Genealogy

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds.General birth index [microform], 1823-1932.

Milwaukee Micro Series 7

Index to the Register of Births (Milwaukee Micro Series 8), arranged by first letter of the surname, then chronologically. Provides full name of the infant, birth date, and volume and page of the register.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Register of births [microform], 1854-1911.

Milwaukee Micro Series 8

Register provides the child’s name, sex, color, date and place of birth, the names of living issue, the father’s name and birthplace, the mother’s maiden name and birthplace, the physician, and the date of registration and certification. Later records also provide information on illegitimacy and stillbirth. Volume numbers are given on the reel boxes; numbering started with letters of the alphabet before numerals. Volumes are arranged by date of registration, not birth date. The Register is indexed by the General Birth Index (Milwaukee Micro Series 7). View finding aid.

Wisconsin. Bureau of Health Statistics. Delayed registrations of births [microform], 1850-1907.

Wisconsin Series 2071

Records of Wisconsin births prior to 1907, which were reported between 1937 and 1942. Includes affidavits (1940-1942) filed by doctors or others attesting to each birth, and registers (1937-1940) in which information from affidavits is recorded. Information included in the registers is the child’s name, race, sex, date and place of birth, name and occupation of father, name of mother before marriage, birthplace of father and mother, names of other children, the name of the physician or person signing the affidavit, the residence of that person, date of affidavit, date of registration, and any additional circumstances. The affidavits contain similar information; they do not include date of registration nor note names of other children but do note whether any were stillborn. The affidavits also include the age of father and mother, occupation of mother, residence of father and mother, whether the birth was a single or multiple, and notary public’s signature. The registers are arranged alphabetically by county and then by assigned number. The affidavits are arranged alphabetical by county and then by birth date. The registers are indexed by name in the statewide “Index to Registrations of Birth.” The affidavits are not indexed.
Tip: The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee only has the seven reels containing delayed registrations for Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha Counties.
View finding aid.

Wisconsin. Bureau of Health Statistics. Index to registrations of births [microform], 1808-1907.

Wisconsin Series 2072

Statewide index to births recorded between 1852 and 1907 (earlier births often recorded years later). Shows name, date and county for each registrant, and reel and document number in the Registrations of Births (Wisconsin Series 2070). Also contains entries for reels 1-3 of the Delayed Registrations (Wisconsin Series 2071). Arranged in two parts: alphabetically by registrant’s name, and chronological by date of birth. Incomplete entries are located at the beginning of each part.

Wisconsin. Bureau of Health Statistics. Registrations of births [microform], 1852-1907.

Wisconsin Series 2070

Record of births made by the register of deeds in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha Counties and sent to the Bureau. Records show the individual’s name, race, sex, siblings and parents’ names, mother’s maiden name, time and place of birth, and other details. Also includes some births for 1808-1852, but recorded later. Arranged chronologically then by date of registration. Indexed by the Index to Registrations of Births. The Milwaukee County register is located in the Archives. View finding aid.

Greendale (Wis.). Clerk. Village Board proceedings, 1938-1945, 1963-1964, 1966-1969, 1971-1974.

Milwaukee Micro Series 1 and Milwaukee Series 22

Minutes of the village board of trustees; reports, resolutions, and petitions relating to the appointment of village officers and board committees; re-establishment of a new school district; contracts; payment of bills; and other village business. Also included is correspondence, petitions, court orders, censuses, and poll lists.

Joint School District No. 2, Towns of Oconomowoc and Ashippun (Waukesha County, Wis.). Monterey School records, 1867-1951.

Waukesha Series 11

Records of the Monterey School, including minutes of school board meetings, register of school officers and terms of office, district treasurers’ bonds, teachers’ contracts and yearly reports, register of orders drawn on the district treasurer, clerk’s annual reports, annual financial statements, cash receipts and disbursements, and auditing committee reports.

Mitchell (Sheboygan County, Wisconsin: Town). Town records [microform], 1850-1923.

Sheboygan Micro Series 1

Records include town board and town meeting proceedings (1855-1891), records of marks and brands (1871-1889), bills of sale (1876, 1894-1923), notices of change in the date of the annual school district meetings (1874, 1876), chattel mortgages (1871-1891), road and school districts (1871-1914), school census, receipts, and disbursements (1850-1861), and apportionment of school fund income and county school tax (1862-1891).

Ozaukee County (Wis.). Clerk. Census of population [microform], 1865.

Ozaukee Micro Series 1

State census shows the names of the heads of families; the number, race and sex of family members; the number of “deaf & dumb, blind and insane” in the family; and the number of foreign born in the family. The schedules are arranged by town. The names on the schedules are apparently in the order in which the enumerator visited the household except for those in Cedarburg which are in alphabetical order. The schedules for Belgium and Port Washington include the name of the spouse of the head of the family. The census also includes a report of the money raised by taxation and private subscription for payment of bounties to Civil War volunteers.

School District No. 9, Town of Waukesha (Waukesha County, Wis.). Clerk. Echo Glen School records, 1843-1946.

Waukesha Series 18

Records of the Echo Glen School, including district record books (1843-1941), which contain minutes of annual and special school district meetings, listings of orders drawn on the treasurer, and teacher’s contracts; annual reports and school censuses (1917-1924); treasurer’s reports (1855-1865); and other miscellaneous records.

School District No. 10, Town of Addison (Washington County, Wis.). Clerk. Allentown School records, 1887-1957.

Washington Series 12

Series contains miscellaneous records of the district. Includes an account book (1887-1918) of receipts and disbursements, and an annual census and reports (1918 and 1930-1933). The annual reports give a breakdown of school enrollment by grades and provide the names of parents and their children of school going age. An attendance register (1909-1915) illustrates the daily program study and recitation and also provides a record of attendance. A public hearing report on the proposed Slinger Union High School District (1957) is a verbatim transcript of the proceedings of the meeting. Record books (1887-1903) provide the minutes of the school district meetings, teacher’s contracts and treasurer’s bonds. There are also two scrapbooks put together by schoolchildren in Vasto, Italy, in 1926 which were sent to the schoolchildren in the school district. View finding aid.

Sheboygan County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Census of population [microform], 1865.

Sheboygan Series 13

Enumeration of residents as of June 1, 1865. Includes the names of the heads of families and the number of persons residing in each household, tabulated by sex and race. For each household, the number of deaf and dumb, blind, insane, and foreign born persons is also given. Arranged by township.

Ahavas Scholem Congregation (Sheboygan, Wis.). Records, 1903-1952.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection DH and Milwaukee Micro Collection 13

Photostats of a minute book and miscellaneous records; financial records (1908-1937) on microfilm. Some records are in Yiddish.

Baron, Joseph L., 1894-1960. Papers, 1910-1960.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 173 and Milwaukee Micro Collection 45

Papers of a Wisconsin Reform rabbi whose Milwaukee rabbinical career at Temple Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun spanned the years 1926 to 1960. The collection documents his school years at Columbia University, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and Hebrew Union College from 1910 to 1920, and highlights the many achievements of his rabbinical career (1920-1960). Included is information on the establishment of synagogues in Madison and Waukesha, Wisconsin, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and the establishment of the Milwaukee Round Table of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Milwaukee Jewish Council, the Wisconsin Society for Jewish Learning, the Wisconsin Jewish Archives, and the Department of Hebrew Studies at the University of Wisconsin. View finding aid.

Barquist, Barbara. History of Summit Cemetery (Waukesha County, Wis.), 1836-1989.

Milwaukee Small Collection 173

The history, compiled by Barbara and David Barquist, includes an alphabetical list of burials at the cemetery which contains date of birth, date of death, age at death, lot number and cause of death.

Beth El Congregation (Sheboygan, Wis.). Dedication and 20th anniversary celebration booklet, 1964.

