Collections Of The State Historical Society Of Wisconsin

You will often find me writing that genealogy is by its nature, more then just facts. Its the history surrounding our ancestors lives that brings their character back to life. When you begin to find out not just when, where and why, but also the what and how of your ancestors' lives you will then truly understand what drove their passions, sorrows, and true grit.

The Historical Society of Wisconsin begun to publish in 1855 a series of volumes providing an eclectic look into the early history of Wisconsin. They originally titled these volumes as Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, however, they were later reprinted and called Collections Of The State Historical Society Of Wisconsin, which better reflects the majority of the content of each volume. While most of the data is historical in nature, some of the specific articles are large sources of genealogical content. At this time, only a few of the volumes have been reprinted online digitally.

 

  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 01 - Free
    • Memoir of Dr. Draper
    • Early Records of the Society (1849-1854)
    • Lieutenant James Gorrell's Journal, 1761-1763
    • Recollections of Green Bay in 1816-1817
    • Recollections of a Tour Through Wisconsin in 1832
    • Legend of the Winnebagoes
    • Early Times in Wisconsin
    • Sketch of Galumet County
    • Sketch of Richland County
    • Wisconsin Geographical Names
    • Indian Names
    • Indian Nomenclature of Northern Wisconsin with a Sketch of the Manners and Customs of the Chippewas
    • Reminiscences of Wisconsin
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 02 - Free
    • Early History and Condition of Wisconsin
      Early Times and Events in Wisconsin
      Silaw's Narrative
      Memoir of Thomas Pendleton Burnett
      Pioneer Life in Wisconsin
      Pekatonica Battle Controversy
      Strictures upon Ford's Black Hawk War
      Advent of the New York Indians into Wisconsin
      Historical Sketch of Kenosha County, Wisconsin
      Wisconsin, It's Rise and Progress
      Legend of the Red Banks
      Progress, Conditions, and Prospects of Wisconsin
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 03 - Free
    • Jesuit Missionaries in the Northwest
    • The Indian Tribes of Wisconsin
    • The Cass Manuscripts
    • Ancient Mounds or Tumuli in Crawford County
    • Antiquities of Wisconsin
    • Seventy-two Years' Recollection of Wisconsin
    • Reminiscences of the Northwest
    • The Chippewas of Lake Superior
    • Early History of Kenosha
    • Early History of Green County
    • Sketch of Whitewater
    • Upper Wisconsin Country
    • Sketch of Pierce County
    • Hudson and Neighborhood
    • New London and Neighborhood
    • Resources of Northeastern Wisconsin
    • Wisconsin's Internal Navigation
    • The Lemonweir River
    • The Baraboo Valley
    • Message to the Sauks and Foxes, 1781
    • Statistics of Wisconsin Public Libraries, 1857
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 04 - Free
    • Origins of the American Indians
    • Recollections of Wisconsin since 1820
    • Recollections of the Early History of Northern Wisconsin
    • Early History of Wisconsin
    • Commercial History of Milwaukee
    • Sketch of the Brothertown Indians
    • The Stockbridges
    • The Last of the Mohicans
    • Death of John W. Quinney
    • Speech of John W. Quinney
    • Memorial of John W. Quinney
    • Early Times in Sheboygan County
    • Early Events in the Four Lake Country
    • Northeastern Boundary of Wisconsin
    • Latitude and Longitude of Places in Wisconsin
    • Man-shaped Mounds in Wisconsin
    • Death of Tecumseh
    • First Grave in Watertown
    • Early Settlements of La Crosse and Monroe Counties
    • Latitude and Longitude of Milwaukee, Prairie Du Chien, Racine and Madison
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 05 - Free
    • Canadian Documents
    • Historical Notices of De Louvigny, Perrot, De Lignery, De Beaugeu, Marin, Du Buisson, De Villiers, De Noyelle, and St.Ange
    • Early Days at Prairie du Chien. and the Winnebago Outbreak of 1827
    • Indian Honor: an incident of the Winnebago War
    • The Winnebago Outbreak
    • Letter to General Henry Atkinson
    • A Western Reminscence
    • Eulogy on Henry Dodge
    • The Winnebago War
    • Reminiscences of Wisconsin
    • Dodge's Volunteers in the Black Hawk War
    • Reminiscences of the Black Hawk War
    • Battle of the Bad Axe
    • Capture of Black Hawk
    • Dells of Wisconsin: Black Hawk's Cave
    • Black Hawk's Autobiography Vindicated
    • Death of Black Hawk
    • Winnebagoes and the Black Hawk War
    • Sioux and the Black Hawk War
    • Personal Narratives of Black Hawk War
    • Early History of Education in Wisconsin
    • History of School Supervision in Wisconsin
    • Life and Services of J. D. Doty
    • Reminiscences of Hole-in-the-Day
    • Sketch of Hole-in-the-Day
