Library Resources
Genealogy Resources and Local History available at the Portage County Public Library.
This list contains only some of the most notable items in the collection. Check the catalog or visit the library to see what else is available.
Complete addresses of all branches are located at the end.
Note: "Gen/Ref" in a call number indicates that an item is in the Genealogy Room at the Main branch in Stevens Point. "Ref" means that it is in the Reference Collection. If there are no letters preceding the call number, the book is a circulating book in the non-fiction collection. All books are located at the Main branch unless indicated otherwise.
Family Histories
Ancestors and Descendants of John Copa/Sopa and Elizabeth Trzebiatowska by Adeline M. Sopa, 1990. 929.2 SOP
A Collection of Civil War Letters Written by John Norton edited by Nancy Jane Calenberg, 2003. 977.5 NOR
Golla Relatives History by Agnes Golla, 1994. 929.2 GOL
The Grosnick Family History : a Wisconsin Immigrant Family by Edward R. Seefelt, 1992. 929.2 SEE/WISC
Marquardt Family : 100 Years of History by Sally Kauss Freckmann, 2000. 929.2 FRE
Polish heritage : Kawlewski - Kawleski Family History by Agnes Golla, Jeanne Tanghe, and Myron M. Felckowski, 2004. 929.2 KAW (.pdf file. May take a while to download.)
The Przybylski-Ragan Family History by Dolores Nowak Puschautz, 1998. 929.2 PUS
The Seefeldt Family History : a Wisconsin Immigrant Family by Edward R. Seefelt, 1983. Ref 929.2 SEE
She Always Wore a Dress by Grace (Konkol) Gibbs, 2005. 929.2 SHE
The Stepniak and Walk Families : an Introduction by Katherine Stepniak Seiders, 1999. Ref 929.2 SEI
They Were ... We Are : a Nawrocki/Cieslewicz Scrapbook by Elizabeth J. Cecil, 1997. 929.2 CEC
Local History
Alban Settlers: 1857-1885 by Lester Peterson, 1976. 977.553 PET/WISC
Amherst Early Settlers, 1851-1871 by Lester Peterson, 1970. Ref 977.553 Pet Wis
Early History of Amherst, Wisconsin and its Schools by The Red and White School Association, 1922. 977.553 EAR
For the Love of Postcards: A Pictorial Celebration of Portage County Heritage from the Postcard Collection of John Anderson compiled by Judy Anderson, narrative by George Rogers. Epitaph Press, 1998. Ref 977.553 FOR and 977.553 FOR (at Main and Plover branches). Excellent source of pictures with very informative narration.
From an Eternal Faith, A Gift of Timeless Art: The First Baptist Church of Stevens Point, Wisconsin 1855-2005 by Wendell Nelson, 2005. 977.553 Nel. Contains biographical sketches on prominent parishioners.
From the Indian Land by Malcolm Rosholt. Krause Publications, Inc., 1985. 977.55 ROS WISC
Hand-Book of Stevens Point and the Upper Wisconsin, Its Character, Early Settlement, Villages, Population & General Advantages for Settlers… by Albert Ellis. Ellis, Tracy & Swayze, 1857. Gen/Ref 977.553 ELL WIS and Ref 977.553 ELL WIS and 977.553 ELL WISC. This historical document was written to encourage and guide prospective settlers in this area. (The original is kept in the locked archives. The library has reproductions of the original that may be checked out.)
History and Memories: Portage County, Belmont Township by Wayne A. Guyant. Waupaca, Wis., 1984-c1986. 977.553 Guy Vol.#1 and Vol.#2. (.pdf files)
History of Northern Wisconsin… The Western Historical Company, 1881. Gen/Ref 977.5 His Wisc. (Kept in locked archives.) Contents are arranged by county and by town within each county. Includes a description (as of 1881) and general history of each place. Biographical sketches with some portraits. Also nice illustrations of buildings and views of towns.
A History of the City of Stevens Point Issued in Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Incorporation of Stevens Point as a City… May 17th, 1858 prepared by the Portage County Historical Society, 1958. Ref 977.553 HIS and 977.553 HIS. Has chapters on the economy, politics, religion and education, professions and the arts, ethnic groups, communications, recreation, and military history. Has many old photographs.
The Jewish Community of Stevens Point by Mark Seiler. Worzalla Publishing, 2008. 977.553 Sei.
