Decatur County, Kansas Genealogy
Guide to Decatur 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 Commodore Stephen Decatur, of the United States Navy.[2] The county is located in the northwestern area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse
Decatur County Courthouse
120 E. Hall
P.O. Box 89
Oberlin, Kansas 66749-0089
Phone: 785.475.8102
Decatur County Website
Clerk District Court has birth, marriage and death records 1885-1913, divorce and court records from 1881, probate records from 1891 and naturalization records from 1880.
Register of Deeds has land records from 1878 and military discharge records from 1862. [1]
Decatur 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 | 1885 | 1885 | 1881 | 1878 | 1891 | 1855 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
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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History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1880 | 4,180 | — |
| 1890 | 8,414 | 101.3% |
| 1900 | 9,234 | 9.7% |
| 1910 | 8,976 | −2.8% |
| 1920 | 8,121 | −9.5% |
| 1930 | 8,866 | 9.2% |
| 1940 | 7,434 | −16.2% |
| 1950 | 6,185 | −16.8% |
| 1960 | 5,778 | −6.6% |
| 1970 | 4,988 | −13.7% |
| 1980 | 4,509 | −9.6% |
| 1990 | 4,021 | −10.8% |
| 2000 | 3,472 | −13.7% |
| 2010 | 2,961 | −14.7% |
| 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
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
- Pauls Funeral Home in Oberlin
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
- 1905 Land Plat book for Decatur County - image of plat book
- 1921 Land Plat book for Decatur County - image of plat book
- 1905 Land Plat book for Decatur 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 ($)
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
For more information see Kansas Land and Property
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Decatur County, Kansas Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Kansas Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Kansas - shows boundary changes for Kansas Counties
Migration
Military Records
Online Collections
These collections are unique to Kansas. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Kansas Military Records.
Collections Covering Multiple Wars
- Kansas Military Index at Kansas Historical Society - Index only, includes Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts
- Records of the Deaths and Burials at the Kansas State Soldiers Home - Index only, the home is located in Fort Dodge, Ford County, Kansas.
Civil War
- Kansas Civil War Soldiers at the Ancestry.com - ($), 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 - ($), contains images of Kansas newspapers
- Chronicling America - contains images of some Kansas newspapers; searching tips
Kansas Newspaper Catalogs
- Kansas Online Historical Newspapers - contains a list of known Kansas newspapers online and the websites they are found on
- U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper
Obituaries
Other Records
Voting Records
- 1854 Kansas Election List, 1854 at Ancestry — ($), Index
- 1854-1856 Kansas Voter Registration Lists, 1854-1856 at Ancestry — ($), Index
Periodicals
Probate Records
In most counties in Kansas, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, inventories, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists films of probate records. To find the records for this county, use the Place Search for Kansas, Decatur and click Probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1803–1987 Kansas Wills and Probate Records 1803-1987 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 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.
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
- 1880, 1885-1911 Links to Deaths in Decatur County links to Obituaries, 1880 Mortality Schedule, Registered Deaths November 28, 1885-July 1, 1911, and The Obituary Daily Times web site
- 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 Decatur 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
- McCook Nebraska FamilySearch Center
- Southwest Nebraska Genealogical Society Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Decatur County. For state-wide library facilities, see Kansas Archives and Libraries.
Museums
Decatur County Last Indian Raid Museum
258 S Penn Ave
Oberlin, KS 67749
Phone: 785-475-2712
Email: lirm@ruraltel.net
Website
Facebook
Societies
Listed below are societies in Decatur County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Kansas Societies.
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 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Decatur County, Kansas. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Decatur, Kansas Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/kan/decatur/, accessed 8/10/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Decatur County, Kansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decatur_County,_Kansas, accessed 8/10/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Decatur County, Kansas. Page 249 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ “Kansas Research Outline”, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Department, 2000), 40.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Decatur County, Kansas. At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "DecaturCounty, Kansas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_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.