The recently shared list of 50 Free Genealogy Sites (see Saturday’s Facebook post) inspired us to compile our own list specific for Harvey County.

1. HCHM Archives

The Archives at HCHM is an excellent place to start. Did your ancestor get married in Harvey County? Click on the buttons to search by Groom or Bride for marriage licenses. Were they a Civil War Veteran? The Civil War Pension Collection is also searchable on line. We are also happy to answer questions.

Research Library and Archives

2. Harvey County Genealogical Society

http://www.hcgsks.org/

The site includes a data base of south central Kansas obituaries. 

http://www.hcgsks.org/Obituaries/webobit.php

3. Mennonite Library & Archives, Bethel College, N. Newton.

https://mla.bethelks.edu/holdings/scans/

Index to obituaries with local history information that goes beyond Mennonite circles.

https://mla.bethelks.edu/mediawiki/index.php/Main_Page

4. Kansas Digital Newspapers

Many of the early Harvey County newspapers are available on-line through the Kansas Historical Society to Kansas residents for free. From the link below, click on KS Resident Access and enter your driver’s license.  

https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-digital-newspaper-program/16126

5. Newton Public Library 

The Digital Newton, Kansas site features a searchable obituary index for Newton, Kansas newspapers beginning 22 August 1872. 

https://newton.digitalsckls.info/

Recognize the Harvey County town of Walton?

William Matthews laid off the original 25 acre town site for Walton, Ks, and constructed the first building.  Soon a second building was constructed, a general store, by Baldwin and Glynn, later bought by B. C. Johnson.  The town had a post office with a school house, and a church. For a very brief time, the Santa Fe Railroad track stopped at Walton.  By the summer of 1871, the tracks went on to Newton.

Originally, Walton was part of Marion County.  When Harvey County was established in 1872, Walton became part of the new county.  The small community was located on the “highest ground in Harvey County.”

In 1882, the town had a population of 250, with two general stores, two groceries, one drug store, two dry goods stores, one elevator, one livery, two hotels, one blacksmith shop, and  one shoe shop.

Walton was incorporated in April 1886 as a 3rd class city, population 300.  J.A. Gradle was the first mayor.

 

 

Did you correctly identify Sedgwick, Ks?

Sedgwick, the oldest Harvey County town, is located at the confluence of Sand Creek and Little Arkansas River.  Named for Maj. General John Sedgwick, it is the oldest city in Harvey County.

After the Civil War, there was a growing interest in settling the vast prairies west of the Mississippi.  Judge RWP Muse, Charles Schaeffer and James R. Mead  explored the rich region between the Little Arkansas and Sand Creek.

By the fall of 1869, a number of homesteads had been established near present day Sedgwick.

The town of Sedgwick was platted in the summer of 1870 by William Finn of the Sedgwick Town Co.  The first postmaster was Dr. T.S. Floyd. William H. McOwen opened the first store in July.  The first school was erected in September with C.S. Bullock and his wife serving as teachers.

Mrs. Susan McClung opened the first hotel on the town site in fall.  Disaster struck in the winter of 1871-72 when her hotel was destroyed by fire, but she was able to rebuild.

In March 1872, Sedgwick was incorporated as a third class city.  T.S. Floyd was elected mayor.

500 Block of Commercial Ave, Sedgwick, ca. 1915.