Stafford County Newspapers
Thanks
to a grant from Golden Belt Community Foundation at Great Bend, Kansas,
we have our newspaper collection organized on shelves. Of the approximately
50 newspapers published in Stafford County since 1877, we have 29 of them
represented in our collection, including "ghost-town" newspapers: Milwaukee
Bee, Bedford Pilot and Cassoday Mirage. We can do obituary lookups for $5 each (this includes research and copy fee), if we have at least a MONTH and YEAR of death. There is no charge for an unsuccessful search. Due to time constraints, we cannot do extensive research in the newspapers but they are available for public use Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (It's a good idea to call ahead.)
Most Stafford County newspapers are available either on microfilm or hard copy at four locations: Stafford County Museum in Stafford; Goodman Library in St. John; Larabee Library in Stafford and Kansas State Historical Society in Topeka. For a listing of these newspapers and where they are located, send self-addressed, stamped envelope to Stafford Co. Museum, 100 N. Main, Stafford, KS 67578.
ADDITIONAL STAFFORD COUNTY OBITUARY INFO
St. John, Hudson and
Seward newspapers, back to 1879, are on microfilm at Goodman Library in
St. John. There is a card catalog death index for those newspapers.
The Goodman Library Friends of the Library provides a fee-based service
that helps out-of-town patrons obtain information. This includes documentation
from the microfilmed newspapers and other sources at the library as well
as land, probate, marriage and naturalization records at the Stafford County
Courthouse in St. John. E-mail Christie,
Snyder@usd350.com
with your request.
Many of the newspapers at the Goodman Library
are also available in hard copy at the museum. Museum staff can do obit
look-ups for $5 per obit, if date [at least month and year] is provided.
No charge for unsuccessful search.
For information regarding obtaining obituaries from newspapers on microfilm back to 1877, from Stafford, Larabee Library, 108 N. Union, Stafford, KS 67578. Phone: 620-234-5762, between 2-5 p.m. ($2.50 per obit if found.)