Monroe County, Wisconsin Genealogy

Guide to Monroe County, Wisconsin ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for James Monroe. The County has Sparta as its seat and the County was created 1854. The County is located in the west central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Monroe County Courthouse 202 S K Street Sparta, WI 54656 Phone: 608-269-8705 Monroe County Website Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, death, and land records. Clerk of Courts has divorce, probate, court and naturalization records. Veterans Service Office has military records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Biographies

 * Monroe County Biographical Index (1878-1933) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum
 * Monroe County Biographies WIGenWeb Archives project

Cemeteries

 * Monroe County Cemetery Index (1850s-1980) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Census Records

 * Monroe County Census Indexes (1855-1920) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum — includes Wisconsin and US Censuses
 * 1855 - 1855 Wisconsin State Census This census includes name of head of family; other individuals in the household are identified by sex and race, number of deaf and dumb, blind, insane and foreign born.
 * 1865 - 1865 Wisconsin State Census Name index and images of the 1865 State Census which names the head of household. Most records have been destroyed but schedules exist for the following counties: Dunn, Green, Jackson, Kewaunee, Ozaukee, and Sheboygan.
 * 1875 - 1875 Wisconsin State Census Identifies head of household by name.
 * 1885 - at FamilySearch — index and images. Search indexed census.Identifies by name of head of household.  Other information is statistical and identifies the rest of the household by race, gender and country of birth.
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical.
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants.

Church Records

 * Monroe County Church Records Index Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Lutheran
 * Records of Trinity Lutheran Church, Cashton, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Court Records

 * Monroe County Court Records Index (1850s-1970s) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Directories

 * Monroe County Historic Business Index Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * Wisconsin Resources - Ethnic Origins WIGenWeb project

Land and Property Records

 * Monroe County Plat Book Index (1877, 1897, 1915, 1948) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Local Histories

 * Monroe County History USGenWeb project
 * Monroe County Historical Records USGenWeb Archives

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin
 * Family Maps of Monroe County, Wisconsin (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Civil War

 * Wisconsin National Guard Lists of Persons Liable for military Duty from Monroe County, Autumn, 1862 Monroe County Local History Room & Museum
 * Civil War Veteran Census Index (1885-1905) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum
 * 3rd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Companies A and G
 * 10th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies H and I

World War I

 * Monroe County World War I Draft Registration Card Index Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Monroe County Naturalization Records Index (1846-1946) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Newspapers

 * Monroe County Newspapers Index Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Other Records
Institutional Records
 * Monroe County Poor Farm/Asylum Index (1884-1953) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Photographs
 * Historic Image & Photo Archive Monroe County Local History Room & Museum — over 13,000 Monroe County images and growing

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1800–1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry — images and index $
 * 1848–1948 at FamilySearch — images

School Records

 * Monroe County School Census Index (1925-1950) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum — often contains birth date and family member information
 * Sparta High School Senior Class of 1912 USGenWeb Archives
 * Sparta High School Senior Class of 1919 USGenWeb Archives
 * Directory of the Graduates of Tomah High School, 1880-1918 USGenWeb Archives

Birth

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1826-1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry — index $
 * 1826-1926 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1850s-1944 Monroe County Birth Records Index (1850s-1944) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum

Marriage

 * 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1854-1968 Monroe County Marriage Records Index (1854-1968) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum
 * 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index/images $

Death

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1850s-1868 Monroe County Death Records Index (1850s-1968) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum
 * 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index

Divorce

 * 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index

Archives

 * Area Research Center Murphy Library, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse 1631 Pine St. La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601 Telephone: 608-785-8511 Email: [mailto:specoll@uwlax.edu specoll@uwlax.edu] Website Facebook
 * Monroe County Local History Room & Museum 200 West Main Street, 1st Floor Sparta, WI 54656 Phone: 608-269-8680 Website
 * Monroe County Local History Room & Museum is a Monroe County Department that has microfilm of county newspapers, early vital records, Wisconsin and US Censuses, naturalization records, tax rolls, probate records, military registration lists, as well as court records, church records, plat maps, school records, some cemetery records, family history books and files, yearbooks, and a large photo archive for researchers to access. Records can be looked up in person or ordered via their website.  Online indexes are always being updated and added to.
 * Search Monroe County Local History Room Archives Index to find archival material related to Monroe County families, or the Monroe County Local History Room & Museum Website to see if records are available for family members with ties to Monroe County and the surrounding area. MCLHR also has some records connected to neighboring counties.

Libraries

 * Murphy Library, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse Area Research Center 1631 Pine St. La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601 Telephone: 608-785-8511 Email: [mailto:specoll@uwlax.edu specoll@uwlax.edu] Website Facebook

Societies

 * Monroe County Historical Society PO Box 422 Sparta, WI 54656 Phone: 608-378-4388 Website
 * Monroe, Jackson, Juneau Genealogical Workshop 1510 Eaton Ave Tomah, WI 54660 Phone: 608-372-7853 Website
 * Foundation for Eastern European Family History Studies PO Box 321 Springville, UT 84663 Website

Websites

 * Monroe County Local History Room & Museum
 * Monroe County Local History Room & Museum Facebook Page
 * Monroe County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * WIGenWeb project
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records