First please let me apologize for the length of this article. BUT I think it will help everyone who is looking for lost Kansas Relatives. >From the Salina Journal, Salina, KS HISTORICAL RECORDS Acquisition furthers archive’s mission. State historical society/s holdings include records dating from 1850 to 1996. By DAVID CLOUSTON A new acquisition of microfilm of Kansas governmental records from courthouses across the state, including central and western Kansas counties, is expected to be a trove of information for genealogists. The records – from marriages licenses and cemetery records, to driver’s licenses and naturalization records, acquired by the Kansas State Historical Society research center in Topeka – span the preterritorial period from 1850 all the way to 1996. The microfilm is available for use at the society'’ research center or may be borrowed via inter-library loan through libraries in Kansas and nationwide. The purchase of the records was funded by a $33,053 grant from the Kansas Library Network Board. The grant paid for the records to be copied so that a duplicate exists if the original document ever is destroyed accidentally or deteriorates, said Christine Desmuke, government documents librarian at the society’s research center. Each year the society collects several hundred rolls of microfilm of government records. “We have also received records for when county courthouses, for one reason or another, don ’t want their records anymore,” Desmuke said. “We also have a local records program to assist county officers in deciding which records to keep and the best way to keep them.” The Society has been collection genealogical research materials since the 1870’s and today possesses more that 5,000 family histories, 3,750 volumes of printed genealogical records, more than 3,000 rolls of Kansas local government records microfilm and countless other sources. The well-thumbed records maintained by the society are used widely. During the last fiscal year, some 5,000 researchers visited the society’s research center on the west edge of Topeka. Center officials also answered questions posed by between 7,000 and 8,000 letters, e-mails and phone calls. The society constantly is looking to add to it’s research holdings. The center soon will acquire a microfilmed set of business records of the early fur trade in Kansas, from the St. Louis Historical Society. Several years ago it received a microfilmed collection of books and pamphlets about the Civil War. The center also maintains a thorough microfilm archive of newspapers dating back to 1854. NEW RECORDS AVAILABLE FOR GENEALOGISTS AT THE KANSAS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY RESEARCH CENTER ARE: Council Grove: cemetery records (1850-1996) Decatur County: motor vehicle licenses (1925 – 1929) Ford County: probate, marriages and naturalization records (1872 – 1900) Johnson County: index to marriages (1857 – 1989), school truancy records (1904 – 1928), poor house records (1885 – 1901 & 1910 – 1946) and probate records (1857 – 1989) Logan County: marriage records (1887 – 1889), probate records (1887 – 1951), and naturalization records (1887 – 1950) McPherson County: school census and other school records (1870 – 1954) Miami County: marriage records (1857 – 1867 & 1911 – 1945) Republic County: birth, death and marriage records (1894 – 1911) Saline County: marriage records (1870 – 1992) Sedgwick County: marriage records (1870 – 1984) Washington County: naturalization records (1879 – 1941), record of wills (1883 – 1920), and probate records (1888 – 1930 & 1939 – 1950). For information about these or other materials in the historical society collections, call (785) 272-8681, ext. 117. Or write the reference section, Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 S. W. Sixth Ave., Topeka, KS 66615-1099. Or e-mail questions to reference@hspo.wpo.state.ks.us