Milwaukee Small Collection 182

Dedication and twentieth anniversary celebration booklet of a Jewish congregation in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The program contains a short history and photographs of the congregation and its rabbis.

Central United Methodist Church (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1844-1973.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection AT, Milwaukee Micro Collection 3, and Milwaukee Micro Collection 56

Records of a church formed in 1969 from two urban predecessor congregations: the First Methodist Church and the Wesley Methodist Church. The files include church bulletins (1900-1973); sacramental records (1892-1933); financial records dating to 1844; records of the Milwaukee Missionary Society; and information on various remodeling efforts.

Also includes minutes of the church, dating to 1853, which are not complete but are the most important source on the history of the congregation. Minutes of special meetings (1906-1966) are available on Milwaukee Micro Collection 3. The sermons of Ensworth Reisner (1943-1973) are available on Milwaukee Micro Collection 56. For Wesley Methodist there are sacramental records (1883-1922), collected historical materials, and some ministerial subject files from the 1960s. There are few records from the Central United Methodist Church itself. View finding aid.

Church and Cemetery Records (Genealogical Society of Utah Project): Milwaukee County, Wisconsin [microform], 1836-1982.

Milwaukee Micro Collection 70

Collection contains various types of records for numerous Milwaukee County churches and some cemeteries. The denominations include Baptist, Catholic, Christian, Congregational, Episcopal, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, Methodist Episcopal, Moravian, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ. The microfilm contains baptismal, communion, funeral, interment, marriage, membership, probation, and other records. Some of the records, especially those from the nineteenth century, are in German.
Tip: Records for Holy Cross Cemetery, Pilgrim’s Rest Cemetery, and Wanderer’s Rest Cemetery are available online at FamilySearch.

View finding aid.

Church and Cemetery Records (Genealogical Society of Utah Project): Ozaukee County, Wisconsin [microform], 1808-1982.

Milwaukee Micro Collection 66

Collection contains various types of records for numerous Ozaukee County churches. The denominations include Congregational, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, and Methodist Episcopal. The microfilm contains baptismal, communion, funeral, interment, marriage, membership, probation, and other records. Most of the records, especially those from the nineteenth century, are in German. View finding aid.

Church and Cemetery Records (Genealogical Society of Utah Project): Sheboygan County, Wisconsin [microform], 1839-1987.

Milwaukee Micro Collection 68

Collection contains various types of records for numerous Sheboygan County churches. The denominations include Congregational, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Reformed. The microfilm contains baptismal, communion, funeral, interment, marriage, membership, probation, and other records. Some of the records, especially those from the nineteenth century, are in German, and a few are in Dutch. View finding aid.

Church and Cemetery Records (Genealogical Society of Utah Project): Washington County, Wisconsin [microform], 1761-1983.

Milwaukee Micro Collection 65

Collection contains various types of records for numerous Washington County churches. The denominations include Congregational, Episcopal, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, Methodist Episcopal, and United Church of Christ. The microfilm contains baptismal, communion, funeral, interment, marriage, membership, probation, and other records. Some of the records, especially those from the nineteenth century, are in German, and a few are in Dutch. View finding aid.

Church and Cemetery Records (Genealogical Society of Utah Project): Waukesha County, Wisconsin [microform], 1805-1975.

Milwaukee Micro Collection 67

Collection contains various types of records for numerous Waukesha County churches. The denominations include Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, Evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, Methodist Episcopal, and United Church of Christ. The microfilm contains baptismal, communion, funeral, interment, marriage, membership, probation, and other records. Some of the records, especially those from the nineteenth century, are in German, and a few are in Dutch. View finding aid.

Community United Church of Christ (Elkhart Lake, Wis.). Records [microform], 1863-1983.

Milwaukee Micro Collection 19

Records of the church and its predecessors, Trinity Reformed Church and St. John’s Evangelical Church; including sacramental records, minutes, records of women’s guilds, and other records. Until the late 1930s, the entries are in German. Also included are brief records of St. John’s Evangelical Church of Greenbush, Wisconsin, and of Evangelical Peace Church of Plymouth, Wisconsin. The relationship of these two churches to the Elkhart Lake churches is unknown. View finding aid.

Congregation Adas Israel (Sheboygan, Wis.). Records, [ca. 1900]-1931.

Milwaukee Micro Collection 14

Minutes and financial records in Hebrew or Yiddish of a Sheboygan Jewish congregation.

Congregation Anshe Sfard (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1948-1970.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection EG

Records of an Orthodox Milwaukee Jewish congregation founded in 1893, containing constitutions of the congregation and its men’s club; burial, death, and family information; contracts for using the synagogue’s facilities; and financial records. View finding aid.

Congregation Beth Israel (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1900-1956, 1966.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection CY

Scattered records, some in Hebrew and Yiddish, of a Milwaukee Jewish congregation, containing annual reports (1921-1946); financial records, including a general ledger (1944-1947), cashbooks (1922-1947), membership and contribution books (1920-1944); and a brief subject file. View finding aid.

Eman-el B’ne Jeshurun Congregation (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1856-1935.

Milwaukee Small Collection 178 and Milwaukee Micro Collection 15

Minutes (1869-1927) and constitution of Emanu-el Congregation; minutes (1875-1927) and constitution of B’ne Jeshrum Congregation; minutes (1927-1935) of Emanu-el B’ne Jeshurun Congregation; and constitution of Temple Anshe Emmeth (1856).

Ely, Donald H., 1883-1967. Drawings, [ca. 1941].

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection DP

Undated drawings done by a Milwaukee interior designer who did work for churches and private home owners; mainly of interiors, particularly window treatments, but also including an exterior view of the Kenwood Methodist Church; accompanied by biographical notes supplied by Mrs. Ely.

First Unitarian Society (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1841-[ongoing].

UWM Manuscript Collection 175

This collection contains the records of the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, the first Unitarian-Universalist church in southeastern Wisconsin. The majority of the records date from the 1930s through 2000. Earlier items include newspaper clippings from the 1840s, as well as Board of Trustees minutes from 1859. Some of the more interesting items in the collection are the original Bonds of Union for the Society, a long run of Board minutes, a large number of transcribed sermons, and over a forty-year run of the church newsletter. View finding aid.

Fisher, Cecil A., 1899- . Papers, 1921-1966.

Milwaukee Small Collection 51

This collection contains the papers of Reverend Cecil A. Fisher, concerning St. Mark’s African Methodist Episcopal Church in Milwaukee.

Free Will Baptist Church (Greenbush, Wis.). Records, 1848-1927.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 150

Contains the clerk’s record books (1848-1927) and treasurer’s book (1899-1913) of the Free Will Baptist Church. The clerk’s books contain minutes of the covenant and trustees meetings as well as other notes taken by the clerk, often relating to funerals of members, and church finances. Also included are membership records (1888-ca. 1927).

Friedens United Church of Christ (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1882-1968.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 163

Records of the Friedens United Church of Christ, organized in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1869 as the Friedens Evangelical Church, a congregation of German Americans. The collection consists mainly of financial records which also include information about membership and clues about church activities. There is also a record book of baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths, communion, and special offerings between the years 1914 and 1928. A scrapbook in the collection includes a 60th anniversary brochure with brief historical notes, and also includes clippings, orders of worship, and other memorabilia. There are two photographs in the collection, including an image of what is presumably the first church built in 1869, and an unidentified group of men in front of it. The earliest records are in German. View finding aid.

