Wisconsin Cemetery Records Research Guide

There are many ways to track down Wisconsin cemetery records. While there are some ways to try to obtain Wisconsin cemetery records for free, most of the time you will need to use a fee based service or method. More than likely your results will be more successful anyway. Wisconsin cemetery records can be an extremely valuable tool in your genealogy work or family tree project. Wisconsin Cemetery and gravestone inscriptions are a rich source of information for family historians. For Definitions of all Cemetery Terms See Symbols on Gravestones and Their Interpretations

If you do not already know which county you should be looking in for your Wisconsin cemetery records, you should start with trying to find that out first. Many people do not end up buried in the county they lived in, so it may take a little research. Try to find their death records and it may state where a person was buried. You can also try to find out what religion they were affiliated with and find out where there may have been a church in a nearby county they attended.

Of course, some people are buried in their original hometown and may not even be from the state of Wisconsin. In that case, Wisconsin cemetery records would be of little use. The other important thing to try to determine is the date of the death. It can take entirely too long to try to find Wisconsin cemetery records for someone if you do not have a location and date of death.

How You Can Benefit

Wisconsin cemetery records may be just the thing you need to help fill in some gaps in your family tree. Find out a person's full legal name and possibly who his or her spouse was, if there was one. You should also find when a person died as well as when they were born. If someone was originally from another state, it will sometimes say so on their gravestone. In this case, tombstone transcriptions for Wisconsin cemetery records would be very helpful.

In fact, the further back the date, the more useful Wisconsin cemetery records can be. Where many state s did not have vital records, gravestones can be a wealth of valuable data. Find out how Wisconsin cemetery records will help improve your family tree research results.

Research In Wisconsin Cemetery Records

Numerous cemeteries have been read and transcribed by local genealogical societies in Wisconsin. The transcriptions are frequently deposited with an Area Research Center, a local library, or the Wisconsin Historical Society. A considerable number have been printed in the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society Newsletter.

The Wisconsin State Old Cemetery Society, 6100 W. Mequon Rd., Mequon, WI 53092, publishes a newsletter and maintains an archive of tombstone inscriptions from around the state.

Several of Wisconsin's local genealogical and historical societies have transcribed cemetery records over the years. Area Research Centers hold many of those transcriptions, as do the Wisconsin Historical Society and many local libraries. The Wisconsin State Genealogical Society Newsletter has also published many of those records, which can also be viewed on the society's website.

Another important archive of inscriptions from Wisconsin cemeteries is held by the Wisconsin State Old Cemetery Society. They also publish many of those records.

Famous People Buried in Wisconsin Cemeteries

County Name / Date / Cemetery Description
Columbia Vaughan, Samuel K.
- 9/28/1872
Silver Lake Cemetery
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General.
He volunteered at Racine, in April 1862 and was commissioned Captain of Company G, 19th Regiment Wisconsin Infantry.
Promoted Major in April 1863, he was ordered Provost Guard, and as patrol for the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia.
Dane Olson, Truman O.
10/13/1917 - 1/31/1944
West Koshkonong Lutheran Church Cemetery
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient.
He was killed in action.
Iowa Wright, Frank Lloyd
6/8/1867 - 4/9/1959
Unity Chapel Cemetery
Architect.
He designed office, hotel and museum buildings, as well as dwellings for rich and poor, that were constructed across America and internationally, some of which were controversial and impractical (such as New York's Guggenheim Museum, which because of its futuristic design of curves and sweeps does not allow for space to exhibit paintings) The main concentration of his structures are located in Oak Park, Illinois, while other commissions were completed years after his death such as.
La Crosse Christianson, Stanley Reuben
1/24/1925 - 10/12/1950
Wet Coulee Cemetery
Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient.
Christianson served as a Private First Class, United States Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.
Milwaukee McGinn, Edward
11/20/1843 - 9/28/1908
Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient.
He served as a First Lieutenant in the Union Army.
Waukesha Paul (Polsfuss), Les (Lester)
6/9/1915 - 8/12/2009
Prairie Home Cemetery
Popular Music Pioneer.
Born Lester William Polsfuss,  he was known as the "Wizard of Waukesha" and the father of the electric guitar.

Wisconsin Cemeteries

Cemetery Name Cemetery City
Calvary Cemetery Milwaukee
Forest Home Cemetery Milwaukee
Wood National Cemetery Milwaukee

Wisconsin Cemeteries & Graveyards Links

Suggested Reading

  • Cemetery Locations in Wisconsin (3d ed. Janesville, Wis.: Origins, 2002)
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