Researching family history is a popular topic of interest in our area. NPL’s librarians will be happy to help you with reference questions, or provide guidance as you get start on your genealogy journey!

Resources

Newton Public Library has many resources for genealogy research, as well as a Genealogy collection which includes an admirable collection of New England genealogies before 1850, DAR Patriot Indexes, and assorted other family histories.

SCKLS Digital Library Initiative is collections that may include text documents, letters or diaries, maps, photographs, audio and/or video files that reflect the history of an individual library and its community, or are of general historical interest.

HeritageQuest is available to Kansas residents and provides access to census records, books and articles on family histories and some Revolutionary War and Freedman’s Bank records.

FamilySearch now offers free, online access to most of its large collection. Newton Public Library is a FamilySearch affiliate, meaning that you can use library computers to access certain records that are not available at home.

Local research resources include Newton City Directories, The Newton Kansan on microfilm (1872-present), Newton Now and Harvey County Now on microfilm and online archive, Federal and State Censuses for Harvey County (1860-1930), Newton and Harvey County histories, an obituary index to The Newton Kansan, and indexes to Harvey County cemeteries. The Library’s microfilm reader/printer with scanner is available for use by genealogists and other patrons. A searchable digital archive of The Newton Kansan beginning in 2001 is available in the Library.

For a description of the process for adding information to the Harvey County Genealogical Society’s database that has every headstone in Harvey County, read Harvey County Genealogy Database Step-by-Step by Darren McMannis.