Grand Avenue Congregational Church (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1857-1998.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 128

Records, mainly 1910-1998, of a Milwaukee church founded in 1847 as the Free Congregational Church, later known as the Spring Street Congregational Church, and renamed the Grand Avenue Congregational Church (GAC) in 1881. Since 1961 the congregation was a member of the United Church of Christ. Included are published histories and information on anniversary observances; newspaper clippings and photographs; minutes and correspondence of congregational meetings, the Church Council, and many governing boards and committees; financial and other administrative records; incomplete membership records, and numerous publications including annual reports, newsletters, and church bulletins. Activities of the women in the congregation are documented by minutes, financial information, and other records of the Women’s Guild and its many circles, the Home and Foreign Missionary societies, and other groups. The collection also includes information on the United Church of Christ merger and on participation in area ecumenical activities.  The church closed in 1997 and the collection contains documentation on the closing and sale of the building, which had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. View finding aid.

Gurda, Francis S., 1895-1976. Papers, 1886-1981.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 49

Papers of a Milwaukee Polish American architect and engineer, containing architectural drawings of Milwaukee public and private buildings, including St. Adalbert’s Church, St. Francis Hospital, Lincoln State Bank, and the Convent Hill Low Rent Housing Project; a family tree and other papers of genealogical interest; and family photographs, including a World War I photo of Company K, 127th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Division. View finding aid.

Holy Name Polish National Catholic Church (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1954-1980.

Milwaukee Small Collection 117

Records of the oldest Polish National Catholic Church in Milwaukee (founded 1914), consisting of anniversary albums and programs of the church and its pastor, a parish hymnal and songbook, and other materials. View finding aid.

Hope United Church of Christ (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1894-1979.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 190

Records of a Milwaukee United Church of Christ congregation formed in 1953 by the merger of Faith Evangelical and Reformed Church (formerly Evangelische Glaubens Gemeinde, which was organized in 1897) and the German Evangelical Salem Congregation (formerly Deutsch Evangelische Salems Gemeinde). Records include minutes of board and congregational meetings, financial records, and minutes and other records of various church organizations such as Sunday schools, choirs, and men’s, women’s and youth guilds. Records of the Salem congregation are written in German until 1929. View finding aid.

Immanuel Presbyterian Church (Milwaukee, Wis.). Indexes, 1837-1880.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection BT

Contains card indexes of persons received and dismissed at the church.

Krukar, Phyllis. Papers, 1928-1956.

Milwaukee Small Collection Oversize 3

Miscellaneous family and other papers collected by Phyllis Krukar (nee Kowalski), including a chronicle of meetings and a summary of costs prepared in 1928 for the St. Adalbert (Sw. Wojciech) Parish building committee, on which Mrs. Krukar’s father, Frank (Franciszek) Kowalski served, a photocopy of Proroctwo Michaldy (1948), a popular book of prophecies; and a holy card from the 1956 burial Mass of Al Simmons (Szymanski), the baseball star. There is also a photocopy of the “Call to Colors,” listing men in service with Co. K, 127th Infantry, 32nd Division, 1940-1941, and a photograph of company officers, Camp Livingston, Louisiana, March 1941. Emil Krukar, husband of the donor, was an officer with Co. K, which was organized as the Kosciuszko Guard in 1874. View finding aid.

Kucharski, Thaddeus M. Papers, 1914-1960.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 31

Collected papers of a Milwaukee resident, documenting his involvement with several parish theatrical groups of St. Hedwig’s Catholic church, his children’s school years, and family church activities. Personal and church records are for the most part interrelated, and include a handwritten personal financial journal (probably kept by Kucharski’s wife, Mary), a receipt book for special donations to St. Hedwig’s, a 1942 photo of Kucharski and other officers of St. Hedwig’s Holy Name Society, and a photo of Mary Kucharski and other miscellaneous records of the Home and School Association and of the Confraternity of Christian Mothers. Other church records include minutes of the committee (of which Kucharski was a member) formed to plan the diamond jubilee celebration of St. Hedwig’s (1946), a program commemorating the golden Jubilee of the church organist (1943), a 1949 program for the dedication of the new organ, constitutions of St. Hedwig’s Civic Association and the Usher’s Society, and the initiation ceremony for members of St. Hedwig’s Alumni Association. View finding aid.

Kwasniewski, Roman B. J., 1886-1980. Photographs, 1907-1947.

UWM Manuscript Collection 19

Kwasniewski was a photographer who worked in Milwaukee’s Polish American community (Polonia). Most of the pictures were created by Kwasniewski at his Park Studio in Milwaukee. Many of the photographic images depict family events such as anniversaries, first communions, funerals, graduations, and weddings. View finding aid.

Methodist-Episcopal Church (Sheboygan, Wis.). Records, 1877-1938.

Milwaukee Micro Collection 50

Record book containing lists of church members officers, and records of baptisms and marriages, partly written in Norwegian.

Mount Carmel Lutheran Church (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1952-1958.

UWM Manuscript Collection 110

The collection contains brief histories and photographs of the Mount Carmel Lutheran Church. The photographs include church exteriors and photographs of the church’s tenth anniversary banquet. View finding aid.

New Hope United Church of Christ (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1969-1993.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 162

Records of an urban congregation located on the near south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and incorporated circa 1977. Organizational records include the congregation’s constitution, correspondence, minutes of council meetings, and minutes of committee meetings. Subject files include correspondence, flyers, guidelines, notes, and other materials pertaining to church governance and to projects in which the congregation was engaged such as a food pantry, a child care center, an outreach ministry in the Hispanic community, and a health care program in partnership with the Marquette University nursing school. A 1989 grant proposal to the Lilly Endowment contains an excellent description of the church and its programs. The collection also contains unidentified photographs of the church building and parishioners. View finding aid.

Otis, John P. Church Histories Collection, 1967-2002.

UWM Manuscript Collection 8

The collection consists of John P. Otis’s photographs and compiled histories of about 5,000 Wisconsin churches and a few synagogues, acquired over a twenty-year period. The photographs usually consist of a single 3″ x 3″ color exterior image of the building, kept in twenty albums. The photographs are indexed by “history” cards, arranged by locality. The collection includes four boxes of negatives, in no apparent order; and seventy-two maps showing the routes Otis traveled and the location of many of the churches he photographed.

Otis compiled the history of the churches through a standard form which requested the year the church was founded, the first pastor, and denomination or sect. A number of the respondents provided additional historical information. The forms are maintained in files, arranged by locality and/or county, which also containing published histories of the churches, and newsclippings. The collection includes Otis’s correspondence (1968-1979) concerning the acquisition of materials; the development of the project; miscellaneous faith and denomination histories; newsclippings; solicitation of funds; and efforts to donate the collection. View finding aid.

Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Records, 1911-1980.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 62

The records of the Polish Roman Catholic Union include material from state, circuit, and individual society levels. Although individual societies were formed originally at particular parishes, the tendency in recent years has been for groups to hold meetings at the PRCU hall; some of the records in this collection were left at the hall after such meetings and collected by the donors. Other items came into the possession of Harriett Nowaczyk following merger of individual societies with the Pol-Americ Society, at which time their records were turned over to that group. Thus, the collection is composed of anniversary programs and books, and of partial records of four individual societies which no longer exist: St. Dorothy (Sw. Dorothy) Group No. 526, St. Florentine (Sw. Florentyny) Group No. 591, St. Anne (Sw. Anny) Group No. 781, and St. Clara Group No. 1218. View finding aid.

Stubbe, Ray W., 1938- . The Reverend Doctor William Keller Frick: Papers, letters, “Milwaukee notes,” articles, notices, and other pertinent material concerning his work, 1965.

Milwaukee Small Collection 216

A 253 page typescript compiled and with an introduction by Stubbe. Frick (1850-1918) was a Lutheran clergyman, church organizer, and writer who came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1889 and organized the first English Lutheran congregation in Wisconsin the following year.

Zoar Reformed Church (Rhine, Wis.). Record book, 1862-1969.

Milwaukee Small Collection 157

Record book of a German Reformed congregation which dissolved in 1969; including baptismal records (1862-1969); confirmation, marriage, burial, and communion records (1908-1969); and membership and other records.

