Beloit Wisconsin Family History Center

We welcome everyone to come and visit us on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. Stop in to learn how to get started, to use the premium websites (listed below), and to learn how to order microfilm to further your research. ** Our doors are open and we look forward to helping those in our community to climb their family tree one branch at a time! **

The Beloit Wisconsin Family History Center primarily serves Beloit, Wisconsin, as well as South Beloit, Rockton, and Roscoe, Illinois. Our center has access to microfilm and mircofiche readers and computers with internet access for researching. We can assist in your research efforts by offering beginning research help and training of the various internet research options that are now available.



Center Contacts and Hours
Address:


 * 2535 Austin Place, Beloit, WI 53511
 * The entrance to the FHC is on the west side of the building, please knock to be let in. Or you may enter through the main doors and go through the gym to the FHC doors on left of gym.

Map:


 * Location on Map

Phone: 608-362-4646

Email: [mailto:wi_beloit@ldsmail.net wi_beloit@ldsmail.net]

Center Director:


 * Elaine Maurer

Open Hours: 


 * 1st and 3rd Wednesdays 7:00 - 8:00 PM
 * By appointment (email to make an appointment) 

Holiday Schedule: 


 * We are closed the Wednesday during the 4th of July week.
 * We are closed the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
 * And the Wednesdays during the Christmas holiday season.

Calendar and Events
As events are planned, dates will be posted here.

Collections

 * Family History Library Catalog: This center has the ability to order any of the films and fiche available through the Family History Library Catalog.

Databases and Software

 * FHC Portal This center has access to the Family History Center Portal page which gives free access in the center to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions. These websites include:
 * The 19th Century British Library Newspapers digital archive - This fully searchable database of the British Library's newspaper holdings provides a complete run of 48 national and regional Victorian British newspapers for the 19th century from 1800 to 1900. These support the study of colonial history, genealogical research, politics, urban studies, and media courses.
 * Access Newspaper Archives - "NewspaperArchive.com is the world's largest online newspaper archive. Featuring billions of articles from historical newspapers around the U.S. and the world, NewspaperARCHIVE makes exploring history and genealogy easy and fun. Discover fascinating news in archived newspapers hundreds of years old—including obituaries, birth announcements, sports articles, comics, and more—to fill in the life stories you are interested in. And share those stories with others through our community at Our NewspaperARCHIVE. All of our historical newspapers are full-page and fully searchable. Try exploring above, and discover your history today!"
 * Alexander Street Press, American Civil War - Research Data: Contains indexed, searchable information on over 4 million soldiers and thousands of battles, together with 15,000 photographs. Letters and Diaries: Contains approximately 100,000 indexed pages of diaries, letters, and memoirs, including 4,000 pages of previously unpublished manuscripts, such as the letters of Amos Wood and his wife and the diary of Maryland planter William Claytor. Images, Photographs, Posters, and Ephemera: Provides a vivid history of the American Civil War with over 1,400 images.
 * Ancestry Family History Library Edition - Ancestry gives you access to thousands of collections of records from around the world, including immigration, census, voter, vital, and military records; newspapers and periodicals; family trees; photos and images; directories, maps, court, land, wills and financial records, stories, memories, and histories; and detailed records about births, marriages, deaths, land ownership, and much more. It is the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world.
 * ArkivDigital Online - ArkivDigital is the largest private provider of Swedish Church Records and other historical records online! All images are newly photographed color images of the original documents.
 * Find My Past - FindMyPast makes it easy to research your UK ancestry and create your family tree. Search census records and trace births, marriages, and deaths to bring your family history to life. 1911 British Census: The 1911 UK Census is a record of everyone who lived in England and Wales in 1911. It provides a unique snapshot of the lives of those who lived at that time.
 * Fold 3 - Search or browse millions of historical documents and photos. Fold3 has refocused their efforts on gathering the best online collection of military records and stories. The Fold3 name reflects military history and honor, since traditionally, the third fold in a flag-folding ceremony honors and remembers veterans for their sacrifice in defending their country and promoting peace in the world.
 * The Genealogist - English parish records, directories, census, civil registration, surname mapping, and selected army and navy lists.
 * Heritage Quest Online - Heritage Quest Online database is a collection of material for both genealogical and historical researchers, with coverage dating back to the late 1700s. Researchers can use HeritageQuest Online to find their ancestors, trace their paths across America, and learn what life was like in the areas where they settled. Searches include: Census: Find ancestors in the complete set of U.S. federal census images from 1790 to 1930, including name indexes for many years. Books: Find information on people and places described in over 24,000 family and local histories. PERSI Periodical Source Index™: Find information about people and places from this index of over 2 million genealogy and local history articles, updated annually. Revolutionary War: Search selected records from the Revolutionary War Era Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. Freedman’s Bank: Search for individuals in Freedman’s Bank (1865-1874), which was founded to serve African Americans. Includes a name index and images for bank depositors and their dependents and heirs. U.S. Serial Set: Search the Memorials, Petitions, and Private Relief Actions of the U.S. Congress in the LexisNexis® U.S. Serial Set.
 * Legacy Stories - Put the leaves on your family tree by giving voice to your ancestors. LegacyStories.Org is a social network for all things heritage. Provides a secure platform to upload stories and photos and add recorded narration. The resulting pictures, stories, and narration can be linked as source records on FamilySearch Family Tree. The site offers a full suite of exciting features including: Record oral photo narratives directly from your computer microphone, Multi-media story publisher, Social network for feedback and collaboration, Public archives to view and share stories, Five levels of privacy, and The Legacy Shop for heritage replayed books, DVDs equipment, software, etc.
 * Paper Trail - Provides access to 19th-century westward American migration documents.
 * World Vital Records - Access to birth, marriage, and death records; Social Security Death Index; family trees; census records; immigration records; court, land, and probate records; military records directory lists; newspapers, family histories, reference materials, biographies, wills, gravestone photos, ship manifests, map collections, and yearbook collections.

Hardware and Equipment
We have 3 computers, all with printer access. We have 2 microfilm readers and a microfiche reader available for use.

Staff Research Specialties
Our staff can offer extensive internet research, including searching census and vital records, as well as historical newspapers.

Training on FamilySearch Family Tree:
We focus especially on the new features: adding photos and stories.

Order microfilm and microfiche to be viewed in the FHC. See for help with setting up an account and ordering films.

Training on Indexing:

 * familysearch.org/volunteer/indexing - Download the FamilySearch Indexing Software
 * broadcast.lds.org/elearning/FHD/Local_Support/FamilySearchIndexing/EN/fsi_user_guide.pdf - User's Guide to FamilySearch Indexing
 * help.familysearch.org/publishing/347/102817_f.SAL_Public.html - Basic Guidelines for Indexing
 * broadcast.lds.org/elearning/FHD/product/en/familySearch_indexing/TestDrive/multiscreen.html - FamilySearch Indexing Test Drive - try it out before downloading to see how easy it is!

Resources in the Local Area
Wisconsin Historical Society www.wisconsinhistory.org/genealogy/

Rock County Genealogical Society www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wircgs/

Illinois State Genealogical Society www.ilgensoc.org/

Winnebago County Genealogy genealogytrails.com/ill/winnebago/

Winnebago and Boone Counties Genealogy www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilwbcgs/

Links
Wisconsin Research Wiki familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Wisconsin

Illinois Research Wiki familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Illinois

1940 United States Federal Census familysearch.org/1940census

United States Social Security Death Index familysearch.org/search/collection/1202535

Billiongraves Index familysearch.org/search/collection/2026973