SHERIDAN COUNTY, KS HISTORY AND LOOKUP
County History Books
*None Listed
Sheridan County, Kansas: A Genealogical Overview
Located in the High Plains of northwestern Kansas, Sheridan County is a sparsely populated agricultural region characterized by vast prairies and a rich homesteading heritage. Its history is a classic story of the American West, shaped by Plains tribes, buffalo hunters, railroad expansion, and the determined “sod buster” pioneers who turned the grassland into productive farms. The county’s economy has been, and remains, rooted in farming—primarily wheat and sorghum—and cattle ranching.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Understanding Sheridan County’s organization from unorganized territory is key to locating the earliest records for settlers in the area.
- 1880: County Organized: Sheridan County was first established by the Kansas Legislature on March 20, 1873. However, it was not officially organized with its own government until April 3, 1880.
- Parent County: Before its organization in 1880, the area of Sheridan County was unorganized territory attached to Norton County for all judicial and administrative purposes. Records for any inhabitants prior to April 1880 would be located in Norton County records.
- Subsequent County Formations: The boundaries of Sheridan County have remained stable since its organization in 1880. It did not serve as a parent county for any subsequent formations.
- Name Origin: The county is named in honor of General Philip H. Sheridan, a renowned Union Army cavalry commander during the Civil War and a key figure in the subsequent Plains Wars.
- County Seat History: Upon organization, the temporary county seat was Kenneth. An election was held shortly after, and Hoxie was chosen as the permanent county seat, a position it has held ever since.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The region was historically the hunting grounds of Plains Native American tribes, most notably the Cheyenne and Arapaho, as well as the Pawnee. Vast herds of bison supported their way of life until the herds were decimated in the 1870s.
- Pioneer Settlement and Economy: The first significant non-native settlement began in the late 1870s, spurred by the Homestead Act of 1862 and the westward expansion of the railroad. Many early settlers lived in sod houses, built from prairie turf due to the lack of timber. The arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad was a critical catalyst for growth, allowing crops and cattle to be shipped to eastern markets. The economy has always revolved around agriculture and stock raising.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Sheridan County.
- Courthouse: Sheridan County Courthouse: Located at 925 9th St, Hoxie, KS 67740. The Clerk of the District Court holds marriage records (from 1880), probate, naturalization, and court records. The Register of Deeds, in the same building, holds all land records (deeds and mortgages).
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in Kansas began on July 1, 1911. These records are held by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Office of Vital Statistics in Topeka. For births and deaths prior to this date, records are scarce. Researchers should check for delayed birth certificates at the county courthouse or consult church records, newspapers, and cemetery inscriptions.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1880 to the present are held by the Sheridan County Clerk of the District Court in Hoxie.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Sheridan County Historical Society & Mickey’s Museum: Located at 122 S. 4th St, Hoxie, KS 67740. This is the primary local repository for family histories, photographs, and historical artifacts.
- Hoxie Public Library: The local library can be a good source for local newspapers on microfilm and published county histories.
- Kansas Historical Society: (Located in Topeka) This is the premier institution for Kansas genealogy, holding state census records, newspaper collections, vital records indexes, maps, and extensive manuscript collections for all counties.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Decatur County, KS
- Graham County, KS
- Gove County, KS
- Thomas County, KS