First Families of Franklin County

First Families of Franklin County is a certification program organized by Ottawa Library and Franklin County Historical Society to document early Franklin County residents.  The purpose is to aid family and local history researchers and to honor these early settlers.  The program documents people who lived in Franklin County prior to January 1, 1901 and requires two proofs of residence.

Pick up an application for the program at Ottawa Library or at Franklin County Historical Society Archives or request that one be mailed to you.  You may also download the Application Form (doc) or (pdf), Family Group Sheet, Pedigree Chart, and Permission Release. Include a copy of each of these with your application. They are in pdf format and so require Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free program available at www.adobe.com. If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5.0 or higher, you may fill in the blanks on page 1 and print the completed page. You will need to print or type pages 3,4, and 5. You may submit your own versions of the ancestral chart and family group sheet if you already have them.

Send the completed application and other required information to:

Ottawa Library

105 S Hickory St

Ottawa, KS 66067-2306

Once your application is reviewed and approved, the material will be placed in a file at Ottawa Library's local history section for the use of other researchers.  Franklin County Historical Society will issue a certificate of appreciation at their next annual meeting. This is usually held around Kansas Day at the end of January. 

For a list of the current First Families of Franklin County in Word document form, click here.