Land and Lumber: A History of Portage County by Michael J. Goc. Portage Co. Historical Society, 1999. Ref 977.553 GOC and 977.553 GOC. Section titles: Native Resources, Native People, Peopling The Land 1840s—1900s, Land and Lumber 1840s—1900s, Hard Times and War Time 1910s—1940s, Suburbia 1940s—1990s, Portage County Chronology. Well illustrated.
Native Realm: The Polish-American Community of Portage County, 1857-1992 by Michael J. Goc. New Past Press Inc./Worzalla Publishing, 1992. Ref 977.553 GOC WISC and 977.553 GOC WISC (Circulating copies at all four branches).
New Hope Settlers, 1855-1870 by Lester Peterson, 1978. Ref 977.553 Pet Wis
Our County Our Story, Portage County, Wisconsin by Malcolm Rosholt. Portage Co. Board of Supervisors, 1959. Gen/Ref 977.553 ROS WISC and 977.553 ROS WISC. (Also available as a circulating book at all branches) The best single source for the history of Portage County. Contains general chapters on early settlers, education, government, the lumber industry, fires and firemen, justice, sports and entertainments, and participation in five wars. Also contains chapters on all townships, villages and the City of Stevens Point.
Our Heritage: Almond and Vicinity by Ralph Tess, 1986. 977.553 TES WISC.
Paper-mill village : a miscellaneous history of Whiting, Wisconsin by Wendell Nelson, 2008. 977.553 Nel.
A Photo Album of the Past: Pioneer Scenes and Portraits From Central Wisconsin, Vol. 1, 1976 & Vol. 2, 1977 by Malcolm & Margaret Rosholt. 977.5 ROS
Pioneers of the Pinery by Malcolm Rosholt. Rosholt House, 1979. Biography Ros, Wis
A Place Called Plover by Justin Isherwood. Pinery Press, 1979. 977.55 Ish
Portage County Looking Back: The Early Years. Pediment Publishing, 2007. Gen Ref 977.553 Por and 977.553 Por
Portage County: Of Place and Time, A Historical Geography of Portage County, Wisconsin by Maurice Perret. Cornerstone Press, 1992. Ref 917.7553 PER and 917.7553 PER (copies at Main and Plover branches). Parts: 1. Cultural Geography, 2. Services, 3. Economic Geography, 4. Physical Geography, 5. Recreation and Sport.
A Standard History of Portage County Wisconsin... Vol. 1 & Vol. 2. editorial board, Edward McGlachlin...[et al.]. Lewis Publishing Co., 1919. Gen/Ref 977.553 STA WISC (at Almond and Main branches) and 977.553 STA WISC (circulating at Main branch).
Town 25 North: A Short History of Alban Township and Village of Rosholt, Portage County, Wisconsin by Malcolm Rosholt, 1948. Gen/Ref 977.553 ROS WISC and 977.553 ROS WISC (at Rosholt and Main branches).
Union Cemetery: A Biographical History by Millicent Zindel Hild, 1989. 929.5 Hil
Local Architecture
Farmhouse in town : the Turner House of Amherst, Wisconsin by Wendell Nelson, 2007. 977.553 Nel.
Gateway to the Pineries: An Architectural And Historical Guide to Downtown Stevens Point prepared by Thomas Brown for the City of Stevens Point Historic Preservation/Design Review Commission, 1988. Ref 720.9775 BRO WISC and 720.9775 BRO WISC. Booklet includes brief descriptions and history with small photographs of downtown buildings. Also includes a history of downtown Stevens Point and a section of downtown building no longer standing.
The House By the Side of the Road: The Pipe House of Portage County, Wisconsin by Wendell Nelson, 2006. 977.553 Nel. Contains biographical and genealogical information on the Pipe family.
Houses That Grew by Wendell Nelson, 1983. Ref 728.8 Nel Wisc and 728.8 Nel Wisc. (Copies available at all branches) Describes 200 Stevens Point houses of architectural or historical interest. Detailed descriptions and photographs of each house. Also includes information about the people who have lived in the houses.
