[Research Guidance: Wisconsin - Research Outline] Research Guidance Version Of Data : 6/9/2001

Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
     Lutheran
     Methodist
     Roman Catholic
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
     People
     Records
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
     Local Histories
Land And Property
     Federal Land Grants
     County Records
Maps
Military Records
     Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
     War Of 1812 (1812–1815)
     Civil War (1861–1865)
     World War I (1917–1918)
Minorities
     Native American
     African-american
     German
     Norwegian
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Taxation
Vital Records
     Birth And Death Records Before 1907
     Records Of Births And Deaths Since 1907
     Marriage Records
     Divorce Records
     Inventory Of Vital Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

BIBLE RECORDS

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) collection Look this term up in the glossary. contains some Wisconsin Bible records. This collection is described in the “Genealogy” section of this outline. It is partially indexed in:

Kirkham, E. Kay. An Index to Some of the Bibles and Family Records of the United States. vol. 2. Logan, Utah: Everton Publishers, 1984. (FHL book 973 D22kk v.2; computer number 298346.) See section two, pages 1–50, which includes Wisconsin.

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BIOGRAPHY

The State Historical Society of Wisconsin has an extensive Biography File created by the staff and volunteers. The biographies come from biographical sketches, local histories, and biographical compendia of the state that were published before 1940. The sketches are indexed in the historical society's card catalog.

The Wisconsin State Genealogical Society has published every-name indexes to about fifty of the published county histories for Wisconsin. The Family History Library has purchased most of these.

An important Wisconsin collection with biographical information about early settlers, traders, missionaries, etc., is:

Draper, Lyman Copeland. Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. 24 vols. Madison, WI.: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1855–. (FHL 977.5 B2wc; films beginning with 924580; computer number 481433.) Volume 21 is an index to volumes 1–20. These volumes discuss various aspects of the early history of Wisconsin.

An interesting collection of biographical information about persons involved in circuses between 1793 and the present is at:

Circus World Museum
Attention: Library and Research Center
426 Water St.
Baraboo, WI 53913
Telephone: 608-356-8341

This center has an index of 360,000 names, personal papers, newspaper ads, periodicals, and route books.

The Family History Library has collected biographical works on subjects such as soldiers, lawyers, women, and prominent citizens and pioneers of various regions of the state. Useful biographical encyclopedias include:

United States Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Eminent and Self-made Men: Wisconsin Volume. Chicago: American Biographical Pub., 1877. (FHL book 977.5 D3a; film 1000800 item 3; fiche 6051214; computer number 243619.) An index is included.

Dictionary of Wisconsin Biography. Madison: State Historical Society, 1960. (FHL book 977.5 D3w; computer number 218795.) The biographies are in alphabetical order.

Nelke, David I. Columbian Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery. . . . Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1895. (FHL book 977.5 D3n; film 1036216; computer number 242897.) An index is included.

Usher, Ellis B. Wisconsin: Its Story and Biography, 1848-1913. 8 vols. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1914. (FHL book 977.5 H2u; films 1036685-86; computer number 49492.) Volume one has an index to the persons for whom there are biographical sketches in volumes 1–8.

Waterstreet, Darlene E. Biography Index to the Wisconsin Blue Books. Milwaukee, Wis.: Badger Infosearch, 1974. (FHL book 977.5 N2b index; computer number 147398.) This indexes the Wisconsin Blue Books, which list 5,000 prominent persons who lived during the period 1870–1973. The Blue Books have biographical information.

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[FamilySearch^TM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/9/2001]