Buffalo County, Wisconsin Genealogy
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Guide to Buffalo County, Wisconsin ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Tax Records
- 2.27 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Buffalo River. The County is located in the west area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Buffalo County Courthouse
407 S. 2nd Street
Alma, WI 54610
Phone: 608-685-6206
Buffalo County Website
Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, death, burial and land records.
Clerk of the Circuit Court has divorce and court records.
Register in Probate has probate records.[3]
Buffalo County, Wisconsin Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1855 | 1856 | 1873 | 1853 | 1854 | 1854 | 1820 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
|
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. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[7]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Biographical Index: History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin, 1888, USGenWeb Archives
- History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin, 1888, Google Archives
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 3,864 | — |
| 1870 | 11,123 | 187.9% |
| 1880 | 15,528 | 39.6% |
| 1890 | 15,997 | 3.0% |
| 1900 | 16,765 | 4.8% |
| 1910 | 16,006 | −4.5% |
| 1920 | 15,615 | −2.4% |
| 1930 | 15,330 | −1.8% |
| 1940 | 16,090 | 5.0% |
| 1950 | 14,719 | −8.5% |
| 1960 | 14,202 | −3.5% |
| 1970 | 13,743 | −3.2% |
| 1980 | 14,309 | 4.1% |
| 1990 | 13,584 | −5.1% |
| 2000 | 13,804 | 1.6% |
| 2010 | 13,587 | −1.6% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Buffalo census records online, see: Wisconsin 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 - Wisconsin State Census, 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 - Wisconsin State Census, 1895 at FamilySearch — index and images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical.
- 1905 - Wisconsin State Census, 1905 at FamilySearch — Name index and images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Wisconsin denominations, view the Wisconsin Church Records wiki page.
Lutheran
Buffalo County
- Records of the American Lutheran Church, Buffalo County, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com. ($).
St. John's Lutheran Church, Alma
- Records of St. John's Lutheran Church, Alma, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com. ($).
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Wisconsin Land and Property for additional information about early Wisconsin land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
- Indexes to deeds and mortgages (1854-1892) and deeds (1854-1887), Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Original records at the Buffalo County Courthouse in Alma, Wisconsin.
- Land Patents Database: Buffalo County, USGenWeb Archives
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- Old Antique Atlases & Maps of Wisconsin
- Family Maps of Buffalo County, Wisconsin (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Regiments. Service men in Buffalo served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Buffalo:
- - 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavalry, Company L
- - 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company H
- - 9th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company F
- - 9th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Company C
- - 14th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company I
- 1883 List of Pensioners or Dependents, Buffalo County USGenWeb Archives
World War I[edit | edit source]
World War II[edit | edit source]
- Buffalo County Army Enlistees, Surnames Abts-Mulyck USGenWeb Archives
- Buffalo County Army Enlistees, Surnames Neis-Zittel USGenWeb Archives
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- Naturalization records (ca. 1853-1906) and naturalization card index (ca. 1858-1950), ca. 1853-1950 Viewable on line. Includes card index; most volumes include individual indexes as well.
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Alma Obituaries Index, WIGenWeb Project
- Links to Obituaries, Charles Ebersold, Barbara Heller, John Ebersold, John Kostner, Roscoe Maynard McQuiston, and Margaret Ebersold McClellan - USGenWeb Archives
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records are held by the Buffalo Clerk of Circuit Court and are housed at the Buffalo Courthouse. See the wiki page Wisconsin Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Content: Probate records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, and adoptions.
- Probate file index (ca. 1854-1980) and probate files (ca. 1854-1900), ca. 1854-1980 Microreproduction of original records at the Buffalo County courthouse in Alma, Wisconsin. Files contain legal papers filed in probate proceedings, including estate, guardianship, adoption, and insanity records. Includes index.
- Register in Probate has probate records[8]
Online Records
- 1800–1987 Wisconsin Wills and Probate Records 1800-1987 at Ancestry — images and index $
- 1848–1948 Wisconsin Probate Estate Files 1848-1948 at FamilySearch — images
School Records[edit | edit source]
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Wisconsin tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned property or other items that could be taxed were listed, some residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records. For more information see the Wiki page, Wisconsin Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Most counties started keeping records in the 1870s. In 1907, the counties began sending copies to the state.
For pre-1907 births, deaths, and marriages, search the Wisconsin Genealogy Index.
For additional information, see Wisconsin Vital Records.
- Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, death, burial and land records.
- Clerk of Courts has divorce and court records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1820-1907 Wisconsin, Birth Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index
- 1826-1908 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1826-1908 at Ancestry — index $
- 1826-1926 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926 at FamilySearch — index
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1836-1911 Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index
- 1836-1930 Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index
- 1973-1997 Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index
- 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index/images $
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1820-1907 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index
- 1835-1968 Wisconsin, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index
- 1867-1907 Wisconsin, Death Records, 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index
- 1959-1997 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1965-1984 Wisconsin, Divorce Index, 1965-1984 at FamilySearch — index
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
- Inventory of the county archives of Wisconsin no. 6, Buffalo County (Alma). Includes chronological & subject indexes.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.
- For current information about a center near you, go to the Family History Center Map
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
- Buffalo County Historical Society
407 South Second Street, Second Floor
PO Box 394
Alma, WI 54610
Phone: 608-685-6290
Website - Alma Historical Society
505 S 2nd St
Alma, WI 54610
Phone: 608-685-4975
Website - Fountain City Area Historical Society
PO Box 114
Fountain City, WI 54629
Pone: 608-687-4500 - Mondovi Area Historical Society
250 S Washington St
Mondovi, WI 54755
Phone: 715-826-5377
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Buffalo County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Wisconsin Genealogy Network Community on Google+
- Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- WIGenWeb
- USGenWeb Archives
- FamilySearch Catalog - 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
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Buffalo County, Wisconsin " in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_County,_Wisconsin."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Page 755-760, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 757-759.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Buffalo County, Wisconsin," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_County,_Wisconsin#Communities, accessed 4 August 2018.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
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