Our Past in Our Present by Wendell Nelson, 1979. Ref 728.8 Nel Wis
Local Flavor
Casmer Sikorski Remembers: Farm and Village Life in the Polonia Area by Casmer J. Sikorski, Sr., compiled and edited by Anton Anday, Milo Harpstead, Jerry Rohlinger, Tim Siebert and Karen Zinda. Cornerstone Press, 2005. 977.553 SIK (Copies available at all branches)
Echoes of Portage County Past: An Oral History: 1900-1950 sponsored by The Portage County Historical Society. Cornerstone Press, 2001. 977.553 ECO (Copies available at all branches) Recollections of senior citizens as told to students who interviewed them for this project.
Hometown on the River by Roy Menzel, 1989. 977.553 MEN WISC (at Plover and Main branches). Reminiscences and recollections by "an old kid on the block."
Out of the Shadows: Memorable People from Portage County's Past, Portage County Historical Society. Palmer Publications, 1998. Gen Ref 921 OUT, Biography OUT
Portage County Shadows: Stories of Notorious People, Places and Events from Portage County’s Past edited by Janet Menzel Jurgella. BIOGRAPHY PORTAGE (at Main branch) and 920 POR (at Plover branch). Contributions by seven local historians and writers.
Samples from "A County Sampler:" Selected Works by John Anderson. Cornerstone Press, 1994. 920 AND WISC, Biography AND
Slough of Memories by Dorothy Roshak Zmuda, sponsored by the Portage County Historical Society. Cornerstone Press, 2004. BIOG/Zmuda (Copies also available at Plover and Almond branches). Memories of a "Polish girl from the north side of Stevens Point."
Women of Vision: Reflections on Notable Women of Portage County, Women's Fund of Portage County. Epitaph Press, 1999. Biography Women
Maps and Atlases
Atlas of Portage County Wisconsin compiled and published by Allstate Atlas Co., 1983. Gen /Ref 920 ALL Wisc. Contains pictures and short biographies on area land owners.
Insurance Map of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Sanborn Map Company, 1934 corrected to October 1950. Gen/Ref 912 INS WIS. (Kept in Atlas Case in Genealogy Room)
Plat Book of Portage County. North West Publishing Co., 1895 Gen/Ref 977.553 PLA. (Kept in Atlas Case in Genealogy Room)
Standard Atlas of Portage County, Wisconsin, Including a Plat Book of the Villages, Cities and Townships of the County.... Geo. A. Ogle & Co., 1915. Gen/Ref 977.553 STA. (Kept in Atlas Case in Genealogy Room)
The library also has the following Portage County Plat Books: 1949 (Genealogy Room atlas case), 1958, 1961, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1998, 2001 (at Plover branch), and 2005 (at Main branch Reference Desk). These plat books are kept in the locked cabinet in the Genealogy Room unless otherwise indicated. Ask at Reference Desk for assistance.
Directories (local)
City of Stevens Point Re-numbering Directory as of
August, 1965 Gen/Ref
920 Cit
Stevens Point revised its house numbering system in 1965. This book translates
the old numbers into the new ones.
Village of Plover Renumbering Directory as of 03/14/95 Gen/Ref 920 VIL WISC.
City Directories. Kept in the Genealogy Room in the locked cabinet. Ask at Reference Desk for assistance. The library has city directories for Stevens Point for the following years: 1893, 1896, 1908, 1920, 1923, 1927, 1931, 1934-35, 1937, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1965-1967, and 1969 to present.
Telephone Directories. Kept in the Genealogy Room in the locked cabinet. Ask at Reference Desk for assistance. The library has Stevens Point telephone directories for 1926, 1932, 1935-1942, 1944-1994, and 1996-present. The library has Almond telephone directories for 1974, 1977, 1979 and 1981. The library has Amherst telephone directories for 1970 and 1974-1984.
Yearbooks
Stevens Point High School yearbooks. Kept in the Genealogy Room in the locked cabinet. Ask at Reference Desk for assistance. The public high school in Stevens Point has changed names and buildings over the years, but has kept the same yearbook title, The Tattler. The library has the following years:- for Stevens Point High School: 1921-1927
- for Emerson High School: 1929-1938
- for P. J. Jacobs High School: 1939-1968, 1970-71
- for SPASH (Stevens Point Area Senior High): 1972, 1973, 1975-1978, 1981-1987, 1989, 1991-2005.
The library has the following Catholic High School yearbooks.
