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Genealogy

Local Resources

Johnson County Obituary Index
Find citations for obituaries from local newspapers dating from the late 19th century to the present. Entries are provided by the Johnson County Genealogical Society. New entries are continually being added.

Johnson County Kansas Genealogical Society
The Johnson County Genealogical Society and Library is dedicated to fostering genealogical activities focused on Johnson County, Kansas and environs.

Olathe Memorial Cemetery
This website for the Olathe Memorial Cemetery includes both historical information and a burial index with pictures of the headstones.

Forms and Basic Search Information

Blank Forms
Many forms for documenting your genealogy research, including blank census forms, that can be downloaded as needed.

Recommended Websites

Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
This National Park Service site includes a database with basic facts about more than 6.3 million servicemen who served on both sides during the Civil War.

Cyndi's List
The mega-hubsite of the genealogical world. Cyndi Howells has brought together every possible site of interest to genealogists.

FamilySearch
The largest genealogical society in the world is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can access its card catalog and key databases online. If you only go to one site, this is it. It is packed with information, indexes, and practical tools. Included is the complete SourceGuideTM with hundreds of finding aids and research papers.

Kansas Historical Society
For people who have family with a Kansas background, the Kansas Historical Society site may be of use. While there are not a large number of records available on-line, there are good explanations of what materials might be available in a personal visit.

National Archives and Records Administration, Genealogy Page
This outstanding site is packed with genealogical tips, guides, and practical information for obtaining federal records as well as indexes like the Index to all Veterans Who Died in the Korean War.

Social Security Death Index
Find basic information such as surname, given name, date of death, date of birth and last known residence for deceased individuals with United States social security numbers whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration.

UsGenWeb Project
An easy-to-use quick way to orient yourself to resources available for a given state, county, or city. It does not include the resources themselves.

Whitepages.com
A good source for quickly finding specific individuals or linking to others of a given surname.

Library Resources

America's Obituaries and Death Notices has been replaced by HeritageHub 

Ancestry Library Edition 
Powered by the Ancestry.com web site, Ancestry Library Edition provides instant access to a wide range of unique resources for genealogical and historical research. With more than 1.5 billion names in over 4,000 databases, Ancestry Library Edition includes records from the United States Census; military records; court, land and probate records; vital and church records; directories; passenger lists and more.

In addition the Kansas State Archive has partnered with Ancestry.com to provide free access to some Kansas records to Kansas residents with a verified driver's license. Visit the Archive for Kansans to start exploring.

Genealogy Connect 
Gale Genealogy Connect includes the "how-to" of genealogy research in addition to the idiosyncrasies of genealogical research in specific subject areas. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced researcher looking for in-depth genealogy data this is the place to start your research.

HeritageHub 
A collection of newspaper obituaries and death notices for genealogical research from 1704 to present.

Heritage Quest 
Heritage Quest Online provides a growing collection of research materials for tracing family history and American culture. Included are images of the U.S. Federal Census from 1790-1930, plus over 25,000 family and local histories, all full-text and searchable.

Aerial view of Olathe, 1955

Local Resources

JoCoHistory.org
History of Johnson County people, places and events.

Local Historical Newspapers

The Olathe Mirror (1861-1924) is available through the Kansas State Historical Society's digital newspapers page. You will need your driver's license or Kansas ID to verify Kansas residency in order to search. The KSHS has also partnered with Ancestry.com to make available select Kansas historical documents and public records. Make your choice after verifying residency.

The Olathe News (2006 - 2015) 

Other historical Kansas newspapers are available through the Kansas State Historical Society and the Chronicling America Project (Library of Congress). Check the KSHS page for titles and dates.

Local Community Organizations

The Olathe Historical Society
Founded by a group of citizens, the Olathe Historical Society's goal is to preserve the history of Olathe and its residents by collecting and caring for documents and artifacts from the city's early beginnings to present day.