Marathon County, Wisconsin Genealogy
Guide to Marathon County, Wisconsin ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
The county was named for the battlefield at Marathon, Greece. The County has Wausau as its seat and the County was created 1850. The county is located in the central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Marathon County Courthouse
500 Forest Street
Wausau, WI 54403
Phone: 715-261-1500
Marathon County Website
Register of Deeds has birth, marriage, death records from 1900, and land records from 1850.
Clerk of Courts has divorce and court records from 1900.
Probate County Court has probate records from 1900.[3]
Marathon County, Wisconsin Record Dates
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 |
| 1900 | 1900 | 1900 | 1900 | 1850 | 1900 | 1820 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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Populated Places
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:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
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History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 508 | — |
| 1860 | 2,892 | 469.3% |
| 1870 | 5,885 | 103.5% |
| 1880 | 17,121 | 190.9% |
| 1890 | 30,369 | 77.4% |
| 1900 | 43,256 | 42.4% |
| 1910 | 55,054 | 27.3% |
| 1920 | 65,259 | 18.5% |
| 1930 | 70,629 | 8.2% |
| 1940 | 75,915 | 7.5% |
| 1950 | 80,337 | 5.8% |
| 1960 | 88,874 | 10.6% |
| 1970 | 97,457 | 9.7% |
| 1980 | 111,270 | 14.2% |
| 1990 | 115,400 | 3.7% |
| 2000 | 125,834 | 9.0% |
| 2010 | 134,063 | 6.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Marathon census records online, see: Wisconsin Census.
- 1855 Wisconsin State Census, 1855 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. - How to Use this Collection
- 1865 Wisconsin State Census, 1865 Name index & 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. - How to Use this Collection
- 1875 Wisconsin State Census, 1875 Identifies head of household by name. - How to Use this Collection
- 1885 Wisconsin State Census, 1885 — index & 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. - How to Use this Collection
- 1895 Wisconsin State Census, 1895 — index & images. Identifies head of household by name. Other information is statistical. - How to Use this Collection
- 1905 Wisconsin State Census, 1905 — Name index & images of population. Enumerates by name all inhabitants. - How to Use this Collection
- 1905 1905 Marathon County Census-- Index of handwritten cards from the 1905 county census. Search results include surname, first name, age, location, and a link to the detailed record. A copy of the original census information can be ordered. Note that each record in the original census contains surname, location, first name, relationship, sex, race, age, marital status, birthplace, parent's birthplace, occupation and notes.
Church Records
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.
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- 1883-1914 City Directory Search (Wausau), 1883-1914 at Marathon County Historical Society - some years missing
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
- Funeral Homes History and list of funeral homes in Marathon County (mostly Wausau), along with addresses and whether records can be read there.
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Genealogies
Wimarath Stories at Marathon County Rootweb - extracts of genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
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.
- General Land Office Records, Bureau of Land Management
- Marathon County Online Land Records at Marathon County Register of deeds
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available from the Marathon County Historical Society. This collection of histories indexed and is searchable by surname or business name.
Wimarath Stories at Marathon County Rootsweb - has some extracts of stories, interviews, histories of towns, etc.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- Boundary map of Wisconsin counties at Mapofus.org
- Marathon County at Wisconsin Department of Transportation
- Marathon County (1878) at David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
- Wausau (1878) at David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
Migration
Military Records
Civil War
- Marathon County Veterans Service Office at Marathon County website
- Wimarath Military at Rootsweb - index, by war
Regiments. Service men in Marathon County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county.
- - 5th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Reorganized, Companies D and F
- - 12th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company G
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Wisconsin, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Wisconsin Digital Newspapers at Wisconsin State Historical Society
Current Wisconsin Newspapers Online
- Record Review - covers Athens, Edgar, Marathon and Stratford.
- Tribune-Phonograph Covers Abbotsford, Colby, Curtiss, Dorchester, Milan and Unity.
- Wausau Daily Herald
Obituaries
- Marathon County Obituaries List at NewspapersObituaries.net - links to obituary databases/websites
Other Records
Information about the history of the Asylum and Poor Farm comes from copies of materials at the Marathon County Historical Library, 410 McIndoe, Wausau,WI Wimarath Insane covering years 1893 - 1971
Periodicals
Probate Records
Probate records are held by the Marathon Clerk of Circuit Court and are housed at the Marathon 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.
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 - How to Use this Collection, images, coverage may vary
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) - index
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Wisconsin tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned property or other items that could be taxed were listed, some residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records. For more information see the Wiki page, Wisconsin Taxation.
Vital Records
- Wisconsin Government Vital Records General Request lists earliest registration dates by county.
Birth
- 1801-1928 Wisconsin, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1801-1928 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1808-1920 Wisconsin, Birth Index, 1808-1920 at MyHeritage - index ($)
- 1820-1907 Wisconsin, Birth Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1826-1926 Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Wisconsin Pre-1907 Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
Marriage
- 1836-1911 Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1836-1930 Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Wisconsin Pre-1907 Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 1973-1997 Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1973-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1973-1997 Wisconsin Marriages, 1973-1997 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Wisconsin Marriages at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death
- 1820-1907 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1820-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1835-1968 Wisconsin, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1968 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1907 Wisconsin, Death Records, 1867-1907 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Pre-1907 Wisconsin Pre-1907 Vital Records Index at Wisconsin Historical Society - free index, images ($)
- 1959-1997 Wisconsin, Death Index, 1959-1997 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- Wisconsin Deaths at MyHeritage — index ($)
Divorce
- 1907-2015 Wisconsin, U.S., Divorce Records, 1907-2015 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1965-1984 Wisconsin, Divorce Index, 1965-1984 at FamilySearch.org — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1985-Onward Wisconsin Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Marathon County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Wisconsin Archives and Libraries.
- Neils R. Kampenga Archives and Area Research Center
University of Wisconsin Library
800 Reserve Street
Room 110, TNR
Stevens Point, WI 54481-1962
Phone: 715-346-2586
Website
Email: archives@uwsp.edu
Facebook
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Marathon County. For state-wide library facilities, see Wisconsin Archives and Libraries.
- University of Wisconsin Library
Nelis R. Kampenga Archives and Area Research Center
800 Reserve Street
Room 110 TNR
Stevens Point, WI 54481-1962
Phone: 715-346-2586
Website
Email: archives@uwsp.edu
Facebook
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Marathon County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Wisconsin Societies.
- Marathon County Genealogical Society
PO Box 1512
Wausau, WI 54402-1512
Website
- Marathon County Historical Society
410 McIndoe Street
Wausau, WI 54403
Office: 715-842-5750
Website - Pommerscher Verein Central Wisconsin
12351 N. Granville Road 111 W
Mequon, Wisconsin 53097
P. O. Box 204
11248 Berlin Lane
Germantown, Wisconsin 53022
Phone: (262) 242-0724
Email: information@pommerscher.org
Website
Websites
- Marathon County, WI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Wisconsin Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Marathon County, WIGenWeb Project
- Marathon County, 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
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Marathon County, Wisconsin " in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_County,_Wisconsin."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wisconsin.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Marathon County, Wisconsin. Page 755-760, At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library 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); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Marathon County, Wisconsin," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_County,_Wisconsin, accessed 22 September 2018.
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