ask the clerk of the district court for these records.
- The clerk of the district court
Civil and criminal cases, divorces and, in many counties, naturalizations.
- The county clerk
Tax rolls and the county commissioners' journals.
- The Kansas State Archives (Kansas Historical Society)
In Topeka: microfilm of county records, the Kansas state censuses and newspapers from across the state.
- Kansas Historical Society: Shawnee County recordsfree
Every county record series in the Society's catalog, with the office, dates and a description of each.
- Kansas Historical Society: County Records On Microfilmfree
How to use or borrow the county microfilm, with links to each county's list.
- Kansas Historical Society: Kansas censusesfree
The territorial and state censuses, what each one asks, and where to find them and their indexes.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Kansas, Shawnee" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Created by the Kansas territorial legislature in 1855 from land not yet in any county
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1855, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Kansas took its own census every ten years from 1865 to 1925, halfway between the federal ones. A state census can place a family in a county and township in a year the federal census misses, and most of them (all but 1865) also ask where a family came from before Kansas.