Are you researching family history in the Topeka/ Shawnee County area, but unable to travel to Topeka to conduct your own search?  Perhaps you would just like the assistance of genealogists who are familiar with local resources?   The Topeka Genealogical Society will be happy to assist you.
 
We offer the following services:
 
General Research:
 
Research will be conducted by experienced volunteer members of TGS, using resources of the TGS Library, the Kansas State Historical Society Research Center, and other local repositories. Research fees are $ 25.00 per hour ($15.00 per hour for current TGS members) plus 25 cents per page for copies in excess of 10 pages and additional postage in accordance with U.S. Postal Service rates. We require a minimum pre-payment 1 hour of research time before we will begin your research. If you are willing to authorize research efforts beyond that covered by the 1-hour minimum, please specify with your request maximum charges that you're authorizing. For all requests, a report will be sent listing the records that were searched, but the research fee will not be returned in the case of negative findings. 
 
Please be as specific as possible in your request.  A request asking for everything that we have on a surname cannot and will not be honored.
 
Please allow up to 6 weeks for return of results. Requests will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
  
We reserve the right to decline a research request, or suggest that you seek the services of a professional researcher if your request is beyond the scope of our resources or capabilities. In that case, any prepayment of fees will be returned.
 
Download the Research Request form.
 
 (Note: to submit the fillable form by email, please download the form to your computer, fill in the information, save the completed form to your computer, and then email the completed form as an attachment, sent to research@tgstopeka.org. Electronic payment may be submitted from the Research Services Payment  page - see the tab at the left side of this page.)
 
Copies of items found in the Shawnee County Surname Index:
 
We will look up and make copies of items included in our Shawnee County Surname Index for a fee of $5.00 per item.  Download the Surname Index Request form and send us your completed form and prepayment. 
 
 
 
Lookups or Copies from items found in the TGS Library Catalog:
 
If you have identified specific materials in our Library Catalog that you would like to have copies of, our volunteer librarians will locate and make photocopies and/or check for the information you are seeking.  Research fees are $25.00 per hour ($15/hour for current TGS members), with a one-hour minimum, and will include copying and postage for up to 10 pages of material.  Copies in excess of 10 pages will be billed at 25 cents per page, and additional postage added in accordance with US Postal Service rates.    
 
Copyright restrictions prevent us from copying entire books.  We will copy no more than 20% of any publication, i.e., 20 pages from a 100-page book.  
 
 
NOTE:  We are not able to accept research requests via telephone.  Please submit your requests to us in writing.