Monroe County, Wisconsin Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Monroe County Courthouse 202 S K Street Sparta, WI 54656 Phone: 608.269.8705 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

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. Located next to the Monroe County Courthouse at 200 West Main St., Sparta. Records can be looked up in person or ordered via their website. Online indexes are always being updated and added to.

Parent County
1854--Monroe County was created 21 March 1854 from La Crosse County.County seat: Sparta

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
Jackson •  Juneau  •  La Crosse  •  Vernon

Biography

 * 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
 * Monroe County Tombstone Photograph Pages USGenWeb Archives

Census

 * 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 History and 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
 * 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

Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups

 * Wisconsin Resources - Ethnic Origins WIGenWeb project

History

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

Institutional Records

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

Land and Property

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

Maps

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

Civil War
Civil War service men from Monroe 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 Monroe County.
 * 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 and Obituaries

 * Monroe County Newspapers Index 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.com — images and index $
 * 1848 – 1948 at FamilySearch — images

Archives, Libraries and Museums

 * Monroe County Local History Room & Museum (MCLHR) is a county department with a research library, award-winning website with several genealogy databases, and museum dedicated to connecting people to the past in a meaningful way. Search the 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.
 * Address: 200 West Main St, Sparta, WI 54656
 * Located within the Museum Complex building: MCLHR is on the first floor, the Deke Slayton Memorial Space & Bicycle Museum is on the second floor.
 * Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9:00am-4:30pm
 * Telephone: 608-269-8680

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

School Records

 * Monroe County School Census Index (1925-1950) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum — often contains birth date and family member information

Societies
Monroe County Historical Society PO Box 422 Sparta, WI 54656 Telephone: 608-378-4388 Website

Monroe, Jackson, Juneau Genealogical Workshop 1510 Eaton Ave Tomah, WI 54660

Telephone: 608-372-7853 Website

Foundation for Eastern European Family History Studies PO Box 321 Springville UT 84663 Website

Birth Records

 * Monroe County Birth Records Index (1850s-1944) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum
 * 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

 * Monroe County Marriage Records Index (1854-1968) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum
 * 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

 * Monroe County Death Records Index (1850s-1968) Monroe County Local History Room & Museum
 * 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

 * 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
 * USGenWeb Archives