Milwaukee city directories are available in the general stacks of the UWM Libraries (call number: F589 .M6 A18), as well as at the Milwaukee County Historical Society, the Milwaukee Public Library, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Archives, and the Legislative Reference Bureau.

For other cities, please visit your local public library or search online through FamilySearch.

Lyndon (Sheboygan County, Wis. : Town). Clerk. Records, 1849-1978.

Sheboygan Series 24

Collection consists of clerk’s general record books (1849-1967); treasurer’s account books (1883-1978); election records (1868-1907); justice of the peace dockets (1858-1926); and a highway record book (1868-1901).

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Milwaukee County). Cases appealed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, ca. 1913-1984.

Milwaukee Series 46

Case files of civil and criminal cases appealed from the Milwaukee County Circuit Court to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, mostly dating from the 1950s and 1960s. After deciding the case, the Supreme Court returned the case files to the Milwaukee Circuit Court. The files contain materials used in the Circuit Court trials, including affidavits, appeals, complaints, orders, transcripts of hearings and trials, and other legal documents. Some files include the Supreme Court’s decision and evidence presented at the trials. The collection is indexed by defendant’s and plaintiff’s name and by case number. View finding aid.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Sheboygan County). Criminal minute books, 1957-1970.

Sheboygan Series 11

Contains a brief outline of all criminal actions taken, including charges, jurors, witnesses, exhibits, verdicts, and sentences. Arranged by date of trial.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Sheboygan County). Criminal record books, 1898-1955.

Sheboygan Series 12

Record of action in each criminal case, arranged chronologically by the date of the first action taken.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Sheboygan County). Journals, 1860-1879.

Sheboygan Series 9

Record of civil and criminal proceedings in open court, arranged chronologically.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Sheboygan County). Minute books, 1846-1962.

Sheboygan Series 10

Contains a brief outline of all actions taken in open court, arranged chronologically. View finding aid.

Wisconsin. County Court (Sheboygan County). Criminal docket, 1873-1935.

Sheboygan Series 18

Contains a summary of actions in each criminal case, arranged chronologically by the date of the first action taken.

Wisconsin. Justice of the Peace (Milwaukee: Town). Dockets, 1856-1903.

Milwaukee Series 10

Records of cases in the town of Milwaukee, including names of defendants, charges, papers served, testimony, and disposition of cases.

Wisconsin. Justice of the Peace (Saukville). Records, 1882-1952.

Ozaukee Series 6

Dockets record both criminal and civil proceedings, and contain names of plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses, attorneys, and presiding justice; dates of complaints, summonses, warrants, motions, and judgments; an account of testimony; information on verdicts records; and court fees and costs incurred. Contains an index, alphabetically arranged, sometimes by plaintiff, sometimes by defendant. Includes juror’s oath and list of court fees.

Wisconsin. Justice of the Peace (West Bend). Docket, 1865-1890.

Washington Series 6

Dockets contain civil cases and prosecutions, and show names of plaintiffs and defendants, dates of appearances, summaries of testimony, and action taken by the court.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Index of deaths [microform], 1872-1916.

Milwaukee Micro Series 10

Index to the Register of deaths (Milwaukee Micro Series 11), providing name, date of death, and volume and page number in the Register. Some names in the Index are not in the Register, and vice versa. Arranged by year of volume, then by surname, then by date of death. Unnamed children are listed as “s. of,” “d. of,” or “child of,” and then by the fathers name. View finding aid.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Register of deaths [microform], 1852-1912.

Milwaukee Micro Series 11

Register provides name, sex, color, date of birth, age, marital status, birthplace, name and birthplace of father, maiden name and birthplace of mother, occupation, death date and cause, place of burial, and place of death. Register is arranged by volume number and registered death, and is indexed by the Index of Deaths (Milwaukee Micro Series 10). View finding aid.

Wisconsin. Bureau of Health Statistics. Index to registrations of deaths [microform], 1852-1907.

Wisconsin Series 2069

Statewide index, including Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha Counties, to deaths recorded between 1852-1907, arranged alphabetically. For each entry, shows names of deceased, date and county of death, and volume and page number in the Registrations of Deaths (Wisconsin Series 2068).

Wisconsin. Bureau of Health Statistics. Registrations of deaths [microform], 1852-1907.

Wisconsin Series 2068

Record of deaths made by the register of deeds in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha Counties and sent to the Bureau. Records show name; race; sex; occupation; place of birth; names of parents and spouse; date, place, and cause of death; place of burial; and other details. Indexed by the Index to Registrations of Deaths. View finding aid.

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Fire Dept. Record of calls, 1927-1952.

Milwaukee Series 7

Fire chief’s report of calls made by the department describing the nature, location, and cause of fire or accident; damages to property; roll of personnel answering each call; and related information. Reports are incomplete before 1932.

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Police Dept. Daily reports, 1942-1945.

Milwaukee Series 8

Daily reports of police activities showing the time and nature of activity and a summary of police actions, including traffic and accident calls, criminal investigations, family and neighborhood complaints, and civil defense work.

West Allis (Wis.). Police Dept. Criminal complaints registers, 1928-1963.

Milwaukee Series 13

Contains the criminal complaints registers of the West Allis Police Department. Each volume contains a table of contents on the inside front cover with complaints listed in two categories: a property index and an offense index. The property index includes entries for personal property thefts, such as automobile, clothing, jewelry, etc. The entries list the complainant, location where theft occurred, the item which was taken, and the name or description of offender when known.

The offense index includes assaults, burglaries, and complaints of indecent or immoral behavior in the early volumes. In later volumes, the registers were expanded to include gambling and liquor offenses, labor disputes, public gatherings and riots, counterfeiting, fires (generally false alarms), and business transaction complaints. Labor disputes, public gatherings, and riots were usually related and involved strikes, picketing, and violence against employees and employers. The record also came to include entries on children, narcotics use, and requests received from other law enforcement agencies. The individual entries for the previous offenses include the person or agency filing the complaint, where the offense occurred, and a description of the offense and offender if available. View finding aid.

West Allis (Wis.). Police Dept. Daily communications log, 1915-1963.

Milwaukee Series 12

Daily logs of telephone calls and other communications from citizens and police officers with a summary record of the police response. The logs record primarily non-criminal incidents including family quarrels, lost children, traffic accidents, health emergencies, and a great variety of other situations involving police officers.

West Bend (Wis.). Police Dept. Justice docket, 1944-1947.

Washington Series 7

Records usually deal with motor vehicle violations, but some deal with larceny, drunkenness, and disturbing the peace. Contains defendants’ names, complaints, dates of appearances, bills of costs, summaries of testimony, and actions taken.

Tip: Divorce records are generally found in our court records. For basic information such as names and dates, see the index to divorce records from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, which is available online through FamilySearch.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Certificates of marriage [microform], 1836-1876.

Milwaukee Series 39

Copies of actual certificates of marriage, from which the register of marriages was created. Certificates are indexed in the Index of Marriages (Milwaukee Micro Series 12). View finding aid.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Index of marriages [microform], 1830-1918.

Milwaukee Micro Series 12

Index, arranged by date of volume, then by letter of alphabet, then by date of marriage, to the Register of Marriages (Milwaukee Micro Series 13) and Certificates of Marriage (Milwaukee Series 39). View finding aid.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Register of marriages [microform], 1836-1911.

Milwaukee Micro Series 13

Registers are arranged by date of volume, then alphabetical by year covered, then by date of marriage. Also provides name of husband and wife, parents of both, and birthplace of husband. Indexed through the Index of Marriages (Milwaukee Micro Series 12). The Index covers dates beyond the coverage of the Register. View finding aid.