    • Note on Hole-in-the-Day
    • Death of Hole-in-the-Day
    • Murder of Hole-in-the-Day
    • Additional Note on the Younger Hole-in-the-Day
    • General Cass at St. Marie, 1820
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 06 - Free
    • Life of Benjamin Franklin Hopkins
    • Memoir of G. De Witt Elwood
    • Civil Life of William A. Barstow
    • Military Services of William A. Barstow
    • Life of Charles Durkee
    • Life of George Hyer
    • Character of George Hyer
    • The North-West in 1817
    • Journal of a Voyage from St. Louis to the the Falls of St. Anthony, June 3 - September 17, 1819
    • Letter to Gov. William Clark, September 23, 1819
    • Captain Jonathan Carver
    • The Carver Grant
    • Early History of the Lead Region of Wisconsin
    • Western Wisconsin in 1836
    • Eleazer Williams and the Lost Prince
    • Reminiscences of the First House and First Residence of Madison
    • Early Reminiscences of Madison
    • Michael St. Cyr, an Early Dane County Pioneer
    • Green County Pioneers
    • Early Settlement of Rock County
    • Early Reminiscences of Janesville
    • Sketch of Charles M. Baker
    • Pioneer History of Walworth County
    • Neyon de Villiers
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 07 - Free
    • Pre-historic Wisconsin
    • Westphalian Medal, 1648
    • Discovery of the Mississippi
    • Memoir of Charles de Langlade
    • Notice of Match-e-ke-wis, the Captor of Mackinaw
    • Fifty-four years' Recollections of Wisconsin
    • Fur trade and Factory-System at Green Bay, 1816-1821
    • E.D. Beouchard's Vindication
    • Early Western Days
    • Personal Narrative
    • Pioneer Life in Wisconsin
    • Sketch of Officers at Fort Winnebago, in 1834
    • Langlade's Movements in 1777
    • Recollections of Wisconsin, 1837
    • Note on Eleazer Williams
    • Sketch of Shau-be-na, a Pottawattamie Chief
    • Memoir of Hon. George Gale
    • Memoir of Hon. H. S. Baird
    • Sketch of Hon. J. Y. Smith
    • Wisconsin Necrology, 1874-1875
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 8 - Free
    • Memoir of Stephen Haskins Carpenter
    • Memoir of George Baxter Smith
    • Ancient Copper Mines of Lake Superior
    • Pre-Historic Copper Implements
    • Ancient Copper Implements
    • Pictured Cave of La Crosse Valley
    • Additional Notes of the La Crosse Cave
    • Notes on Jean Nicolet
    • Early Historic Relics of the Northwest
    • Tradition of the Fox Indians, 1730
    • Langlade Papers, 1737-1800
    • Incident of Chegoimegon, 1760
    • Capture of Mackinaw, 1763
    • Green Bay and the Frontiers, 1763-1765
    • Indian Wars of Wisconsin
    • Wisconsin in 1818
    • Reminicences of the North-West
    • Early Times at Fort Winnebago
    • Recollections of Eleazer Williams
    • Additional Notes on Eleazer Williams
    • Early Exploration and Settlement of Juneau County
    • The Swiss Colony of New Glarus
    • Additional Notes on New Glarus
    • Wisconsin Necrology, 1876-1878
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 9 - Free
    • Embematic Mounds in Wisconsin
    • A Mound Near Boscobel
    • Portraits of Columbus
    • Early Historic Relics of the Northwest
    • Identity of "Lake Sakaegan"
    • Narrative of Capt. Thomas G. Anderson, 1800-1828
    • Journal at Fort McKay, August 10-November 23, 1814
    • Military Orders at Fort McKay, August 10-November 28, 1814
    • Prairie du Chien Documents, 1814-1815
    • Recollections of Prairie du Chien
    • Indian Customs and early Recollections
    • Memorial Addresses on Cadwallader C. Washburn
    • Sketch of Charles H. Larrabee
    • Pioneer Settlement of Sheboygan County
    • Sketch of William Farnsworth
    • Sketch of Moses Hardwick
    • Memoir of Henry D. Barron
    • Sketch of CHauncey H. Purple
    • William Hull and Satterlee Clark
    • Character of Levi B. Vilas
    • Wisconsin Necrology, 1876-1881
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 10 - Free
    • Jean Nicolet
    • De Lignery's Expedition Against the Foxes
    • French Forts Near the Mouth of the Wisconsin
    • Taychoperah, the Four Lake Country
    • Lawe and Grignon Papers, 1794-1821
    • Papers of Thomas G. Anderson, British Indian Agent, 1814-1821
    • Indian Campaign of 1832
    • Reminiscences of the Black Hawk War
    • The Battle of Peckatonica
    • Notes on the Black Hawk War
    • Indian Chiefs and Pioneers of the Northwest
    • Cause of the Black Hawk War
    • Black Hawk Newspaper Scraps
    • Roberts S. Black and the Black Hawk War
    • Reminiscences of Wisconsin in 1833
    • Col. Henry Gratiot
    • Adele De. P. Gratiot's Narrative
    • Early Wisconsin Exploration and Settlement
    • Early Wisconsin Exploration, Forts and Trading Posts
    • French Fort at Prairie du Chien a Myth
    • Early French Forts in Wisconsin
    • Autographs of Signers of the Declaration of Independence and of the Constitution
    • Sketch of Andrew Proudfit
    • Memoirs of O. M. Conover, LL. D.
