International Jewish Cemetery Project

International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies - Cemetery Project

KANSAS

Heart of America Jewish Historical Society
9648 Walmer Lane
Overland Park, KS 66212

THE CEMETERIES
ATCHISON:

Mt.Vernon Cemetery: Jewish section dates from the 1870's. See: Postal & Koppman's Jewish Tourist's Guide to U.S. Phila., PA: Jewish Publ. Soc., 1954 and "Directory of Jewish Local Organizations in the United S tates" pp. 330-583. American Jewish Year Book 5680 September 25,1919 to Sept. 12, 1920; Volume 21 Edited by Harry Schneiderman for the American Jewish Comm. Source: Alan Hirschfeld

BEERSHEBA:

Jewish Cmetery: In the 1880s, this town was located about 25 miles from present Garden City, Kansas. The colony failed after three years. The colonists dispersed, some to nearby towns. In 1884, a 300-square foot plot opened as a Jewish cemetery when Sarah Ochs Teitlebaum was buried there. Graves of Mr. L. Toper, Mrs. L. Toper and M. Sternberger are also marked, the last burial being in 1933. Source: William Levine wlevine@cox.net

EUDORA: Douglas County

Eudora Township Benie Israel Cemetery: Burial register. 1869-1928. Eudora Township, Douglas County, Kansas; Vital Statistics file; source: (AJA. American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax). E-mail: AJA@cn.huc.edu)
40 miles east of Topeka, 1860's p.183. Located 6 miles east of Lawrence, Kansas. Belonging to the Jewish Community Center Congregation in Lawrence, the cemetery is located one-mile west off the Eudora exit off Kansas Route 10 (main road between Lawrence and Kansas City). To reach it one exits K10 at the Eudora exit. Go south to the first road on the south side of K10. Turn west and go to the next dirt road (one mile). The cemetery is on the northwest corner. Source: Rabbi Mark Levin, Congregation Beth Torah, 9401 Nall Ave., Suite 200, Prairie Village, KS 66207

UPDATE: Since the mid-1970s, this cemetery has been owned by the Jewish Community Center of Lawrence, Kansas, whose address and phone number are: 917 Highland Drive, Lawrence, KS 66046, (785) 841-7636. [January 2004]

FORT SCOTT: (Bourbon County)
Chamber of Commerce: 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701, (620) 223- 3566 or (800) 245-FORT. Email: fschamber@fortscott.com
Local funeral home/s and/or monument maker/s: Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W Wall St, Fort Scott KS 66701; (620) 223-1212; (800) 828-2423.
Cheney-Witt Funeral Home, 201 S Main St, Fort Scott KS 66701; (620) 223-1186.
Geneva & Son Monuments, 111 S Scott Ave, Fort Scott KS 66701; (620) 223-3350.

Pine Lawn: {10955} Located at South 215th Street, Fort Scott KS 66701 at 37°47'N 94° 43' W. Mailing Address: Pine Lawn Cemetery, c/o Bud Penniman (Secretary, Cemetery Association), 818 S Horton, Fort Scott KS 66701, (620) 223-2213. Current town population is 8,000 with no Jews.
Jewish community dates from the late 1870s. The active, unlandmarked cemetery was established in the late nineteenth century. Jewish burials would still be allowed by the current owners although no burials have occurred in recent years. Flowers are permitted.
Fort Scott had a prosperous and relatively large Jewish community during the 1880's and 1890's. Mostly merchants, they seem to have been quite well accepted in town; with their names in lists of the first Masons, the founder Country Club members, etc. Their last names appear to be German-Jewish. There has never been a synagogue/temple in Fort Scott. There is no evidence of kosher shops. Most of the Jewish families left between 1920 and 1950; the last family left during the 1980's. It appears that this Jewish cemetery was first owned by the local Jewish community. When there were no longer any Jewish families in Fort Scott, it seems to have been taken over by a Jewish group in Kansas City. In the late 1960s, it came under the ownership of the local cemetery association that already owned the town's non-denominational cemetery, which happens to be across the street. Fort Scott has three other cemeteries: (1) a newer annex of the main cemetery; (2) a Catholic cemetery west of town; (3) National Cemetery #1 (owned by the US government), located in the SE part of town. The rural (agricultural) site on flat land is separate, but near other cemeteries with a sign in English that reads: Pine Lawn. The cemetery is reached by turning directly off a public road with access open to all. A continuous masonry wall along front, continuous fences along other three sides, and a gate that does not lock surround the cemetery. 100-500 nineteenth century gravestones are in the cemetery with fewer than 25% toppled or broken. The marble, granite, and other materials memorial markers are finely smoothed and inscribed stones, double tombstones, horizontally set stones, and obelisks with English and Hebrew inscriptions. The present owner of the never vandalized property is a private corporation (local cemetery association). Properties adjacent to the cemetery are agricultural, residential, and other cemeteries. Visits to the cemetery are rare and made by private visitors. No restoration has been done, but a caretaker is paid by the cemetery association. Weathering has made many of the older stones hard to read. Something like moss seems to be growing on several stones; cleaning of the stones is not done by caretaker. Kate Emmett-Sweetser, KansasKate@gmail.com completed the survey after visits in 1999 and 2006.

