Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Kansas County
Jackson County, Kansas
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and the Delaware River valley - from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation's Jackson County homeland (the Prairie Band Potawatomi - forcibly relocated from the Great Lakes region in the 1830s-40s - established their reservation in Jackson County, and the tribe's Prairie Band Casino and Resort has become a significant regional economic anchor while the Nation maintains cultural programs preserving the Potawatomi language and traditions) to Holton's agricultural courthouse community and the Delaware River valley's productive northeastern Kansas farmland.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Jackson County Emergency Management – 400 New York Avenue, Courthouse Room 209, Holton, KS 66436 | (785) 364-2811 | Fax (785) 364-4400.
Sheriff: Jackson County Sheriff’s Office – 210 US Highway 75, Holton, KS 66436 | (785) 364-2251 | Fax (785) 364-4820 | Email: [email protected]; Sheriff Tim Morse. Hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-75 and US-16 serve Holton, the county seat, in northeastern Kansas.
Notes: Jackson County was established February 11, 1859 (originally named Calhoun County for pro-slavery Senator John C. Calhoun, renamed for Andrew Jackson). US-75 between Topeka and Holton has been officially designated the “Lane Freedom Trail” by the Kansas Legislature, honoring its history along the Underground Railroad.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Jackson County Courthouse – 400 New York Avenue, Holton, KS.
Notes: Holton was settled in 1856 by free-state emigrants organized under abolitionist General James H. Lane, part of his broader network of Underground Railroad “stations” known as the Lane Trail, which ran from Topeka north through Jackson and Brown counties toward Nebraska, sheltering both free-state settlers and formerly enslaved people fleeing toward freedom. The settlers built a fortified log cabin known as Jim Lane’s Fort as a place of refuge; a bronze marker placed in 1970 commemorates its site, now home to Central Elementary School. Jackson County is also home to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Reservation, centered around Mayetta, one of relatively few tribal reservations remaining in Kansas – the Potawatomi were forcibly relocated to Kansas in the 19th century as part of broader federal Indian removal policy, and the tribe continues to maintain a living community and government seat in the county today.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Jackson County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via jacksoncountyks.com.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Holton Public Library (Holton) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Jim Lane’s Fort historical marker, the Jackson County Historical Society Museum, and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation’s cultural sites are the county’s premier heritage attractions.
Notes: The genuine Underground Railroad and Lane Trail history, alongside the living Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation community, are among the most historically significant facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Jackson County Appraiser’s Office – confirm current contact via jacksoncountyks.com.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Heart of Jackson Humane Society, Inc. – 414 E. 8th Street, Holton, KS 66436 | (785) 364-5156 | Email: [email protected]. Operating for roughly five decades (founded 1975) serving Jackson County; requires an approved application before adoption, no same-day adoptions. Hours: Tue-Fri 12-4 PM, Sat 10 AM-4 PM, closed Sun-Mon.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Jackson County Landfill/Household Hazardous Waste – confirm current contact via jacksoncountyks.com.
NOTES: Jackson County is the third county in the seventh Kansas Round 3 batch, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine Underground Railroad and Lane Trail history, alongside the living Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation community, are among the most historically significant facts covered in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Jackson County
Jackson County is northeastern Kansas’s Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation county – the tribe relocated from the Great Lakes to Jackson County in the 1840s and has maintained cultural continuity and economic development through the Prairie Band Casino Resort.
Holton (the county seat, population ~3,300) is the county’s commercial hub, serving the surrounding agricultural community and the tribal economy.
The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation’s Prairie Band Casino and Resort is one of northeastern Kansas’s most significant employers and has funded cultural preservation programs, educational initiatives, and healthcare for tribal members.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Jackson County Appraiser at 400 New York Avenue, Suite 120, Holton, KS 66436, phone 785-364-5651. KS residential assessed at 11.5% of appraised value.
Courts & Legal
Jackson County District Court at 400 New York Avenue, Holton, KS 66436, phone 785-364-2921, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections)
400 New York Ave., Holton, KS 66436
(785) 364-2891
DISTRICT COURT CLERK (Court Records, Marriage Licenses)
400 New York Ave., Holton, KS 66436
(785) 364-2791
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
400 New York Ave., Holton, KS 66436
(785) 364-2891
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Jackson County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Jackson County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Jackson County District Court, 2nd Judicial District 400 New York Street, Holton, KS 66436 (785) 364-2191 Jackson County is in northeastern Kansas, seated in Holton.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Kansas has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code, maintaining its own statutory framework under the Kansas Probate Code (K.S.A. Chapter 59). Kansas offers several tracks depending on estate size and complexity:
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where the total value of probate property, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $75,000 (raised from $40,000 effective July 1, 2023), available under K.S.A. 59-1507b. This transfers personal property only. If the decedent left a will, it must still be filed with the probate court even though it isn’t being formally probated.
Simplified Administration – under the Kansas Simplified Estates Act (K.S.A. 59-3201 et seq.), the most common route for straightforward estates.
Formal Probate – supervised or unsupervised administration through the District Court for larger or more complex estates.
A will must be filed for probate within 6 months of death, or it may not be admitted, forcing the estate into intestate distribution.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Executor (if there’s a will) or a Petition for Administration (if intestate) with the Jackson County District Court.
The court admits the will (if any) and appoints the personal representative.
Notice to creditors is published per court order; creditors have a defined window to file claims.
The personal representative inventories assets, pays valid debts and expenses, and – under unsupervised administration – acts with reduced court check-ins.
Without a surviving spouse or children, Kansas intestate succession law (K.S.A. 59-501 et seq.) determines which blood relatives inherit.
After debts are paid, the personal representative distributes assets and files a final accounting; the court closes the estate upon approval.
What it costs
Court costs may be remitted for small estates under recent statutory changes.
Executor/administrator and attorney fees are generally reasonable-fee based rather than a fixed statutory percentage.
Typical timelines: Small Estate Affidavit can proceed relatively quickly; formal probate commonly takes several months to over a year.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
400 New York Ave., Holton, KS 66436
(785) 364-2251
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections)
400 New York Ave., Holton, KS 66436
(785) 364-2891
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
400 New York Ave., Holton, KS 66436
(785) 364-2891
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Northeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department (serves Jackson County) – confirm current contact via jacksoncountyks.com.
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Holton
Population: 13,000
Area: 657 sq mi
Established: 1858
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Jackson County residents.