- Pacelli High School (Cycles): 1978-1980, 1984, 1985, 1992-1997, and 2000-present
- Maria High School (Prismarian): 1957, 1958, 1962, and 1963
- St. Joseph Academy (Echo) 1948, 1950-1952
The University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point, formerly Central State Teachers College, formerly State Normal School—Stevens Point. The library has the following yearbooks.
- The Iris: 1909, 1911-1914, 1916-1943, 1945-1962, 1964-1970.
- The Horizon: 1982 and 1984. (UWSP does not currently publish a yearbook.)
Local Biographical Sources, Indexes and Lists of People
Commemorative Biographical Record of the Upper Wisconsin: Waupaca, Portage, Wood, Marathon, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Langlade and Shawano. J.H. Beers & Co., 1895. Gen/Ref 920 COM. Biographical sketches of prominent citizens.
Graduates of the Stevens Point High School, 1881-1940,
compiled by G. L. Miller, 2001. Gen/Ref 920 GRA and BIOG GRA.
Lists names of students in each graduating class. Has name
index in back.
Index of the Cemeteries of Portage County. Gen/Ref 929.5/GUY.
Produced by the Stevens Point Area Genealogical Society and based on the work
of Wayne and Alta Guyant. Individuals are listed alphabetically and the cemetery
in which they are buried is indicated. The larger work upon which this index
is based is available in microfilm at the Portage County Public Library. The
microfilm also includes many obituaries originally clipped from the newspapers.
The presence of an obituary in the microfilm version is indicated by "obit"
after the person’s name in the book index.
Index to the 1900 U.S. Census of Portage County, by G.L. Miller, 2000. Gen/Ref 310 IND
Index to U.S. 1850-1880 Census of Portage County, by G.L. Miller. Brookhaven Press, 2003. Gen/Ref 929.3 CEN
Nineteenth Century Portage County Marriages, by G.L. Miller. Brookhaven Press, 2003. Genealogy Ref 929.3 Por and 929.3 Por
Portage County Draft Registration Lists for WWI and WWII, by G.L. Miller, 2000. Gen/Ref 929.3 POR
A Standard History of Portage County, Wisconsin. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1919. Gen/Ref 977.553 STA and 977.553 STA (Also available as a reference book at all branches.) Biographical sketches of prominent citizens. There is a separate index to this book, Index to Names in A Standard History… Gen/Ref 977.553 STA INDEX.
Periodicals
Everton’s Genealogical Helper.
Bi-monthly magazine kept in Genealogy Room. Current issue for in-library use
only. Past issues may be checked out.
"Polish People of Portage County," Sanford, Albert Hart. In Vol. 55 of the Wisconsin Historical Society Proceedings, 1907, p 259-288. Ref 977.5 W 75p
Microfilm
Guyant Cemetery Microfilm
Alta and Wayne Guyant carefully indexed every cemetery in Florence, Langlade,
Portage, Waupaca, and Waushara Counties and also many cemeteries in Adams,
Forest, Lincoln, Marathon, Outagamie, Juneau, Green, Lake, Oneida, Shawano
and Winnebago Counties. They also collected obituaries clipped from various
local newspapers. This micrfilm contains their work. The library has a paper
table of contents that shows which reel of microfilm includes which cemetery.
The Index of the Cemeteries of Portage County is a book index which lists
the names of people whom the Guyants identified as being buried in Portage
County Cemeteries. That book is in the Genealogy Room (Gen/Ref 929.5/GUY).
The library has area newspapers on microfilm back to the 19th century. (For an overview of these newspapers see the Portage County Historical Society.) These include:
- The Almond Press Nov 21, 1924—Oct. 30, 1931
- The Amherst Advocate Feb. 22, 1893—Feb. 13, 1895, Jan. 4, 1906—Feb 22, 1968
- Central Wisconsin Herald March 22, 1935—March 11, 1938
- The Gazette Sept. 23, 1885—March 21, 1923. (added “…and Stevens Point Journal” to its name from Jan. 19, 1921 to March 21, 1923)
- Green Bay Intelligencer Dec. 11, 1833—June 1, 1836
- Hungerford’s Real Estate Journal Feb. 15, 1879—July, 1886
- Junction City Community Press Oct. 27, 1949—Oct 1, 1959, Feb. 2 1961—Jan. 27, 1966
- Plover Herald Aug. 7, 1856—July 30, 1857
- Plover Times March 3, 1866—April 29, 1881
- The Point July 5, 1871—Dec., 1871
- Portage County Gazette July 17, 1878—Sept. 16, 1885, July 2, 1999 to present. (Paper copies of The Portage County Gazette are kept until the microfilm copies are produced.)
