Cowley County, Kansas Genealogy
Guide to Cowley County, Kansas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
The county was named for Lt. Matthew Cowley, 9th Kansas, who died during the Civil War.[2] The county is located in the south-central area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse
Cowley County Courthouse
311 E. 9th Ave.
Winfield, Kansas 67156-2864
Phone: 316.221.4066
Cowley County Website
City Clerk has birth records.
Probate Court has marriage, divorce and probate records 1870 and death records.
Clerk District Court has court records.
Appraisers Office has land records. [1]
County Clerk
311 E. 9th; Winfield, KS 67156
Phone: 620.221.5400 or 620.441.4500; Fax: 620.221.5498
Website
- Records minutes of Commission meetings and maintains files for minutes and resolutions; Assist in budget preparation, accounting, payroll, etc.; Manages elections and voting; Selling of hunting and fishing licenses, etc; Birth and death records from the 1800's to 1911 for the county are available; Land records from the 1800's are also available.
Register of Deeds
Phone: 620.221.5461; Fax: 620.221.5463
Location: County Courthouse; 311 E. 9th; Winfield, KS 67156
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 741; Winfield, KS 67156
Website
- The central location for vital records and land records for Cowley County. The Register of Deeds maintains a variety of records and prepares reports of some complexity; assists the public in preparing forms, answering inquiries, certifying copies of military discharges, and looking up records; receives, records, and indexes grantor, grantee, and related records; records plats and maps; files chattel mortgages; makes lien searches; maintains various office records; computes and posts figures; etc.
Cowley County, Kansas Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1885 | 1870 | 1885 | 1870 | 1870 | 1870 | 1855 |
Record Loss
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A flood damaged or destroyed some records at the county offices. Contact the county clerk for details on what is missing and what was salvaged. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes
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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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Townships | ||
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See also: National Register of Historic Places in Cowley County, Kansas
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
- Kansas DAR Bible Records at DAR Library Catalog
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
- Kansas, Cemetery Abstracts at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 158 | — |
| 1870 | 1,175 | 643.7% |
| 1880 | 21,538 | 1733.0% |
| 1890 | 34,478 | 60.1% |
| 1900 | 30,156 | −12.5% |
| 1910 | 31,790 | 5.4% |
| 1920 | 35,155 | 10.6% |
| 1930 | 40,903 | 16.4% |
| 1940 | 38,139 | −6.8% |
| 1950 | 36,905 | −3.2% |
| 1960 | 37,861 | 2.6% |
| 1970 | 35,012 | −7.5% |
| 1980 | 36,824 | 5.2% |
| 1990 | 36,915 | 0.2% |
| 2000 | 36,291 | −1.7% |
| 2010 | 36,311 | 0.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Kansas became a territory in 1854 and the first territory census taken was in 1855. It was also enumerated as Kansas Territory in the 1860 Federal Census, although there were 15 counties that were marked with "no population" in them. The state continued to take state censuses after it was admitted to the Union in 1861.[8] See links listed below.
State and Territorial Census Records
- 1855-1925 Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925 at Ancestry — ($), Index and images; covers census years 1855-1859, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925
- 1860 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Kansas Territory at FamilySearch - Index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1860 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Kansas Territory at Ancestry - ($), Index and images
- 1865 Kansas State Census, 1865 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1875 Kansas State Census, 1875 at FamilySearch — index & images- How to Use this Collection
- 1885 Kansas State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch — images- How to Use this Collection
- 1895 Kansas State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1905 Kansas State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1915 Kansas State Census, 1915 at FamilySearch — index & images - How to Use this Collection
- 1919-1961 Kansas, City and County Census Records, 1919-1961 at Ancestry - Partial index (4 counties) and images
- 1925 Kansas State Census, 1925 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Federal Census Records
The 1870 Census was the first Federal Census taken for Kansas after it became a state in 1861.[9] For links to Federal Census indexes, see Kansas Census.
Church Records
Most church records are held by individual churches. For contact information, check a phone directory, such as SearchBug or Dex Knows. Some denominations are gathering their records into a central repository. For more information about these major repositories, see Kansas Church Records.
