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La Crosse County (Wis.) Registration of Marriages and Index to Marriages in La Crosse and Certain Other Wisconsin Counties

 Record Group
Identifier: La Crosse Series 061-Micro 28

Scope and Contents

Microfilmed marriage registrations and associated indexes from the La Crosse County Register of Deeds office, 1851-1907, filed with the State of Wisconsin. Also included are parts of the following Wisconsin counties: Kenosha, Kewaunee, Lafayette, and Langlade, variously from 1847-1907.

Generally recorded for each marriage are the individuals' names and birthplaces, the names of the parents of each party, the occupation and residence of the groom, the date and place of the marriage, the type of ceremony (usually denominational), the names of witnesses, the name and residence of the person performing the marriage, the date of the certificate or affidavit, the date of registration, and any remarks.

While the collection does include a name index by groom, it is more helpful to refer to the FamilySearch online database which includes the item number as well as the marriage registration number, or the Wisconsin Genealogy Index of the Wisconsin Historical Society which also includes the marriage registration number.

Dates

  • 1847-1907

Creator

Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for patron use. However, the microfilm may not be sold, duplicated, distributed, extracted or indexed without the permission of the FamilySearch (formerly known as the Family History Library or the Genealogical Society of Utah).

As per the Wisconsin Historical Society restrictions (thought to be based on agreements with Register of Deeds), hard copies for patrons must have the accompanying information on them: UNCERTIFIED COPY Not valid for certification purposes. It is illegal to make this document available to the public in electronic format.

Biographical/Historical Note

From 1836 until 1907, clergymen, justices of the peace, and any others solemnizing marriages were required to submit a certificate for each marriage performed. These reports were to be submitted to county clerks, later to clerks of the district courts and then clerks of the circuit courts (except Dane County reports went to the clerk of the Supreme Court). Legislation in 1852 changed the recipient to the county register of deeds. The register of deeds was required to enter the information into a registry book, maintain an index, and send a copy of the registrations to the Secretary of State. In 1905 the State Board of Health replaced the Secretary of State as recipient of the copies which were then maintained in the State Bureau of Vital Statistics (now called the Bureau of Health Statistics). Registrations on file with the Secretary of State were transferred to the Bureau. This series is a microfilm copy of those registration records. A more detailed history of legislation relating to vital records, along with listings of local government holdings of such records as of 1941, may be found in the Wisconsin Historical Records Survey's Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records in Wisconsin (Madison, 1941).

Extent

1.1 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Record of marriages and index to marriages that occurred in La Crosse County, Wisconsin between 1851-1907. Also included are parts of the following Wisconsin counties: Kenosha, Kewaunee, Lafayette, and Langlade, variously from 1847-1907.

Arrangement

Arranged in two series:

Indexes and certificate numbers can be accessed through the FamilySearch database. Alphabetical by county and there under chronological by date of certificate registration.

Series 1: Indexes to Marriage Registrations

Series 2: Marriage Registrations

Acquisitions Information

(Accession No. 2012.045) On long-term loan from FamilySearch (Genealogical Society of Utah) paid for by the La Crosse Area Genealogical Society. GSU film numbers 1275664, 127665, 1292003, 1292003, 1292004, 1292005, 1276058, 1276059, 1276060, 1276062, 1276063

The microfilm was produced by the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1980, which holds the master negatives.

Physical Description

11 reels 16 mm microfilm

OCLC Number

866422269

Processing Information

Processed by Anita Taylor Doering, March 2014, with help from Megan

Title
Guide to the Microfilm of La Crosse County (Wisconsin) Register of Deeds Marriage Registrations and Index for Marriages in La Crosse and Certain Other Wisconsin Counties, 1847-1907
Status
Completed
Author
Anita Taylor Doering
Date
2014 March
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the La Crosse Public Library Archives Repository

Contact:
800 Main St.
La Crosse Wisconsin 54601
(608) 789-7136