Wisconsin. Bureau of Health Statistics. Index to registrations of marriages [microform], 1852-1907.

Wisconsin Series 2074

Index to marriages recorded in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha Counties between 1852-1907, with some entries for earlier marriages. Each entry shows name of husband and wife, marriage date, and volume and page number in the Registrations of Marriages (Wisconsin Series 2073). Arranged by county, then by chronological segments, then alphabetically by husband’s surname.

Wisconsin. Bureau of Health Statistics. Statewide index to registrations of marriages [microform], 1852-1907.

Wisconsin Series 2109

Statewide index, including the counties of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha, providing the names of the husband and wife, the date of marriage, and the volume and page number where recorded in the Register of Marriages.

Wisconsin. Bureau of Health Statistics.Registrations of marriages [microform], 1836-1907.

Wisconsin Series 2073

Record of marriages recorded by Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha Counties’ registers of deeds and sent to the Bureau. Records show individuals’ names, birthplaces, names of parents of each, occupation and residence of husband, date and place of marriage, and other details. Indexed by the Index to Registrations of Marriages. View finding aid.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Court ordered name changes, 1871-1977.

Milwaukee Micro Series 9

List of name changes ordered by the courts, provided in two parts. The first part lists the names before the change, and covers 1890-1977, arranged by letter of the alphabet then by date of filing. The second part lists names after the change, and covers 1871-1976, arranged by letter of the alphabet then by date of filing. View finding aid.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Ozaukee County). Naturalization records [microforms], 1842-1906.

Ozaukee Series 11

The collection contains two microfilm reels of indexes (reels 1 and 2) and two microfilm reels of records (reels 3 and 4). Included is an A-Z index of the records (1853-1906), followed by a listing of index cards that do not have corresponding records (1842-1904). The records contain declarations of intention (1858-1906), petitions for naturalization (1854-1855, 1904-1906), and certificates of naturalization (1850-1905). The index reels are arranged alphabetically by surname. Volume and page numbers are located in the upper right hand corner of each index card. View finding aid.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Sheboygan County). Naturalization records, 1851-1982.

Sheboygan Series 8

Declarations of intent (1860-1978), petitions (1857-1906), naturalization certificates (1859-1980), depositions and petitions denied (1911-1930), stubbooks to certificates (1907-1926), and alphabetical index. View finding aid.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Washington County). Naturalization records, 1845-1963.

Washington Series 10

Records include declarations of intention (1855-1959), petitions and certificates (1845-1963), an index to these records, orders granting and denying petitions (1929-1963), repatriation records (1941-1944), and an index to these records. Collection is arranged by the type of record and is chronological or alphabetical thereunder. Most of the items are available on microfilm. View finding aid.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Waukesha County). Naturalization records, 1847-1955.

Waukesha Series 42

Records of naturalization proceedings in the Circuit Court of Waukesha County. Records include declarations of intention (1847-1954), petitions (1881-1955), certificates of naturalization (1847-1906), indexes to these records (1847-1955), and ancillary records (1924-1955). View finding aid.

Tip: Occasionally people were naturalized at the United States District Court of Wisconsin. Those records are held by the National Archives and Records Administration and are available online through FamilySearch.

See also Tax and Assessment Records

Lyndon (Sheboygan County, Wis. : Town). Clerk. Records, 1849-1978.

Sheboygan Series 24

Collection consists of clerk’s general record books (1849-1967), treasurer’s account books (1883-1978), election records (1868-1907), justice of the peace dockets (1858-1926), and a highway record book (1868-1901). View finding aid.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Deeds, 1835-1886.

Milwaukee Micro Series 16

Documents show the conveyance of real estate from grantor to grantee, and includes the date of recording; the names and addresses of grantor and grantee; the consideration paid by the grantee; the receipt acknowledged by grantor; the legal description of land sold; encumbrances, if any; and the signature of grantor. Arranged chronologically by volume, then by date and time of filing. Indexed by the Grantee Index to Deeds (Milwaukee Micro Series 14) and Grantor Index to Deeds (Milwaukee Micro Series 15).

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Grantee index to deeds, 1835-1907.

Milwaukee Micro Series 14

Provides the names of grantor and grantee and the volume and page number in the register of Deeds (Milwaukee Micro Series 16). Volumes are arranged chronologically; within each volume grantee names are alphabetically arranged by surname.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Grantee index to mortgages, 1836-1901.

Milwaukee Micro Series 18

Index to the register of Mortgages (Milwaukee Micro Series 19) providing the names and addresses of the grantor and grantee; the type of instrument, such as chattel mortgage, partial release, or assignment of mortgage; the instrument number; and the volume and page number where the mortgage is recorded in the register. Arranged chronologically then alphabetically by surname.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Grantor index to deeds, 1839-1900.

Milwaukee Micro Series 15

Provides the names of the grantor and grantee; the date and time of the recording of the deed; the type of instrument used in conveyance; and the volume and page in the Deeds books (Milwaukee Micro Series 16). Arranged chronologically by volume, then alphabetically by surname.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Grantor index to mortgages, 1836-1876.

Milwaukee Micro Series 17

Index to the register of Mortgages (Milwaukee Micro Series 19), providing the names and addresses of the grantor and grantee; the type of instrument used, such as chattel mortgage, partial release, or assignment of mortgage; the instrument number; and the volume and page number where the mortgage is recorded in the register. Arranged chronologically by volume, then alphabetically by surname.

Ozaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Deeds [microform], 1835-1911.

Ozaukee Series 13

Documents recording the conveyance of real estate. Entries show number and type of deed, date, names of grantor and grantee, description of property, names of witnesses, amount paid, date recorded, and notarial acknowledgement. Deeds span 1835-1889, with a few in volume 19 that were recorded through 1911. Indexed by Grantor/Grantee Indexes (Ozaukee Series 9). View finding aid.

Ozaukee County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Grantor/Grantee indexes [microform], 1835-1908.

Ozaukee Series 9

Index to Ozaukee County real estate deeds (Ozaukee Series 13) noting the names of grantors (sellers) and grantees (purchasers). Noted are the date and time the deed was recorded, the names of the grantor and grantee, the type of instrument, a description of the property, and sometimes the volume and page number of the deed record where the instrument is recorded. View finding aid.

Sherry, Edward Paddock, 1871-1941. Sherry Family business papers, 1853-1961.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection EK

Papers document the business ventures of three generations of the Sherry family, containing information on more than twenty business concerns in the Park Falls, Milwaukee, and Neenah areas. Most thoroughly covered are the affairs of the Wisconsin Realty Company of Milwaukee, the Winnebago Realty Company of Neenah and Milwaukee, and the Flambeau Paper Company of Park Falls. All the firms apparently were centrally administered by the Sherrys and thus can be viewed as a single large enterprise rather than numerous small businesses. Most of the collection dates from 1898-1941 when Edward P. Sherry directed the family’s interests.The largest group of records documents Edward’s running of the Wisconsin Realty Company, and its involvement in the building of the Flambeau Reservoir (now called the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage), and the development of dams and electric power along the Wolf River in Langlade County. Records prior to 1898 consist largely of land deeds, grants, and patents, with fragmentary correspondence and financial records. For the post-1940 period various types of records exist, but all are fragmentary. View finding aid.

Washington County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Deeds, 1835-1890.

Washington Series 16

These records provide the names of persons involved in land transfers, a description of the land, and the amount of money involved. This series is arranged chronologically. The Grantor Index (Washington Series 17) provides alphabetical references to each volume.

Waukesha County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Deeds, 1839-1885.

Waukesha Series 32

Warranty, quit claims, and other deeds and government land patents for land recorded in Waukesha County. Volumes A-G are transactions recorded in Milwaukee County (1839-1855) including land patents from the U.S. Land Office in Milwaukee. Arranged in rough chronological order. Indexed by the Grantor/Grantee Indexes (Waukesha Series 31).

