Marathon County, Wisconsin Genealogy

Guide to Marathon County Wisconsin ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.



County Courthouse
Marathon County Courthouse 500 Forest Street Wausau, WI 54403 Phone. 715.261.1500

Register of Deeds has birth, marriage and death records from 1900 and land records from 1850; Clerk of Courts has divorce and court records from 1900; County Court has probate records from 1900

Parent County
1850--Marathon County was created 9 February 1850 from Portage County. County seat: Wausau

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Wisconsin County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Wisconsin County Boundary Maps" (1790-1961) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Cities
† Only partially in Marathon County.

Neighboring Counties
Clark •  Langlade  •  Lincoln  •  Portage  •  Shawano  •  Taylor  •  Waupaca  •  Wood

Biography

 * Biographical Index to History of Marathon County, Wis & Representative Citizens. USGenWeb Archives

Cemeteries

 * Marathon County Tombstone Photograph Pages USGenWeb Archives

Census

 * 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.
 * 1905 - 1905 Marathon County Census-- Index of handwritten cards from the 1905 county census.  Search results include  surname, first name, age, location, and a link to the detailed record.  A copy of the original census information can be ordered.  Note that each record in the original census contains surname, location, first name, relationship, sex, race, age, marital status, birthplace, parent's birthplace, occupation and notes.


 * Census substitute - Early Wausau City Directories.  1883, 1886, 1888, 1893, 1910, 1912, 1914 city directories are included in this index.  The Marathon County Historical Society will provide a copy of the original city directory record for a fee. The Family History Library has addtional early Wausau city directories on film.

Court Records

 * Marathon County Clerk of Courts

Directories
FuneralHomes has list of funeral homes and history of Funeral Homes in Marathon County,(mostly Wausau) along with the addresses and whether or not records can be read there

Genealogy
Wimarath Stories

History
Local histories are available from the Marathon County Historical Society. This collection of histories indexed and is searchable by surname or business name.

Wimarath Stories has links to many various stories, interviews, histories of towns, etc.

Insane Asylum and Poor Farm
Information about the history of the Asylum and Poor Farm comes from copies of materials at the Marathon County Historical Library, 410 McIndoe, Wausau,WI Wimarath Insane covering years 1893 - 1971

Land and Property

 * General Land Office Records, Bureau of Land Management
 * Marathon County Online Land Records
 * Marathon County Register of Deeds

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin
 * Marathon County - Wisconsin Department of Transportation
 * Marathon County (1878) - David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
 * Wausau (1878) - David Rumsey Historical Map Collection

Civil War
Civil War service men from Marathon County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are many companies or regiments that were formed from men of Marathon County.


 * - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Companies D and F
 * - 12th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company G


 * Marathon County Veterans Service Office
 * Wimarath Military shows all the various wars' records available for Marathon County and links to their sites

Newspapers

 * Record Review - covers Athens, Edgar, Marathon and Stratford.
 * Tribune-Phonograph - covers Abbotsford, Colby, Curtiss, Dorchester, Milan and Unity.
 * Wausau Daily Herald

Obituaries

 * Marathon County Obituaries

Probate Records
Online Records


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

Repositories
See also a List of Wisconsin Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Archives, Libraries and Museums

 * Marathon County Public Library

County Courthouse

 * Marathon County Government

Family History Centers

 * Wausau Wisconsin Family History Center

Birth Records

 * 1826 - 1926 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1820 - 1907 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1826 - 1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry.com — index $

Marriage Records

 * 1836 - 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1973 - 1997 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1973 - 1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry.com — index/images $

Divorce Records

 * 1965 - 1984 at FamilySearch.org — index

Death Records

 * 1867 - 1907 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1835 - 1968 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1820 - 1907 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1959 - 1997 at FamilySearch.org — index

Websites

 * Marathon County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Marathon County, WIGenWeb Project
 * Marathon County, USGenWeb Archives
 * Marathon County, USGenWeb Archives