Submit a Research Request
Research Help
We will check the following types of records in response to research questions. Requests are answered in the order received and it may be a couple weeks before you receive a response.
Birth Records Request Form
Alphabetical and chronological index to births that were registered in the state of Wisconsin prior to 1907. Index covers the entire state; we have birth registrations for Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Eau Claire, Rusk, and Taylor counties. Records may not be found for all individuals. Sometimes the names are badly misspelled in the indexes. Also, it was not required by law to register births with government officials until 1907.
Death Record Request Form
Alphabetical index to deaths that were registered in the state of Wisconsin prior to 1907. Though the index covers the entire state, we only have death registrations for Buffalo, Clark, Eau Claire, Rusk, and Taylor counties - no Chippewa County! Records may not be found for all individuals. Sometimes the names are badly misspelled in the indexes. Also, it was not required by law to register deaths with government officials until 1907.
Marriage Records Request Form
Alphabetical index by both bride and groom's name to marriages that were registered in the state of Wisconsin prior to 1907. Index covers the entire state; we have marriage registrations for Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Eau Claire, Rusk, and Taylor counties. Records may not be found for all individuals. Sometimes the names are badly misspelled in the indexes. Also, it was not required by law to register marriages with government officials until 1907.
Divorce Records Request Form
Use court records to find divorces. Adoptions/guardianship cases are normally handled through the Probate Court (use Probate Case File Request Form for these types of cases).
Citizenship/Naturalization Record Request Form
These papers may contain helpful genealogy information such as: birthplace and birth date of the immigrant, date and port of entry in the United States, the name of the ship in which the immigrant traveled, or even the names of the immigrant's wife and children. These records are referred to by many different names: declarations, intentions, citizenship records, naturalizations, petitions, and immigrant papers. They all refer to the same set of records. We have citizenship records for Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Eau Claire, Rusk, and Taylor counties.
Circuit Court Request Form
Use court records to find divorces, civil suits (disputes over property, nonpayment of debt, mortgage foreclosures, etc.) and criminal cases (murders, rapes, burglary, etc.). Adoptions/guardianship cases are normally handled through the Probate Court (use Probate Case File Request Form for these types of cases).
Probate Record Request Form
These files contain wills and documents pertaining to an individual's estate upon his/her death. A portion of probate case files also pertain to adoption and guardianship.
Census Record Request Form
Census records list valuable historical and genealogical information such as: names of individuals, their family members, their occupations, number of years married, whether they were U.S. citizens, and much more. The earlier censuses do not give as much information as the later ones.
Other
Request a search of other types of materials, such as city directories, county histories, photos, maps, manuscript collections (diaries, letters, business records), university archives, tax rolls, or anything not identified above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will it take before you hear from us?
Requests are researched in the order they are received. We receive many requests for research, so it may be 2-3 weeks before you hear from us. Please do not resubmit duplicate requests if you have not heard back from us within three weeks. Instead, drop us an e-mail at library.archives@uwec.edu to check on the status of your request. We will be happy to give you an update.
Do I need to send an SASE?
A self-addressed, stamped envelope (business size or larger) is appreciated. If copies to be sent are too big to be folded and put into your envelope, a pre-addressed label is appreciated. This saves staff time and helps us deliver your results more quickly.
How much do you charge for research?
No research fee is charged, but a copy fee may be charged for requests duplicating more than ten pages. Most requests involve copying fewer than ten pages, but donations are always appreciated. Donations help offset the cost of research, photocopying, postage and support the on-going preservation of these historically valuable materials. We suggest a donation ranging from $5.00 to $25.00, depending on the complexity of the request and what you can afford.