Kansas Biography: Ready Reference Sources

All items are located on open reference in the research room. The first line the call number. The second line lists author, title, publisher, date of publication and length of work. This is followed by a brief description of the book. A few of the items are on-line, links have been provided. Library material does not circulate. Please refer to our correspondence policy for further information about the following reference materials or obtaining copies from them.

K/918.1/An2

[Cutler, William G.]History of the State of Kansas. Chicago: A.T. Andreas, 1883. 1616 pp.

Commonly referred to as Andreas, this is an excellent source for Indian, territorial, and early state history. There are separate sections for each county's history and for short biographical sketches on the area's residents. This history has sometimes been called the "Herd book" because of the large number of sketches. An index to the biographical sketches is also available (call number K /918.1/An2i).

SP/353.6/K13mi

Daughters of the American Revolution. John Haupt Chapter, Topeka.

Index to the Kansas Militia in the Civil War. 1979. 1 vol. (unpaged)

This is an index of rosters of men who served in the Kansas State Militia during the Civil War and the Indian Campaigns in 1875. The rosters contain the person's name, rank, militia company and regiment, dates and places of both enlistment and muster-in, etc. Birth dates, residences, and other biographical information are not usually included. An alphabetical card index that contains all pertinent information is available on microfilm through interlibrary loan.

K/369.3/K13

Grand Army of the Republic. Kansas Department. Roster, 1894. 242 pp. Index. 360 pp.

A roster of all members of the G.A.R. in 1894.

K/929.3/H629

Historical Records Survey. Kansas. Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records in Kansas. 1942. 261 pp.

This volume lists the locations of Kansas vital records that were not held in the Bureau of Vital Statistics in 1942. It is divided by type of record - birth, marriage, death, and divorce - and then by county. Although the location of these records may now be different this work is still valuable for determining the possible existence of pre-1911 vital records.

Reference Shelf

Kansas. Adjutant General. Index to Kansas Troops in the Volunteer Service of the United States in the Spanish and Philippine Wars. n.d. 49 pp.

Index to the roster in the 12th Biennial Report of the Kansas Adjutant General (1898-1899). The roster contains the soldier's name, residence, rank, company, regiment, dates of enlistment and muster-in, and assorted remarks which usually refer to discharge, promotion, or injury.

SP/906/K13/Index

Kansas. Historical Society. Comprehensive Index, 1875-1930, to Collections, Biennial Reports and Publications of the Kansas Historical Society. 1959. 515 pp.

Between 1875 and 1930 the Society issued 47 volumes in three different series.Nearly every personal and place name mentioned in any of these volumes is included in the index. The volumes contain the executive minutes of territorial governors, lists of territorial county and township officers, and many biographical sketches and reminiscences of early settlers, plus other items of interest.

K/610.3/D56i

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Consolidated Index to Kansas Physicians and Midwives (1887-1900) Registered with the Kansas Board of Health; and Dickman's Medical Directory (1881). 1975. 146 pp.

Information may include name, residence, school of practice, name of college, and year of graduation. Those in the Board of Health's reports also include the practitioner's age,number of years in practice, and nation of birth. [State Archives collections also includeapplications for licenses to practice medicine in the Records of the State Board of Health. These applications are filed alphabetically by surname of the applicant.]

K/929.3/K13v

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. County Index to Vital Records in Kansas Genealogical Periodicals. n.d.. 1 vol. (unpaged)

Index to brief articles on Kansas vital records, Bible records, and ahnentafels (a listing of direct lineage) which are published in Kansas genealogical magazines. Vital records are arranged by county; listings for ahnentafels and Bible records are arranged alphabetically by the first letter of the surname. Indexed magazines along with call numbers appears at the front. Not Currently Being Updated.

Reference Shelf

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Death Notices from Proceedings ....

Indexes of death notices from the proceedings of various Kansas fraternal organizations. In most cases the indexes contain the member's death date and lodge number to which he or she belonged at the time of death. The location of the lodges can be determined by checking the lists that appear at the front of each index. The lodge's location can be used as a probable death and/or burial place. With this information, a newspaper obituary may be found. Citations for these proceedings are as follows:

K/366.5/An2i

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Death Notices from Proceedings of the Ancient Order of United Workmen (AOUW), Grand Lodge of Kansas, 1879-1908; and Proceedings of the Grand Lodge, Knights of Pythias (KP), 1877-1918. 1973. 120 pp. Search the database here.

These are separate and unrelated fraternal organizations. The AOUW was an early fraternal insurance group and the Knights of Pythias was a lesser known secret fraternal order.

K/366.1/F87d

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Death Notices from the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of Kansas, 1860-1935. 1971. 3 vols.

K/366.1/Odli

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Death Notices from Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Kansas, 1873-1970. 1972. 3 vols. Search the database here.

K/366.3/R24d

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Death Notices from Proceedings of the Rebekah Assembly of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 1891-1953. 1974. 2 vols. Search the database here.

Although this is a woman's organization, some men's names are included.