Waukesha County (Wis.). Register of Deeds. Grantor/Grantee indexes, 1839-1885.

Waukesha Series 31

Indexes to names of grantors (sellers) and grantees (purchasers) of warranty, quit claim, and other deeds and of government land patents in Waukesha County. Within the index are separate listings for the grantor and grantee, which are listed alphabetically by surname and then by the order in which the transaction actually appears in the volumes.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Milwaukee County). Index of lis pendens, 1857-1902.

Milwaukee Micro Series 20

Index to Lis Pendens (Milwaukee Micro Series 21), providing the date of filing, the names of the defendants and plaintiffs; the type of document; the name of the attorney; the number assigned to the document by the register of deeds; a legal description of real estate; the time of attachment or sale; and the amount of indebtedness. Vols. 1-5 are arranged in chronological spans and then alphabetically by defendant’s surname. Vols. 6-10 are chronological only.

Wisconsin. Circuit Court (Milwaukee County). Lis Pendens, 1857-1886.

Milwaukee Micro Series 21

A lis pendens is a notice that an action has been commenced and is pending in court upon the complaint of the plaintiff against the defendant on the foreclosure of a mortgage. Documents show the court of jurisdiction; the document number and date of filing; the name of plaintiff and defendant; the date and identification of the mortgage; a description of real estate involved; and the signature of the plaintiff’s attorney. Indexed by the Index of Lis Pendens (Milwaukee Micro Series 20). View finding aid.

Wisconsin. County Court (Milwaukee County). Probate case files, 1836-1910, 1928-1930.

Milwaukee Series 38

Contains documents filed in the probate of estates, including petitions, orders, letters of administration, wills, and inventories of estates. Arranged by case number. The case files are indexed in the Probate Index (Milwaukee Series 37).
Tip: If the reel number is not indicated in the index, users should contact the Milwaukee County Register in Probate’s Office for the proper reel location.

Wisconsin. County Court (Milwaukee County). Probate index, 1815-1981.

Milwaukee Series 37

Name index to the Probate Case Files (Milwaukee Series 38). Arranged alphabetically, the index lists the name, case number and category, including administration of estates, filling of wills, and guardianships.

Wisconsin. County Court (Ozaukee County). Index to probate case files, 1849-1900.

Ozaukee Series 15

Name index to the Probate Case Files (Ozaukee Series 10). Arranged alphabetically.

Wisconsin. County Court (Ozaukee County). Probate case files, 1849-1900.

Ozaukee Series 10

Documents filed in court concerning the settlement of deceased individuals’ estates. Included are wills, inventories of real and personal property, reports and accounts of administrators or executors, statements of claims against estates, notes of resale or real and/or personal property, warrants, contracts, sworn testimony, and similar records. Indexed by the Index to Probate Case Files (Ozaukee Series 15).

Wisconsin. County Court (Sheboygan County). Probate records, 1882-1928.

Sheboygan Series 17

The series consists of four groups of bound records: wills, a record of claims, final judgments, and the tax on legacies. The three volumes of wills (1860-1871, 1889-1899, 1899-1902) contain a summary of proceedings, including a copy of the last will and testament; executor’s bond; orders for appraisal and disposal of property, appointment of executor, and limiting time for creditors to make claims; and various affidavits and petitions. The record of claims (1882-1915) provides the name of the person being claimed against, the date and amount of claim, and the person making the claim. An index is at the front of the volume and on pages 400-413. The series also contains a volume of final judgments of probate (1899-1928) arranged chronologically. A volume recording taxes on legacies (1903-1906) is arranged by the date the petition was filed and provides the place and date of death; the estimated value of property; the date and amount of the inventory of property; and the heirs at large, legatees, and devisees.

Wisconsin. County Court (Washington County). Index to probate case files [microform], 1855-1979.

Washington Series 13

Information includes the individual’s name, type of case, case file number, and court record volume and page number. View finding aid.

Wisconsin. County Court (Waukesha County). Probate case files, ca. 1855-1964.

Waukesha Micro Series 1

Probate case files contain records relating to the settlement of deceased individuals’ estates. Records included are the inventories of real and personal property, reports and accounts of administrators and executors, statements of claims against estates, petitions and records relating to suits against estates, petitions and court orders for sale of real and/or personal property; warrants, contracts, sworn testimony, and similar records.
Tip: To use these reels, a researcher must first contact the Waukesha County Register in Probate’s office to obtain a numeric document number from their index. Be sure to ask for a “document number” rather than a “box number” or “case number.” The index to these reels is not available at the UWM libraries or at the Wisconsin Historical Society.
View finding aid.

Barton (Wis.). Assessor. Assessment rolls, 1940-1960.

Washington Series 15

Assessment rolls covering both real property and personal property. Rolls show name of property owner, legal description of real property including land and improvements, classification of taxable personal property, assessed valuation of real property and taxable personal property, and taxes levied. Arranged by year. Each volume is divided into a real property section and a personal property section. The real property section is arranged by assessment number or subdivision/section name. The personal property section is arranged by last name of property owner.

Blood, Ira, 1811-1868. Papers, 1836-ca. 1863.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 166

Papers of Blood, a surveyor active in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, as early as 1836. Included are sketches and survey maps (some in watercolor), descriptions of interior lines, and field notes primarily for Waukesha County, but also relating to portions of Milwaukee, Racine and Walworth Counties. In addition there are lists of property owners, assessment rates, and legal descriptions of property for parts of Waukesha County. Personal material in Box 1 includes a notebook of surveying assignments at Chester Academy (1836) and a docket book for School District No. 6, Town of Vernon (1844-1861), for which Blood was the clerk, including accounts and narrative school reports. The Town of Muskego survey notebook includes two lists of names, circa 1863, and probably from the Town of Vernon, that contains information on military status including age, place of birth, occupation, and physical impairments. View finding aid.

Brookfield (Wis.). Clerk. City Clerk’s records, 1955-1968.

Waukesha Series 22

General files of the city clerk include correspondence reports from city committees, commissions, and departments; petitions; liquor license applications; tax matters; annexation requests; sewage district concerns; zoning; and other matters. View finding aid.

Lyndon (Sheboygan County, Wis. : Town). Clerk. Records, 1849-1978.

Sheboygan Series 24

Collection consists of clerk’s general record books (1849-1967); treasurer’s account books (1883-1978); election records (1868-1907); justice of the peace dockets (1858-1926); and a highway record book (1868-1901). View finding aid.

Lyndon (Sheboygan County, Wis. : Town). Treasurer. Tax rolls, 1870-1910.

Sheboygan Series 23

A record of taxes on real and personal property, including name of owner, description of property, number of acres, valuation of property, taxes assessed, and allocation of taxes to the state, county, town, school district, highway commission, and other special funds. The tax rolls were compiled annually until 1900 and every five years thereafter. Volumes for the years 1872-1873, 1875-1879, 1881, and 1883-1886 are missing.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Treasurer. Tax returns and record of sales, 1901.

Milwaukee Series 16

Transcript of returns and record of sales, showing parcels of land for which taxes remained unpaid; amount of taxes and fees owed; late taxes paid; date of sale; and to whom sold.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Treasurer. Tax rolls, 1868-1955, 1960, 1965, 1970.

Milwaukee Series 14

Tax rolls for real and personal property in Milwaukee County cities, towns, and villages, giving name, property, and taxes assessed, amount paid. Parts of the collection are available only on microfilm.
Tip: For Cudahy and Greenfield, call the town assessor and tell them the address and what year to procure the correct tax key.
View finding aid.

Milwaukee County (Wis.). Treasurer. Tax sale books, 1837-ca. 1867, 1888-1904.