- 1811-1940 Kansas, Births and Baptisms, 1811-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1861-1918 Kansas, Swedish Church Records, 1861-1918 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Arkansas City
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Miles Funeral Service in Winfield
- Rindt-Erdman Funeral Home and Cremetory in Arkansas City
- Shelley Family Funeral Home in Arkansas City and Winfield
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Kansas Land and Property for additional information about early Kansas land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1882 Land Plat book for Cowley County - image of plat book
- 1905 Land Plat book for Cowley County - image of plat book
- 1882 Land Plat book for Cowley County - image of plat book
- 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 - - index & images ($)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
For more information see Kansas Land and Property
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Cowley County, Kansas Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Kansas Local Histories.
- Cowley County, History of the State of Kansas. 1883, By William G. Cutler. Chicago, IL: A. T. Andreas. Online at: Kansas Collection Books.
- History of Cowley County, Kansas. (Title also known as The Winfield Courier : supplemental edition.) 1901. By D. A. Millington, E. P. Greer. Winfield, Kan. : Winfield Courier. Online at: Internet Archive; At various libraries (WorldCat).
- The History of Cowley County, Kansas. 1990. By Cowley County Heritage Book Committee. Winfield, KS : Cowley County Heritage Book Committee ; Arkansas City, KS : Cowley County Community College. Online at: KSGenWeb; At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Cowley County GIS Maps - A very detailed set of interactive and pdf maps of Cowley County including township lines, roads and water ways, towns, schools, and cemeteries.
- Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Kansas - shows boundary changes for Kansas Counties
Migration
Military Records
Civil War
For information about Civil War records see Marion County.
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
- 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.
Civil War
- 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 - ($), Index and images
Spanish-American War (1898)
- 1945-1970 Kansas, United Spanish War Veterans Reports of Deaths, 1945-1970 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
World War I
- 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
World War II
- 1940-1946 Web: Kansas, WWII Selective Service Index, 1940-1946 at the Ancestry.com - ($), Index and images
- World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing, State of Kansas, War Dept-June 1946 at KSGenWeb - Index only
Korean War
Vietnam War
For further information see Kansas Military Records.
Naturalization and Citizenship
- 1864-1972 Kansas, Naturalization Abstracts, 1864-1972 at Ancestry — ($), 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
For more information, see Kansas Newspapers.
Kansas Newspapers Online
- 1800s-Current Kansas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
- 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
Kansas Newspaper Catalogs
- 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
- Newspaper Files Transcribed by Mary Ann Wortman from Microfilm contains transcribed articles for various newspapers 1868-1895 and 1918-1922.
- Kansas State Historical Society houses one of the largest newspaper collections. They have 1321 reels of Cowley newspapers which may be available through interlibrary loan. Titles include Arkansas City Traveler 1876 - 2008, Cowley County Reporter 1967 - 1996, Winfield Daily Courier 1885 - 2007, and many more.
- Births and deaths of Cowley County, Kansas as abstracted from the Winfield Daily Courier and other sources, 1875-1969 [compiled by members of the Cowley County Genealogical Society including Cheryl Voigtlander and Ruby Mussen ; data entered by Connie Lea Becker Lawrence] is available from the Family History Library as book 978.189 V2b or FS Library US/CAN Film 2055496 Item 1
- Deceased persons from the Winfield daily courier : Winfield, KS, April 1995 to February 1998 compiled by Gale J. Bunner available as FS Library US/CAN 978.189/W1 V4b 1995-1998 or FS Library US/CAN Film 1425480 Item 8
Current Newspapers
- Arkansas City Traveler (620) 442-4200; 200 E. Fifth Avenue / P. O. Box 988, Arkansas City, KS 67005
- Cowley County Reporter (620) 438-2370; Burden, KS 67019
- Winfield Daily Courier (620) 221-1050; 201 E. Ninth Street / P.O. Box 543, Winfield, KS 67156
Obituaries
- Obituary notices, Winfield Daily Courier by Gale J. Bunner covering Dec. 1988-Mar. 1995 available as FS Library US/CAN Book 978.189/W1 V4b 1988-1995
Other Records
Voting Records
- 1854 Kansas Election List, 1854 at Ancestry — ($), Index
- 1854 - 1856 Kansas Voter Registration Lists, 1854-1856 at Ancestry — ($), Index
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Kansas, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, inventories, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for Kansas, Cowley and click Probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1803–1987 Kansas Wills and Probate Records 1803-1987 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Kansas tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Tax lists were usually made every year, however, there may be gaps of several years. For more information, see the wiki page Kansas Taxation.