- Rosholt Community Press Nov. 25, 1926—Jan 1, 1931
- Rosholt Review Dec. 3, 1920—Oct. 31, 1924.
- Stevens Point Democrat Feb. 21, 1880—Nov. 2, 1885
- Stevens Point Journal (daily) Oct. 23, 1895—present
- Stevens Point Journal (weekly) July 5, 1871—Dec. 1871, Jan 31, 1872—Dec. 29, 1917, May 10, 1919—Dec. 31, 1920 (From Jan., 1921 through March, 1923, the "weekly" Stevens Point Journal merged with the Gazette—see above listing for Gazette.)
- Tomorrow River Times July 2, 1975—Dec. 1996
- Wisconsin Eagle Nov 3, 1884—Nov. 2, 1885
- Wisconsin Lumberman Dec. 16, 1863—July 17, 1868
- Wisconsin Pinery Jan. 14, 1853—Dec. 25 1873, Dec. 29, 1882—Dec. 10, 1886.
- Wisconsin State Rights April 9, 1861—Dec. 4, 1861
- 1840: All Wisconsin counties in existence at the time.
- 1850: All Wisconsin counties in existence at the time.
- 1860: Pepin, Pierce, Portage and Waupaca Conties
- 1870: Polk and Portage Counties
- 1880: Pierce, Polk and Portage Counties
- 1890: Most of the 1890 Census—including all the records from Wisconsin—was destroyed by a fire in the Commerce Dept. in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 10 1921. For the year 1890, the library does have "schedules enumerating Union veterans and widows of Union veterans of the Civil War: Wisconsin."
- 1900: Brown (part), Buffalo, Burnett, Marathon, Portage, Price, Richland, Taylor, Trempeauleu, Waupaca
- 1910: Polk and Portage Counties
- 1920: Polk, Portage, Price, and Racine (part) Counties
- 1930: Portage and Racine (part) Counties.
The Wisconsin Necrology consists of 8 reels of microfilm covering the years from 1846 to 1968. Contains selected obituaries collected and microfilmed by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Each reel begins with an index for the years covered in that reel. Older obituaries were hand copied; newer ones were clipped from the newspapers.
Pamphlet File
Located on the second floor of the Main library in Stevens Point, this collection consists mostly of newspaper clippings. The files are divided into Wisconsin, Portage County and Stevens Point sections. Subjects include Biography, Architecture, Churches, Downtown, History, etc. (Biography files are in the Wisconsin section.) These files cannot be checked out but there is a photocopy machine on each floor of the library and copies may be made for 10 cents per page.
Genealogy File
Located in the Genealogy Room on the 2nd floor of the Main Library, it contains genealogy society newsletters from several states. It is managed by the Stevens Point Area Genealogical Society.
Databases
The Portage County Public Library subscribes to two Genealogy databases. One, HeritageQuest, can be used at home or at the library. The other, Ancestry Library, can only be used at the library. From home you will need your library card. (At the library you can use either database from our catalog computers or from our public access Internet computers. Ask at the Reference Desk for assistance.)
HeritageQuest allows you to search
- U.S. Census records from 1790 to 1930
- Local and family histories
- Genealogy periodicals
- Selected Revolutionary War records
- Freedman’s Bank records
Ancestry Library allows you to search
- U.S. Census records from 1790 to 1930
- 1890 Census Substitute
- Passenger and Immigration Lists
- Civil War and Revolutionary War records
- and more
Stevens Point Area Obituary Index. (This index is a cooperative effort of the Portage County Public Library and the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.)
The Genealogy Collection and the microfilms are located at
1001 Main Street, Stevens Point
346-1548 (for Reference Desk)
Locations:
Address of Main Branch:
1001 Main Street,
Stevens Point, WI 54481.
Reference Desk phone: (715) 346-1548
Plover Branch Library
2151 Roosevelt Dr., Plover
341-4007
Almond Branch Library
Village Hall, Almond
366-2151
Rosholt Branch Library
Village Hall, Rosholt
677-4512