Kansas County Histories

Flag of KansasOrganized as the Kansas Territory in 1854, Kansas became the 34th state January 29, 1861.

It has 105 counties, the sixth-highest total of any state. Many of the counties in the eastern part of the state are named after prominent Americans from the late 18th and early-to-mid-19th centuries, while those in the central and western part of the state are named for figures in the American Civil War.

Several counties throughout the state bear names of Native American origin. No Kansas county has two words in its name.

Collection Details

  1. NOBLE L. PRENTIS, A HISTORY OF KANSAS, 1899, C. PRENTIS, 1904
  2. R. CORDLEY, A HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, FROM FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE CLOSE OF THE REBELLION, E. F. CALDWELL, LAWRENCE JOURNAL PRESS, 1895
  3. RICHARD CORDLEY, A HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS, E. F. CALDWELL, LAWRENCE JOURNAL PRESS, 1895
  4. ELIZABETH N. BARR, A SOUVENIR HISTORY OF LINCOLN COUNTY, KANSAS, FARMER JOB OFFICE, 1908
  5. WILLIAM E. CONNELLEY, A STANDARD HISTORY OF KANSAS AND KANSANS (VOL. 1 – VOL. 5), LEWIS PUB. CO., 1918
  6. A TWENTIETH CENTURY HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF CRAWFORD COUNTY, KANSAS, THE PRINTERY, 1905
  7. GRANT W. HARRINGTON, ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY, KANSAS: FROM THE EARLIEST RECORDS TO JANUARY 1, 1900, HARRINGTON, 1903
  8. JACOB STOTLER, ANNALS OF EMPORIA AND LYON COUNTY: HISTORICAL INCIDENTS OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF A CENTURY, 1857 TO 1882, 1898
  9. BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF BARTON COUNTY., GREAT BEND TRIBUNE, 1912
  10. LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, , BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF CENTRAL KANSAS, EMBELLISHED WITH PORTRAITS OF MANY WELL-KNOWN PEOPLE OF THIS SECTION OF THE GREAT WEST, WHO HAVE BEEN OR ARE PROMINENT IN ITS HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT. VOL 1, LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY , 1902
  11. LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, , BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF CENTRAL KANSAS, EMBELLISHED WITH PORTRAITS OF MANY WELL-KNOWN PEOPLE OF THIS SECTION OF THE GREAT WEST, WHO HAVE BEEN OR ARE PROMINENT IN ITS HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT. VOL 2, LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY , 1902
  12. MRS. E. F. HOLLIBAUGH, BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY: BIOGRAPHIES OF REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS, ILLUSTRATED WITH PORTRAITS OF PROMINENT PEOPLE, ETC., WILSON, HUMPHREY & COMPANY ,
  13. BIOGRAPHICAL PUB. CO., BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. THIS VOLUME CONTAINS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF LEADING CITIZENS OF SEDGWICK COUNTY, KANSAS, AND A COMPENDIUM OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY, BIOGRAPHICAL PUB. CO., 1901
  14. KANSAS DIRECTORY COMPANY, BUSINESS DIRECTORY AND HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY , THE KANSAS DIRECTORY COMPANY OF TOPEKA, 1907
  15. ROBERT M. WRIGHT, DODGE CITY, THE COWBOY CAPITAL: AND THE GREAT SOUTHWEST IN THE DAYS OF THE WILD INDIAN, THE BUFFALO, THE COWBOY, DANCE HALLS, GAMBLING HALLS AND BAD MEN, WICHITA EAGLE PRESS, 1913
  16. DONIPHAN COUNTY HISTORY & DIRECTORY FRO 1868-9, CONTAINING A CONCISE…HISTORY OF DONIPHAN COUNTY & SKETCHES OF EACH VILLAGE IN THE COUNTY; CITIZENS’ & BUSINESS DIRECTORY; …ETC., SMITH-VAUGHAN, 1868
  17. CHARLES R. GREEN, EARLY DAYS IN KANSAS, C.R. GREEN, 1914
  18. CHARLES R. GREEN, EARLY DAYS IN KANSAS IN KEOKUKS TIME ON THE KANSAS RESERVATION : BEING VARIOUS INCIDENTS PERTAINING TO THE KEOKUKS, THE SAC & FOX INDIANS (MISSISSIPPI BAND) AND TALES OF THE EARLY SETTLERS, LIFE ON THE KANSAS RESERVATION, LOCATED ON THE HEADWATERS OF THE OSAGE RIVER, 1846-1870, C. GREEN, 1912