Vital Records
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred. See also Kansas Vital Records. For information about restrictions and costs for certificates, see the CDC Where to Write for Vital Records site.
See County Offices above.
Birth
- 1811-1940 Kansas, Births and Baptisms, 1811-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1818-1936 Kansas, Births and Christenings, 1818-1936 at FamilySearch.org — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1885-1911 Kansas, Births and Christenings Index, 1885-1911 at Ancestry — index $
Marriage
- 1800-1946 United States Marriages – Kansas, 1800-1946 at findmypast — ($), Index and images
- 1811-1911 Kansas, Marriages, 1811-1911 at FamilySearch — Index - How to Use this Collection
- 1811-1911 Kansas, County Marriages, 1811-1911 at Ancestry — ($), Index
- 1840-1935 Kansas, Marriages, 1840-1935 at FamilySearch.org — Index- How to Use this Collection
- 1861-1918 Kansas, Swedish Church Vital Records, 1861-1918 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Death
- 1885-1930 Kansas, Deaths and Burials, 1885-1930 at FamilySearch.org — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1885-1930 Kansas, Deaths and Burials, Index, 1885-1930 at Ancestry — index $
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Cowley County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Kansas Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Derby Kansas FamilySearch Center
- Ponca City Oklahoma FamilySearch Center
- Andover Public Library - an affiliate library
- Derby Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Cowley County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kansas Archives and Libraries.
Arkansas City Public Library
120 E 5th Avenue
Arkansas City, KS 67005
Phone: 620-442-1280
Email: arkcitypl@acpl.org
Website
Cowley County Genealogical Library
Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum
31639 US 77
Arkansas City, KS 67005
Phone: 620-442-6750
Email: cherokeestrip1893@yahoo.com
Website
- The library houses Cowley County Cemetery records, Arkansas City Traveler obituaries, Cowley County birth, death and marriage records, the Robert Docking collection and more.
Deets Library
Southwestern College
100 College Street
Winfield, KS 67156
Phone: 620-229-6225
Email: library@sckans.edu
Website
Udall Public Library
105 S Main
Udall, KS 67146
Phone: 620-782-3435
Email: udalllibrary@wheatstate.com
Website
Facebook
Winfield Public Library
605 College
Winfield, KS 67156
Phone: 620-221-4470
Email: winfieldlibrary@gmail.com
Website
[ https://www.facebook.com/WinfieldLibrary?mibextid=kFxxJD Facebook]
Museums
Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum
31639 US 77
Arkansas City, KS 67005
Phone: 620-442-6750
Email: cherokeestrip1893@yahoo.com
Website
Facebook
Cowley County Historical Museum
1011 Mansfield Street
Winfield, KS 67156
Phone: 620-221-4811
Email: museumcchsm@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Societies
Listed below are societies in Cowley County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Kansas Societies.
Cowley County Genealogical Society
1518 East 12th
PO Box 102
Winfield, KS 67156
Phone: 620-221-4591
Cowley County Historical Museum
1011 Mansfield Street
Winfield, KS 67156
Phone: 620-221-4811
Email: museumcchsm@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
East Central Cowley County Historical Society
c/o Emory Lewis
508 North Main Street
Burden, KS 67019
Phone: 620-438-3384
Website
Udall Community Historical Society
109 E 1st Street
Udall, KS 67146-0136
Phone: 620-782-3004
Email: library@cityofudall.com
Facebook
Websites
- FamilySearch Catalog 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
Research Guides
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Cowley County, Kansas. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Cowley, Kansas Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/kan/cowley/, accessed 8/10/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Cowley County, Kansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowley_County,_Kansas, accessed 8/10/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Cowley County, Kansas. Page 249 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 234.
- ↑ “Kansas Research Outline”, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Department, 2000), 40.
- ↑ William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas was first published in 1883 by A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL. COWLEY COUNTY.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Cowley County, Kansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowley_County,_Kansas#Communities, accessed 14 September 2017.
- ↑ William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses (Bountiful, UT: American Genealogical Lending Library, 1985), page 118-119.
- ↑ William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses (Bountiful, UT: American Genealogical Lending Library, 1985), page 119.