GALENA:
Some people from here are buried in Mt. Hope (Jewish Section), Webb City, Mo.

GARDEN CITY:
Ochs, Sarah; Correspondence between J. O. Carter and Rabbi Elbert L. Sapinsley regarding the isscription on the tombstone of Sarah Ochs Teitelbaum, and mentioning other Jewish graves of arden City, KS. n.d. 1962. Histories file. Source: (AJA. American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax). E-mail: AJA@cn.huc.edu)

KANSAS CITY:
Jewish Kansas City: http://www.jewishkansascity.org/page.html?ArticleID=33670 [UPDATE: May, 2007]
Chevra Kadisha: The Central Chevra Kadisha, or Holy Society, is responsible for the traditional ritual preparation of the dead, alled Tahara. The Greater Kansas City Chevra Kadisha is made up of approximately 24 men and 45 women from area synagogues. For more information on Chevra Kadisha, contact: BIAV Congregation at (913) 341-2444. Source: http://www.jewishkansascity.org/section.html?id=100 [UPDATE: May 2007]
The Louis Memorial Chapel is Greater Kansas City's only Jewish uneral home. Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO 64131, (816) 361-5211. http://www.louismemorialchapel.com/home.php?sid=ee2254342cf45cadf9f10d8c263b0a5f [UPDATE: May, 2007]

Mt. Moriah South Cemetery: 10507 Holmes Rd., Kansas City, MO. 64131, (913) 498-2212. Section purchased the early part of the year 2000. Beth Torah (Reform), 6100 W. 127th St. Overland Park, KS 66209. (913) 498-2212, FAX: (913) 498-1071. http://www.beth-torah.org/ [May, 2007]. Also The New Reform Temple, contact Jack Nachman, Cemetery Chairperson, or the Temple Office (816) 523-7809.
Elmwood Cemetery (Jewish Section): 4900 Truman Rd. Kansas City, MO 64127 (913) 663-4050. Temple B'nai Jehudah, Reform): 12320 Nall Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66209, (913) 663-4050, Fax: (913) 906-9544. http://www.bnaijehudah.org. Email: info@bnaijehudah.org Source: Frank J. Adler, Historian of Greater Kansas City's Jewish community, adler@kc.rr.com. [UPDATE: May, 2007]]
Blue Ridge Cemetery - Kehilath Israel Synagogue. Kehilath Israel Blue Ridge Cemetery, 1901 Blue Ridge Blvd., Independence, MO 64052, (816) 461-3330. Kehilath Israel Synagogue: http://www.kisyn.org. 10501 Conser, Overland Park, KS 66212 (913) 642-1880 Fax 642-7332. [UPDATE: May, 2007]
Mt. Carmel Cemetery: 5529 Ditzler, Raytown, MO 64133,(816) 353-4196. Beth Shalom Congregation (Conservative). Founded 1878. http://www.uscj.org/central/kansascb. 9400 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64114, Email: info@bethshalomkc.org, Administrative phone: (816) 361-2990 [December 2000]
Rose Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum: 6900 Troost, Kansas City, MO 64131, (816) 363-1050. Temple B'nai Jehudah (Reform): http://www.bnaijehudah.org: 12320 Nall Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas 66209, (913) 663-4050. [December 2003]
Sheffield Cemetery: 6200 Wilson Road, Kansas City, MO 64123, (816) 231-6101. Congregation BIAV Beth Israel Abraham & Voliner): (Modern Orthodox) 9900 Antioch, Overland Park, KS 66212 (913) 341-2444. http://www.biav.org. Merger of four Orthodox synagogues, Tiferes Israel, Beth Medrash Hagadol, Beth Abraham and the Voliner Anshei Sforad Shul. [UPDATE: May, 2007]

LAWRENCE:

Jewish cemetery: Original deed indicating procurement of cemetery land by Beni Israel of the city of Lawrence, KS Feb. 23, 1869. Manuscript. 1 item. Received from Irving Levitas, Kansas City, MO, Oct. 5, 1960. Photostat. Documents file. Source: (AJA. American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax). E-mail: AJA@cn.huc.edu)

LEAVENWORTH:

Mt. Zion Cemetery: Started in 1854. Contact: Robert Aldolt, 1128 5th Ave., Leavenworth, KS 66048; home 913-682-8641; work; 913-682-7759. Records of the cemetery, 1866-1974. Histories file; source: AJA. American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax). E-mail: AJA@cn.huc.edu)

OVERLAND PARK: see Kansas City
UPDATE: Congregation B'nai Jehudah (Reform), owner of the Jewish section of Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Rose Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum, Kansas City, Missouri, has moved from Kansas City to 12320 Nall Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas 66209, (913) 663-4050. Source: Frank J. Adler, Historian of Greater Kansas City's Jewish community, adler@kc.rr.com. [December 2003]

SEDGWICK COUNTY:

Hebrew Congregation Cemetery: p. 05168 in Cemeteries of the US, Deborah M. Burek, ed. Gale Research Int., Detroit MI (1994) ISBN 0-8103-9245-3. Source: Al Rosenfield, Columbus OH; E-mail: arosen@ee.net

TOPEKA:
Information for cemetery available at Temple Beth Sholom, 4200 Munson Ave., Topeka KS 66604 (Rabbi Lawrence P. Karol)

Shawnee County Cemeteries: Tombstone inscriptions from small cemeteries in the city of Topeka. Miscellaneous file; source: AJA. American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax). E-mail: AJA@cn.huc.edu)

WICHITA:
Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation, 400 N. Woodlawn, Wichita KS 67208, (316) 686-4741; Contact: Bev Jacobson

Wichita Hebrew Cemetery or "Hebrew Congregation of Wichita Cemetery": The main Jewish cemetery is located at 1920 N. Oliver. Graves date from about 1930, with about 200 graves in 1999. Further information is available via Ahavath Achim Hebrew Cong., 1850 N. Woodlawn, Wichita KS 67208 (316-685-1339). Wichita Hebrew Congregation members usually are interred here also. (Wichita) Hebrew Congregation, 1850 N. Woodlawn, Wichita KS 67208 (316) 685-1339, Contact: Nat(haniel) Addleman (President)(316-523-1715)
Highland Cemetery or Highland Park Cemetery: A Jewish section of Highland Cemetery, located at the corner of Hillside and 11th Street or the NW corner of 9th and Hillside Sts., contains many of the early Jewish graves in Wichita as well as those of the Reform congregation. Temple Emanuel (316-684-5148) at 7011 E. Central, Wichita KS 67206: Contact: David Moses (President) (316) 263-9111. Highland Park has been taken over by the Wichita Park Dept. The previous administration was by Quiring Monument/Mortuary that could not afford to maintain the site. Termed "The Resting Place of Pioneers", the "original" burying ground here in Wichita has Jewish section administered by the Temple Emanu-El. The Jewish section of Highland Park Cemetery dates back to the 1870's. Dan Morgan has the records for the Jewish area of the Highland Park Cemetery. P.O. Box 1184, Wichita, KS 67201, (316) 267-5501 [answering service]. Information regarding Jewish burials is also available from Downing & Lahey Mortuary, 6555 E. Central, Wichita KS 67206 (316-682-4553). They handle most of the burial services for the Jewish community. See "Jewish Cemetery, Frisco Heights", p.188 in Postal & Koppman Jewish Tourist's Guide to U.S. Phila., PA: Jewish Publ. Soc., 1954.
Temple Emanu-El Cemetery:

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KANSAS

All individuals involved in the creation of this project are volunteers.
The right to make one copy for personal use with full citation is hereby granted;
however, no profit is to be made from the use of this website's information.

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©IAJGS 2000-2006 - All Rights Reserved

Revised Monday, July 28, 2008 01:39:26

KANSAS

All individuals involved in the creation of this project are volunteers. The right to make one copy for personal use with full citation is hereby granted; however, no profit is to be made from the use of this website's information.

Web Format Courtesy of Design-Studios.com and Open Sky Web Design ©IAJGS 2000-2006 - All Rights Reserved

Revised Monday, July 28, 2008 01:39:26

All individuals involved in the creation of this project are volunteers.
The right to make one copy for personal use with full citation is hereby granted;
however, no profit is to be made from the use of this website's information.

Web Format Courtesy of Design-Studios.com and Open Sky Web Design
©IAJGS 2000-2006 - All Rights Reserved