  19. HENRY M. MOORE, EARLY HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH, CITY & COUNTY., SAM’L DODSWORTH BOOK COMPANY, 1906
  20. MATT THOMSON, EARLY HISTORY OF WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KANSAS WITH STORIES OF PIONEER DAYS AND GLIMPSES OF OUR WESTERN BORDER, 1901
  21. GENEALOGICAL & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF NORTHEASTERN KANSAS., LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY , 1900
  22. WILLIAM E. YOUNGMAN, GLEANINGS FROM WESTERN PRAIRIES, JONES & PIGOTT, 1882
  23. P.L. GRAY, GRAY’S DONIPHAN COUNTY HISTORY: A RECORD OF THE HAPPENINGS OF HALF A HUNDRED YEARS, ROYCROFT PRESS, 1905
  24. FRYE W. GILES, HISTORICAL SKETCH OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS: PREPARED FOR THE OCCASION OF THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, JULY 4, 1876, COMMONWEALTH STEAM BOOK AND JOB PRINT HOUSE, 1876
  25. SHEFFIELD INGALLS, HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY, KANSAS, STANDARD PUB. CO., , 1916
  26. THOMAS F. ROBLEY, HISTORY OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS, TO THE CLOSE OF 1865, PRESS OF THE MONITOR BOOK & PRINTING COMPANY, 1894
  27. T. F. ROBLEY, HISTORY OF BOURBON COUNTY, TO THE CLOSE OF 1865., PRESS OF THE MONITOR BOOK & PRINTING CO., 1894
  28. VOL. P. MOONEY, HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY, KANSAS, STANDARD PUB. CO. , 1916
  29. V. P. MOONEY, HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY., STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1916
  30. D.A. MILLINGTON, HISTORY OF COWLEY COUNTY, KANSAS  , WINFIELD COURIER, 1901
  31. M. WINSOR, JAMES SCARBOROUGH, HISTORY OF JEWELL COUNTY, KANSAS, WITH A FULL ACCOUNT OF ITS EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND THE INDIAN ATROCITIES COMMITTED WITHIN ITS BORDERS: ITS FINAL SETTLEMENT, ORGANIZATION AND PROGRESS, DIAMOND PRINTING OFFICE, 1878
  32. JOHN N. HOLLOWAY, HISTORY OF KANSAS: FROM THE FIRST EXPLORATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY, TO ITS ADMISSION INTO THE UNION: EMBRACING A CONCISE SKETCH OF LOUISIANA; AMERICAN SLAVERY, AND ITS ONWARD MARCH; THE CONFLICT OF FREE AND SLAVE LABOR IN THE SETTLEMENT OF KANSAS, AND THE OVERTHROW OF THE LATTER, WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST, JAMES, EMMONS AND CO., 1868
  33. CASE, NELSON, , HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY & REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS., BIOGRAPHICAL PUB. CO., 1901
  34. NELSON CASE, HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY, KANSAS: FROM THE FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE CLOSE OF 1892, CRANE & CO., 1893
  35. JESSE A. HALL, HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY, KANSAS, HISTORICAL PUBLISHING GROUP, 1921
  36. EMMA E. FOSTER, HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS: ITS PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS, WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND GENEALOGICAL RECORDS OF MANY OF THE OLD FAMILIES, B.F. BOWEN, 1917
  37. DUNCAN, L. WALLACE (LEW WALLACE, HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY BY ITS OWN PEOPLE, CONTAINING SKETCHES OF OUR PIONEERS… & BIOGRAPHIES OF THEIR WORTHY SUCESSORS., PRESS OF IOLA REGISTER, 1903
  38. RALPH TENNAL, HISTORY OF NEMAHA COUNTY., STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1916
  39. HISTORY OF NEOSHO & WILSON COUNTIES, CONTAINING SKETCHES OF OUR PIONEERS…; BIOGRAPHIES OF THEIR WORTHY SUCCESSORS & PORTRAITS OF PROMINENT PEOPLE OF THE COUNTIES, PAST & PRESENT., MONITOR PRINTING CO., 1902
  40. I. O. SAVAGE, HISTORY OF REPUBLIC COUNTY, EMBRACING A FULL & COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF ALL THE LEADING EVENTS IN ITS HISTORY FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT DOWN TO JUNE 1, ’01., JONES & CHUBBIC, 1901
