Polk County, Wisconsin Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Polk County Courthouse 100 Polk County Plaza Balsam Lake, WI 54810 Phone: 715.485.9926 Register of Deeds has birth records from 1858, marriage records from 1861, death records from 1866 and land records; Clerk of Circuit Courts has divorce and court records; Registrar in Probate has Probate records

Parent County
1853--Polk County was created 14 March 1853 from St. Croix County. County seat: Balsam Lake

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.

Neighboring Counties
Barron •  Burnett  •  Chisago County, Minnesota  •  Dunn  •  St. Croix  •  Washington County, Minnesota

Cemeteries

 * Polk County Tombstone Photograph Pages USGenWeb Archives

State 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.

Federal Census

 * 1870 - Polk Co. 1870 Census WIGenWeb project

Church History and Records

 * Century Church Congregations - List of churches. WIGenWeb project
 * Bethesda Lutheran Church, Early History WIGenWeb Project

Court Records
POLK COUNTY REGISTER OF DEEDS 100 Polk County Plaza, Suite 160 Balsam Lake, WI 54810

Phone: 715-485-9240 Fax: 715-485-9202

History

 * Ancient Polk County History WIGenWeb Project
 * History of West Eureka WIGenWeb Project
 * Early History of the St Croix Valley--Maggie Orr O'Neill WIGenWeb Project
 * Reminiscences Of Early Pioneer Days in Polk County by Worthy Prentice Index of the book below - WIGenWeb Project
 * Reminiscences Of Early Pioneer Days in Polk County by Worthy Prentice WIGenWeb Project
 * History of the Village of Centurias, 1900-1950 WIGenWeb Project

Land and Property

 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database, Polk County (USGenWeb Archives)
 * 1888 Polk Co. Plat Book Index WIGenWeb Project

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin
 * Township Map WIGenWeb project
 * 1901 Map of Polk County WIGenWeb project

Civil War
Civil War service men from Polk 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 Polk County.


 * - 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company D


 * - 7th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company G


 * Civil War Veterans of Polk County WIGenWeb project

Newspapers

 * Polk County Newspapers Index USGenWeb Archives

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
University Archives and Area Research Center 170 Chalmer Davee Library email: archives@uwrf.edu (715) 425-3567 Fax (715) 425-0609

Societies
Polk County Historical Society PO Box 41 Balsam Lake WI 54810-0041 Telephone: 715-268-8375 Website Facebook

University Archives and Area Research Center University of Wisconsin - River Falls Chalmer Davee Library University of Wisconsin-River Falls 120 Cascade Avenue River Falls, WI 54022 Telephone: 715/425-3567 Website

Osceola Historical Society PO Box 342 Osceola, WI 54020 Telephone: 715-294-3530 Website Facebook

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
 * 1855-1867 Polk County Marriage Index Listed alphabetically by both bride and groom. WIGenWeb project
 * 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
 * 1820 - 1907 Polk County Death Index WIGenWeb project
 * 1959 - 1997 at FamilySearch.org — index

Websites

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