Riley County, Kansas is located on the western edge of northeastern Kansas, about 100 miles west of Kansas City. Riley was organized in 1855 in Kansas Territory and had grown to some 16,507 people by 1915. This database was taken from microfilm copies of original census sheets housed in the Kansas State Historical Society Library in Topeka. It consists of 14 fields: KSHS microfilm number, city/township, section, page within section, surname, given name, age, gender, race, birthplace, previous residence (before Kansas), occupation, honorable discharge from the military, and place enlisted. Information from these state censuses, taken at 10-year intervals midway between the federal census counts, can be valuable for those seeking detailed information on family who resided in early Kansas. In addition to this extracted information, the microfilm records also contain a wide range of personal information, such as literacy, deafness, dumbness, insanity, idioticy, pauperism, and conviction. Further information on time of immigration and on military service is also available on the microfilm records. Extensive agricultural data is also shown for farm residents.

Extended Description

City/township abbreviations within the database are as follows: LendvCty = Leonardville City; ManhnCty = Manhattan City; OgdenCty = Ogden City; RandlCty = RandolphCity; RileyCty = Riley City; AshlnTwp = Ashland Township; BalaTwp = Bala Township; CentrTwp = Center Township; FanCkTwp = Fancy Creek Township; GrantTwp = Grant Township; JcksnTwp = Jackson Township; MadsnTwp = Madison Township; ManhnTwp = Manhattan Township; OgdenTwp = Odgen Township; MayDyTwp = May Day Township; SvnMlTwp = Seven Mile Township; ShrmnTwp = Sherman Township; SweCkTwo = Swede Creek Township; WldCtTwp = Wildcat Township; and ZendlTwp = Zeandale Township.

The records in this database were originally abstracted by Stella Frey, Golda Sitz, and Peggy Ward; they were compiled into digital form by Lewis Browder. The information is available as microfilm at the Kansas State Historical Society. It is also available in printed extracts and as microfilm of original sheets at the Riley County Genealogical Society Library, 2005 Claflin Road, Manhattan KS 66502. Copies of specific records can be obtained for a nominal cost by writing the given address or by e-mailing rcgs@flinthills.com. Extracts of Riley County, Kansas territorial censuses of 1855, 1857, and 1860 and Kansas Decennial Agricultural Censuses from 1865 through 1915 are also available in print form.