  41. KING, JAMES LEVI, HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY & REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS., RICHMOND & ARNOLD, 1905
  42. ORSEMUS H. BENTLEY, HISTORY OF WICHITA AND SEDGWICK COUNTY, KANSAS, C.F. COOPER & CO, 1910
  43. CHRISTIAN BERNHARDT, INDIAN RAIDS IN LINCOLN COUNTY, KANSAS, 1864 AND 1869; STORY OF THOSE KILLED, WITH A HISTORY OF THE MONUMENT ERECTED TO THEIR MEMORY IN LINCOLN COURT HOUSE SQUARE, MAY 30, 1909, THE LINCOLN SENTINEL , 1910
  44. CHARLES W. GOODLANDER, MEMOIRS AND RECOLLECTION OF C.W. GOODLANDER OF THE EARLY DAYS OF FORT SCOTT FROM APRIL 29, 1858, TO JANUARY 1, 1870, COVERING THE TIME PRIOR TO THE ADVENT OF THE RAILROAD AND DURING THE DAYS OF THE OX-TEAM AND STAGE TRANSPORTATION; AND BIOGRAPHIES OF COL. H. L. WILSON AND GEO. A. CRAWFORD, THE FATHERS OF FORT SCOTT, MONITOR PRINTING CO., 1900
  45. PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF WASHINGTON, CLAY & RILEY COUNTIES, CONTAINING FULL PAGE PORTRAITS & BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT & REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTIES., CHAPMAN BROTHERS, 1890
  46. PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS, CONTAINING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT & REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTIES., BIOGRAPHICAL PUB. CO., 1894
  47. PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF JACKSON, JEFFERSON AND POTTAWATOMIE COUNTIES, KANSAS CONTAINING FULL PAGE PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS , CHAPMAN BROTHERS, 1890
  48. CHAPMAN BROS. , PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF MARSHALL COUNTY, KANSAS: CONTAINING FULL PAGE PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY, TOGETHER WITH PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF ALL THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATE, AND OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, CHAPMAN BROTHERS, 1889
  49. PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF SEDGWICK COUNTY, KAN. CONTAINING FULL PAGE PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT … CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY, TOGETHER WITH PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF ALL THE GOVERNORS OF KANSAS AND OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, CHAPMAN BROTHERS, 1888
  50. CHAPMAN BROTHERS, PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF SUMNER COUNTY, KANSAS CONTAINING FULL PAGE PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY, TOGETHER WITH PORTRAITS & BIOGRAPHIES OF ALL THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATE AND THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES., CHAPMAN BROTHERS, 1890
  51. PORTRAITS & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF LEAVENWORTH, DOUGLAS & FRANKLIN COUNTIES, CONTAINING PORTRAITS, BIOGRAPHIES & GENEALOGIES OF WELL KNOWN CITIZENS OF THE PAST & PRESENT., CHAPMAN BROTHERS, 1899
  52. DANIEL W. WILDER, THE ANNALS OF KANSAS, T.D. THACHER, 1886
  53. WILLIAM A. JOHNSON, THE HISTORY OF ANDERSON COUNTY, KANSAS FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1876, KAUFFMAN & ILER, 1877
  54. FRYE W. GILES, THIRTY YEARS OF TOPEKA, GEORGE W. CRANE & CO, 1886
  55. CONE, WILLIAM WHITNEY, WILLIAM W. CONE’S HISTORICAL SKETCH OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF EACH TOWNSHIP, KANSAS FARMER PRINTING HOUSE, 1877
  56. GOODSPEED, WYANDOTTE COUNTY AND KANSAS CITY, KANSAS. HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. COMPRISING A CONDENSED HISTORY OF THE STATE, A CAREFUL HISTORY OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY, AND A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF THE GROWTH OF THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES, GOODSPEED PUB. CO., 1890

Other Collections

Positive SSL