Vernon County, Wisconsin Genealogy

Guide to Vernon 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 the county's green fields of wheat and to evoke Mount Vernon. The County is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Vernon County Courthouse 400 Courthouse Square Street Viroqua, WI 54665 Phone: 608-637-5380 Vernon County Website Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, death and land records. Clerk Circuit Court has divorce and court records. Register in Probate has probate 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:

Cemeteries

 * In the town of Forest is the Mount Tabor Cemetery. Even though the cemetery is listed under the town of Forest, Wisconsin, google maps places the cemetery in Hillsboro, Wisconsin. A common surname in this cemetery is Cox.

Census Records

 * 1855 - 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. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1865 - 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. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1875 - Identifies head of household by name. - How to Use this Collection
 * 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. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1895 - at FamilySearch — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical. - How to Use this Collection
 * 1905 - at FamilySearch — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants. - How to Use this Collection

Church Records

 * List of Vernon County Churches WIGenWeb project

Lutheran
 * Records of Zion Lutheran Church, Vernon County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * Vernon County's Ethnic Heritage WIGenWeb project

Land and Property Records

 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames A-B USGenWeb Archives
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames C-D USGenWeb Archives
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames E-G USGenWeb Archives
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames H USGenWeb Archives
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames I-K USGenWeb Archives
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames L-M USGenWeb Archives
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames N-O USGenWeb Archives
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames P-R USGenWeb Archives
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames S USGenWeb Archives
 * Wisconsin Land Patents Database:  Vernon County - Surnames T-Z USGenWeb Archives

Local Histories

 * Early Residents of Vernon County, Wisconsin (A-M) USGenWeb Archives
 * Early Residents of Vernon County, Wisconsin (N-Z) USGenWeb Archives
 * Pioneer Families WIGenWeb project
 * Pioneers in 1892 WIGenWeb project
 * Vernon County Pioneers WIGenWeb project

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
 * Old Antique Atlases &amp; Maps of Wisconsin
 * Family Maps of Vernon County, Wisconsin (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.

Civil War

 * - 1st Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company H
 * - 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company I
 * - 7th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company H
 * - 8th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company F
 * - 12th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company I
 * - 13th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company B
 * - 14th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company H, with men from the town of Forest, which is found in Fond du Lac County, Richland County, St. Croix County or Vernon County

World War II

 * Vernon County WI Army Enlistees AALGAARD - GARROW USGenWeb Archives
 * Vernon County WI Army Enlistees GEARY - LUNDE USGenWeb Archives
 * Vernon County WI Army Enlistees MACAULAY - SATHER USGenWeb Archives
 * Vernon County WI Army Enlistees SCHALDACH - ZUBE USGenWeb Archives

Newspapers

 * Vernon County Newspapers WIGenWeb project

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1800–1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry — images and index $
 * 1848–1948 at FamilySearch — images - How to Use this Collection

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Birth

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1826-1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry — index $
 * 1826-1926 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)

Marriage

 * 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index/images $

Death

 * 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * Pre-1907 Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
 * 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Divorce

 * 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

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

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

 * Hillsboro Area Genealogical Society Hillsboro, WI 54634
 * Hillsboro Area Historical Society PO Box 9, Route 2 Hillsboro, WI 54634 Phone: 608-489-3322 Website
 * Log Cabin Heritage Society 714 Abbey Ln Viroqua, WI 54665 Phone: 608-637-7109
 * Vernon County Historical Society PO Box 444 410 S. Center Avenue Viroqua, WI 54665 Phone: 608-637-7396 Email: [mailto:vcmuseum@frontiernet.net vcmuseum@frontiernet.net] Facebook Website
 * The Vernon County Historical Society (VCHS) is the officially recognized county organization for the preservation of Vernon County's historical heritage. A genealogical class is held on the 2nd Thursday of the month. Check the online schedule for date and time.


 * Westby Area Historical Society 111 Bekkedal Avenue Westby, WI 54667 Phone: 608-634-4478 Email: [mailto:westbywihistory@gmail.com westbywihistory@gmail.com] Website
 * The Westby Area Historical Society (WAHS) meets on the first Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. at the Thoreson House. Winter meetings are held at the Halvorson Apartments. The first settlers arrived in Vernon County, Wisconsin in the 1840s, and many of their descendants are still in the area. Others have carried their heritage to the ends of the country and beyond. Our goal is to collect and preserve their stories, family artifacts and other memorabilia, and to educate future generations in the heritage of this community.

Websites

 * Vernon County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Vernon County WIGenWeb project
 * Vernon County Archives WIGenWeb Archives Project
 * - 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