Milwaukee Series 15

Books list lands sold for delinquent taxes, giving year of sale; certificate number; land description; owner; amount sold for; whether redeemed, canceled, or disposed of otherwise; date and name of redeemer. View finding aid.

Milwaukee (Milwaukee County, Wis.: Town). Clerk. Assessment rolls, 1846-1850.

Milwaukee Series 34 and Milwaukee Micro Series 6

A record of lands assessed for taxation showing names of resident and nonresident owners, legal description of land, number of acres, value of real estate established by the assessor and equalized value of land, and amounts of the several taxes levied on each parcel. The volumes for 1848 and 1850 were microfilmed because of their fragile physical condition, and are cataloged as Milwaukee Micro Series 6. Information about these collections is included in the finding aid of Town of Milwaukee Records. In Contents List, see Assessment Rolls, 1875-1955. View finding aid.

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Assessor. Property appraisal cards, 1935-(1955?)

Milwaukee Series 30

Information probably compiled by federal relief workers in the 1930s for use in improving assessments of residential and mercantile property. Cards show description of land; name of owner; type of dwelling; group plan of structures including dimensions; date of construction; and details of heating, plumbing, and other fixtures and facilities. There are cards for township sections 4-9, 17-20, and 29-32.

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Assessor. Property transfer records, 1932-1955.

Milwaukee Series 26

Record of changes in ownership of real properties within the town, showing names of grantor and grantee, description of property, date of transaction, type of deed, document number, and sometimes the price of the property. Information about these collections is included in the finding aid of Town of Milwaukee Records. In Scope and Content Note, see Property Transfer Records, 1932-1955. View finding aid.

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Assessor. Real estate blotter, 1930-1937.

Milwaukee Series 32

Record of assessed valuation of real estate in the town for each year, showing name of property owner, location, acreage, class of property (residential, mercantile, manufacturing, agricultural), and value of land and improvements. An index to the subdivisions and plats is in the front of the volume.

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Board of Supervisors. Records, 1846-1955.

Milwaukee Series 5 and Milwaukee Micro Series 5

Proceedings include record of expenditures authorized; licenses granted; actions taken for bridge and road surveying and construction; orders and resolutions passed; and examinations of town road district affairs. The board also met as a board of review for tax assessments and as a board of audit of town finances. Collection also contains minutes of annual town meetings, special meetings, and committees. Earlier volumes also contain petitions to the board, reports of fence viewers, copies of chattel mortgages, official oaths and bonds, and returns for state and national elections.

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Overseer of Highways. Tax rolls, 1870-1879.

Milwaukee Series 29

Record of highway and poll taxes collected by the overseer in each highway district. For real property the record shows name of owner, legal description and acreage of land, and assessed valuation. Also shows value of personal property and lists of persons without real or personal property but subject to poll taxes.

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Treasurer. Accounts, 1888-1920.

Milwaukee Small Series 12

Summary statement of the treasurer’s transactions with the town’s general and special funds, with the various school and road districts, and the county treasurer. In later years the town board of audit examined these accounts which followed a format for the classification of receipts and expenditures prescribed by the state tax commission. See also the annual reports in Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Clerk (Milwaukee Series 9).

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Treasurer. Audit reports, 1925-1955.

Milwaukee Series 28

Annual and special audits include balance sheets, summaries of revenues and expenditures, statement of tax levies, and similar information. Special audits were made necessary by annexations of town lands to other municipalities and subsequent divisions of assets.

Milwaukee (Wis. : Town). Treasurer. Records, 1932-1954.

Milwaukee Small Series 10

Records include budgets submitted to the annual town meetings, statistical information on tax levies and assessment valuations, and correspondence with the town attorney and the county treasurer concerning tax collections.

Mitchell (Wis.). Clerk. Town records, 1850-1923.

Sheboygan Micro Series 1

Records include town board and town meeting proceedings (1855-1891); records of marks and brands (1871-1889); bills of sale (1876, 1894-1923); notices of change in the date of the annual school district meetings (1874, 1876); chattel mortgages (1871-1891); road and school districts (1871-1914); school census, receipts, and disbursements (1850-1861); and apportionment of school fund income and county school tax (1862-1891).

Oconomowoc (Waukesha County, Wis.: Town). Board of Supervisors. Records, 1844-1995.

Waukesha Series 40

Records from the Town Board, consisting mainly of minutes of the Board’s annual and regular meetings (1844-1995), but also included in the volumes are petitions, orders, election statements, records of town receipts and expenditures, reports made to the Board by town officials, tax records, and oaths and bonds of town officials. Dates of the volumes overlap, although the information contained therein does not. View finding aid.

Oconomowoc (Waukesha County, Wis.: Town). Board of Supervisors. Road warrants and highway tax lists, 1893-1918.

Waukesha Series 39

Tax lists and road warrants kept by the Overseer of Highways for the Town of Oconomowoc, and later the road district superintendents, showing names of all persons assessed to pay highway tax in the road district, location and acreage of assessed lands, assessed valuation of real and personal property, amount of poll tax, and total amount of tax. The records are incomplete or nonexistent for some years. Finding aid available in the Archives.

Oconomowoc (Wis.). Board of Review. Minutes, 1877-1974.

Waukesha Series 29

Minutes of the Board which corrects errors in the assessment roll and which may adjust amounts assessed in response to objections from property owners. No records exist for 1904-1907.

Saukville (Wis.). Treasurer. Account books, 1915-1963.

Ozaukee Series 5

Books record village receipts and disbursements, showing date, amount, source, and account and receipt number. Volume 1 includes tax roll collections and some delinquent tax reports; volume 2 records school taxes and apportionment; and volume 3 records cemetery and “perpetual care” funds.

Sheboygan County (Wis.). Treasurer. Tax rolls and assessment rolls, 1910-2000.

Sheboygan Series 15

Tax and assessment rolls for real and personal property. For real property, the rolls show name of owner, land description, assessed valuation, taxes and charges assessed, and amount paid. For personal property, the rolls provide name of owner, type and value of property, amount of taxes and charges assessed, and amount and date paid.
Tip: Records are present for every fifth year only. Records for years that don’t end in “0” or “5” can be found at the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center.
View finding aid.

Waukesha County (Wis.). Clerk. Accounts, 1865-1897.

Waukesha Small Series 4

Ledger of accounts showing clerk’s name and all receipts and expenditures. The ledger is concerned primarily with the redemption of certificates held on land and taxes.

Waukesha County (Wis.). Clerk. Record of state land, 1863-1888.

Waukesha Small Series 3

Record of state lands kept for the use of local assessors in computing taxation on all lands within the county on contract from or mortgaged to the state. Includes lists of state lands patented and sold, university lands, lands mortgaged in full as well as lands held on contract and mortgaged to the state, lands held on contract, forfeited, or obtained, or names of mortgagor, and date of patent.

Waukesha County (Wis.). Treasurer. Tax rolls, 1848-1870, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1945-1983.

Waukesha Series 4

Tax rolls for real and personal property in Waukesha County (Wis.) cities, towns, and villages that list name, property, taxes assessed, and amount paid. This series consists of two parts: original volumes from 1848-1870 and every tenth year thereafter through 1940 plus 1955 and 1960; and microfilm which also includes tax sale records, 1945-1983. View finding aid.

West Allis (Wis.). Clerk. Subject files, 1902-1961.

Milwaukee Series 4

Correspondence, banks reports, bids, contracts, petitions, ordinances, and claims relating to such city business as elections, appointments, taxes, finance, public works, parks, schools, sanitation, and traffic. Files for 1926-1927 and M-Z of 1932-1933 are missing. View finding aid.

West Bend (Wis.). Assessor. Assessment rolls, 1925-1970.