Reference Shelf

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Guide to City Directories of Kansas.

Contains an alphabetical list of holdings of city directories. Call numbers and/or microfilm numbers are included. Periodically updated.

K/BB

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Index to Kansas Biographical Scrapbooks. n.d. 2 vols.

Index to a set of biographical clippings on noteworthy Kansans from statehood to about 1900. These clippings have been bound into 182 volumes.

GL/973.74/Un3pi

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Index to List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883, Residing in Kansas. 1972. 161 pp.

Contains the names of Kansas residents who were receiving federal pensions in 1883. The List of Pensioners... contains the pensioner's name, certificate number, residence, cause for which pensioned, monthly rate, and date of original allowance. The original pension record may be requested from the National Archives, Washington, D.C. 20408.

SP/369.3/K13/Index

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Index to Necrology Lists in G.A.R. Encampments, Nos. 3-62, 1884-1942. 1977. 2 vols.

Index to death notices listed in the proceedings of the Annual State Encampments of the Grand Amy of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans. Only those who were members of the G.A.R. at the time of their deaths are listed. The notices include the member's death date and his post number. With the death date and probable location of death or burial, area newspapers may be searched for an obituary.

K/610.5/K13/1889-1966/1981-1983

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Index to Obituaries from the Kansas Medical Journal, 1889-1966. 1967. 37 pp.

Contains the name, date and place of death, and the volume and page number of the obituary. Obituaries usually include the doctor's age or birth date, name of medical school, year of graduation, and specialty. Between 1966 and 1980, the obituaries are individually cataloged in the Kansas card catalog. The index continues from 1981 to 1983 when obituaries were no longer printed in the Kansas Medical Journal.

SP/353.6/K13(i)

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Reprint Edition of the Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kansas, 1861-1865. 2 vols. Index. n.d. 206 pp.

Index to the printed rosters of men who were mustered into United State service for Kansas in the Civil War. Rosters include the soldier's name, rank, company, regiment, residence at time of enlistment, dates of enlistment and muster-in, and remarks which usually refer to discharge, promotion, injury, death, or desertion. With the soldier's name, company, and regiment, one can obtain military and pension records from the National Archives, Washington, D.C. 20408.

Kansas Card Catalog

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Legislator's Index.

Card index to all territorial and state legislators giving dates of legislative service, district represented, political party, and residence. If available, the date and place of death are also noted. Please inquire at the reference desk regarding this index.

Reference Shelf

Kansas. Historical Society. Library. Vertical File Index. n.d. 1 vol. (unpaged)

Index to biographical clippings dating from the turn of the century to ca. 1970. The vertical file continues and up-dates the Biographical Scrapbooks.

Reference Shelf

Kansas. Historical Society. Library & Archives Division. Kansas Military Records: A Companion Finding Aid to Ancestry's U.S. Military Records.

A supplemental bibliography to Ancestry's U.S. Military Records which lists materials of genealogical value. The Ancestry publication does not include all military materials in the Kansas Historical Society has identified as having genealogical value. Nor does it include call numbers. This finding aid corrects these omissions by listing all materials that have been identified as having genealogical value as of December 1992 with call numbers or locator information.

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Kansas. Historical Society. Reference Section. Index to Enlistment Papers, 19th Kansas Cavalry, 1868-1869 (Indian Campaign).

Index to the enlistment papers of the 19th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. The enlistment papers may contain the following information on an individual: name, date and place of birth, date and place enlisted, date and place mustered into service, height, weight, complexion, eye color, signature, and occasionally a medical report. The enlistment papers are located in the Records of the Office of the Adjutant General, Kansas State Archives.

Reference Shelf

Kansas. Horticultural Society. Library. "Report on the Cemeteries, Burial-Grounds and Graveyards of the State ...." Transactions of the Kansas State Horticultural Society 1906. 1 vol.

Listing of cemeteries in Kansas. The information for specific cemeteries lists only the county, township or city if known, and the size of the cemetery in acres. No names of persons buried are included.

Reference Shelf

Matthews, Katy. Index of Wives' Maiden Names from Hall's City Directory for Topeka, Kansas, 1926. n.p.

Arranged alphabetically by maiden name. Includes married name.

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Matthews, Katy. Index of Death Records from Radge's City Directory for Topeka, Kansas, 1883-1893.

Arranged alphabetically by surname. Includes date of death. With this information an obituary may be found in a local newspaper.

Reference Shelf

Topeka Genealogical Society. Index to the Topeka City Clerk's Register of Births, Deaths, and Infectious Diseases, 1886-1912.

Index to the city clerk's vital statistics registers, 1886-1912. The registers are available on microfilm. Once a birth or death date is established a birth announcement or obituary may be found in a newspaper.

Reference Shelf

United Spanish War Veterans. Department of Kansas. Necrology List, United Spanish War Veterans. n.d. 22 pp.

An index to Taps death certificates of members of this fraternal order of veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898). These certificates may contain the service record, wife's name and address, date and place of birth, date and place of death, place of burial, and name and location of the chapter or camp.