Columbia County, Wisconsin Genealogy

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



County Courthouse
Columbia County Clerk PO Box 177 Portage, WI 53901-0177 Phone.608.742.9654 Register of Deeds has land, burial, marriage, death and burial records; Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records; Register in Probate has probate records

Parent County
1846--Columbia County was created 3 February 1846 from Portage County. County seat: Portage

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
Adams • Dane • Dodge • Green Lake • Juneau • Marquette • Sauk

Biography

 * Biographical Index: History Of Columbia County, Wisconsin, 1880 USGenWeb Archives
 * History Of Columbia County, Wisconsin, 1880 University of Wisconsin
 * Biographical Index:  History Of Columbia County, Wisconsin, Vol. II, 1914 USGenWeb Archives
 * A history of Columbia County, Wisconsin, Volume II Haithi Trust Digital Library
 * Biographical Index from Coulumbia County Newspaper WIGenWeb Project
 * Old Settlers Bios & Pictures WIGenWeb Project

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.

Lutheran

 * Records of the American Lutheran Church, Rio, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com. ($)
 * St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Caledonia Early Church Records - WIGenWeb Project

Land and Property

 * Columbia County Land Patents Database WIGenWeb Project

Maps

 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin

Civil War
Civil War service men from Columbia 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 Columbia County.


 * - 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Companies E and G
 * - 3rd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company E
 * - 7th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Companies A and B
 * - 8th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company D
 * - 10th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company D
 * - 12th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company E

World War I

 * World War I Gold Star List -Casualties, Columbia County, Wisconsin WIGenWeb Project

World War II

 * World War II Casualties - Army & Air Force, Columbia County, Wisconsin WIGenWeb Project
 * World War II Casualties - Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, Columbia County, Wisconsin WIGenWeb Project
 * World War II Army Enlistees, Columbia County (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Surnames Abraham - Fuller
 * Surnames Galien - Lytle
 * Surnames Maass - Ryan
 * Surnames Salzman - Zunker

Korean War

 * Korean War Casualties, Columbia County, Wisconsin

Newspapers

 * Columbia County Newspaper Resources WIGenWeb Project

Obituaries

 * Columbia County Obituaries with two links to newspapers. WIGenWeb Project
 * Four Obituaries Scroll down to obituaries of Daniel Babcock, Phillip Connell, George Marshall, and Mrs. Sophia (Ellithorpe) Rowley. 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

Societies
Cambria-Friesland Historical Society PO Box 501 Cambria, WI 53923 Telephone: 920-348-5787 Facebook

Columbia County Historical Society W3988 Hwy 33 Cambria, WI 53923 Telephone: 920-348-5516 Website

Dells Country Historical Society 1621 E Broadway Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 Telephone: 608-254-8129 Website

Lodi Valley Historical Society 173 S Main St Lodi, WI 53555 Telephone: 608-592-5910 Website

Portage Historical Society PO Box 727 Portage, WI 53901 Telephone: 608-742-6663 Website

Poynette Area Historical Society W5660 Hall Rd Poynette, WI 53955 Telephone: 608-635-2970

Vital Records

 * Vital Records from Columbia County Newspapers WIGenWeb Project

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 $
 * Pre-1907 Columbia County Births WIGenWeb Project

Marriage Records

 * 1836 - 1930 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1886-1887 Some early marriages for Columbia County WIGenWeb Project
 * Pre-1907 Columbia County Marriages Incomplete. 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
 * 1959 - 1997 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * Some early deaths for Columbia County from the Columbus Republican Journal Newspaper. WIGenWeb Project
 * Pre-1920 Columbia County Deaths through 1920 Incomplete. WIGenWeb Project

Websites

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