Washington Series 14

Assessment rolls covering both real property and personal property. Rolls show name of property owner; legal description of real property including land and improvements; classification of taxable personal property; assessed valuation of real property and taxable personal property; and taxes levied. The volume from 1925 includes income tax assessment. This series contains assessment rolls for every fifth year from 1925-1970 except 1950. Arranged by year. Each volume is divided into a real property section and a personal property section. The real property section is arranged by assessment number or subdivision/section name. The personal property section is arranged by last name of property owner. Some volumes contain an index to subdivision/section. View finding aid.

Wisconsin. County Court (Sheboygan County). Condemnation records, 1902-1919.

Sheboygan Series 20

Series consists of a summary of action, arranged chronologically, to condemn property in Sheboygan County, usually including a legal description of the property, the value of the land taken, the owners of the property, and the names of the jurors.

Wisconsin. County Court (Sheboygan County). Probate records, 1882-1928.

Sheboygan Series 17

The series consists of four groups of bound records: wills, a record of claims, final judgments, and the tax on legacies. The three volumes of wills (1860-1871, 1889-1899, and 1897-1902) contain a summary of proceedings, including a copy of the last will and testament; executor’s bonds; orders for appraisal; and various affidavits and petitions. The record of claims (1882-1915) provides the name of the person being claimed against, the date and amount of the claim, and the person making the claim. An index is at the front of the volume and on pages 400-413. The series also contains a volume of final judgements of probate (1899-1928) arranged chronologically.

A volume recording taxes on legacies (1903-1906) is arranged by the date the petition was filed, and provides place and date of death; estimated value of property; date and amount of the inventory of property; and heirs at large, legatees, and devisees.

Wisconsin. Supervisor of Assessments. Cost studies, 1933-1945.

Wisconsin Series 1510

Unit cost studies compiled under the direction of Paul Schlagenhauf, Supervisor of Assessments, Milwaukee District, as part of Works Progress Administration Project No. 9074 and Wisconsin Emergency Relief Administration S40-F2-381. Data consists of charts, tables, and explanatory information designed and compiled for the purpose of assisting the property assessor to estimate quick and practical methods for the cost of major classes of construction.

Wisconsin. Supervisor of Assessments. District value cards, 1928-1950.

Wisconsin Series 1509

District value cards prepared under Section 70.57 of the Wis. Statutes, showing total value of residential, mercantile, and agricultural, swamp, cutover, waste, and timberland; improvements on each class of land; value for previous year and the increase; recommended full value and totals; sales data for each class of land, showing change in value. The district included Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, and Waukesha Counties.

Wisconsin. Supervisor of Assessments. Statement of assessments, 1920-1950.

Wisconsin Series 1508

Statements of assessments filed under Section 70.53 of the Wis. Statutes showing name of county; town; date; value of residential, mercantile, or manufacturing property and of improvements; also value of personal property including sheep, cattle, swine, merchants’ stocks, manufacturers’ stocks, leaf tobacco, logs, timber, steam vessels; and the total value of real and personal property. Counties included are Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, and Waukesha.

The Archives contains a variety of materials from UWM and its predecessor institutions (the Wisconsin State Normal School, the Milwaukee State Teachers College, and the Wisconsin State College, Milwaukee) that can be used for genealogical research about former students and staff members. The following is a listing of the types of resources available in the Archives.

Alumni Information
The Archives contains a 1990 alumni directory as well as alumni magazines and newspapers dating from 1953 to the present.

College Catalogs
College catalogs from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries include the names of faculty, staff, and students, as well as lists of graduates and alumni directories.

Commencement Programs
Date from 1912 to the present. Can be used to verify graduation and degrees granted.

Faculty/Staff Newsletters
The UWM Report, dating from 1976 to the present, contains information about UWM faculty, staff, and students, as well as information about academic programs and campus events.

Photographs
The UWM Photographic Services Collection, dating from 1898 to 1989, contains images of students, faculty, and staff, and includes photos relating to student organizations, school activities, and school sports, among others. A selection of images can be viewed online.

School Newspapers and Magazines
Student newspapers and magazines date from 1920 to the present. The UWM Post and Invictus are available online.

Student, Faculty, and Staff Directories
Can be used to determine former addresses of students and degree programs that they were in, as well as courses that faculty taught and departments that faculty and staff were in.

Student Organization Records
The Archives contains student organization directories, information about student organizations in collections of UWM administrative records, as well as records from numerous student organizations.

Yearbooks
Date from 1896-1968 (with several gaps). Yearbooks contain photographs and can also be used to determine if individuals belonged to any student organizations and clubs. Yearbooks from 1942 to 1968 can be viewed online.

Where to Start

Many of the following records are available through the Wisconsin Historical Society’s collections. Not only do they provide extensive genealogy guides, but individuals can search 3,000,000 records, including birth, death and marriage record indexes; newspaper clippings; photographs and other visual materials; and property records from the National Register and State Register of Historic Places and the Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) databases.

Census Records
The Wisconsin Historical Society has federal, state, and territorial censuses dating from 1790. The Milwaukee Public Library has federal censuses of Wisconsin and some other states. Wisconsin state censuses from 1855 to 1905 can also be accessed online for free at FamilySearch. With FamilySearch, you may be prompted to sign in before you are able to view the available records. If you do not have a FamilySearch account, you can register for free.

Civil War Military Records
Descriptive rolls and muster rolls are at the Wisconsin Historical Society Library. The Milwaukee Public Library has an index of personal names.

Local and County Histories
The Wisconsin Historical Society holds histories for nearly all 72 Wisconsin counties. Most are several hundred pages long and include detailed accounts of individual cities, townships and villages, as well as biographical stories of prominent residents.

Maps
For worldwide maps, as well as Sanborn maps and some plat maps, visit the American Geographical Society Library in the UWM Libraries. The Milwaukee County Historical Society, the Milwaukee Public Library, and the Wisconsin Historical Society also have Sanborn maps and a variety of local and state plat maps.

Milwaukee City Directories
City directories are available in the general stacks of the Golda Meir Library (call number: F589 .M6 A18), as well as at the Milwaukee County Historical Society, the Milwaukee Public Library, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Archives, and the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Naturalization Records
Naturalization records for Milwaukee County are at the Milwaukee County Historical Society. Federal naturalization records covering the State of Wisconsin are available at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration facility in Chicago.

Some naturalization records for Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha Counties are also available online through FamilySearch. With FamilySearch, you may be prompted to sign in before you are able to view the available records. If you do not have a FamilySearch account, you can register for free.

Passenger Lists
The Wisconsin Historical Society Library has passenger lists for the major east coast and gulf ports for most of the 19th century.

Selected passenger and crew lists, including Wisconsin ports, are available at FamilySearch. With FamilySearch, you may be prompted to sign in before you are able to view the available records. If you do not have a FamilySearch account, you can register for free.

Property Records
The Wisconsin Historical Society’s Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on more than 133,000 historic buildings, structures and objects throughout Wisconsin. It provides basic property information and often includes an exterior image.

Vital Records (post-1907)
Contact the county registers of deeds or the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Transcripts
The Archives does not provide copies of UWM student transcripts. To request copies of a UWM student transcript, contact UWM’s Enrollment and Financial Services.

The following manuscript collections are known to contain student records: Layton School of Art Student Transcripts, Milwaukee-Downer College, Sinai Samaritan Medical Center, and St. Mary’s School of Nursing (no transcripts). Transcripts and other student records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The Archives will not release these records without the student’s written authorization or, in the case of the student’s death, proof of the student’s death (i.e., a death certificate). Even in the case of a student’s death, other legal restrictions may apply to these records.

To receive a copy of a transcript from one of these four collections, please contact us for a Transcript Request Form. There is a $15 fee for the first transcript copy, and a $5 fee for each copy of the same record.

Contact the State of Wisconsin Education Approval Board for the location of transcripts for defunct colleges.