    • Necrology of Wisconsin, 1879-1882
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 11 - Free
    • Jean Nicolet, Interpreter and Voyageur in Canada, 1618-1642
    • Biography of Jean Nicolet
    • Important Western State Papers
    • Radisson and Groseilliers in Wisconsin
    • Papers from the Canada Archives, 1778-1783
    • Thompson Maxwell's Narrative, 1760-1763
    • Narrative of Andrew J. Vieau, Sr.
    • Antoine Le Clair's Statement
    • George P. Delaplaine's Statement
    • Prarie du Chien in 1811
    • Capture of Fort Mackay, Prairie du Chien, in 1814
    • Dickson and Grignon Papers, 1812-1815
    • Letter-Book of Thomas Forsyth, 1814-1818
    • Prairie du Chien in 1827
    • American Fur Company Invoices, 1821-1822
    • Sketch of Morgan L. Martin
    • Early Days in Jefferson County
    • Alexander Mitchell, the Financier
    • The Boundaries of Wisconsin
    • Local Government in Wisconsin
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 12 - Free
    • Lyman Copeland Draper
    • Papers from the Canadian Archives
    • Robert Dickson, The Fur Trader
    • American Fur Company Employees, 1818-1819
    • McCall's Journal of a Visit to Wisconsin in 1830
    • Documents Illustrating McCall's Journal
    • The Story of the Black Hawk War
    • Papers of Indian Agent Boyd, 1832
    • How Wisconsin Came by its Large German Element
    • The Planting of the Swiss Colony at New Glarus, Wisconsin
    • A Rare Wisconsin Book
    • Geographical names in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan, Having a Chippewa Origin
    • The Wisconsin Winnebagoes
    • Missions on Chequamegon Bay
    • Early Schools in Green Bay, 1818-1832
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 13 - Free
    • Events at Prairie du Chien Previous to American Occupation
    • The Bulger Papers
    • Last Days of the British at Prairie du Chien
    • Papers of James Duane Doty
    • The Territorial Census for 1836
    • Notes on Early Lead Mining in the Fever (or Galena) River Region
    • Significance of the Lead and Shot Trade in Early Wisconsin History
    • Chronicle of the Helena Shot-Tower
    • The Belgians of Northeast Wisconsin
    • The Story of Chequamegon Bay
    • Historical Sites on Chequamegon Bay
    • Arrival of American Troops at Green Bay, 1816
    • Narrative of Spoon Decorah
    • Narrative of Walking Cloud
    • Population of Brown County, June 1830
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 14 - Free
    • The Story of the Mackinac
    • Reminiscences of Early Days on Mackinac Island
    • The History of Fort Winnebago
    • Fort Winnebago Orderly Book, 1834-1836
    • Abraham Lincoln in the Black Hawk War
    • An English Officer's Description of Wisconsin in 1837
    • Father Samuel Mazzuchelli
    • Documents Relating to the Catholic Church in Green Bay and the Mission at Little Chute, 1825-1840
    • A History of Early Railroad Legislation in Wisconsin
    • The Cornish in Southwest Wisconsin
    • The Icelanders on Washington Island
    • Geographical Origin of German Immigration to Wisconsin
    • Journal of an Episcopalian Missionary's Tour to Green Bay in 1834
    • Documents Relating to the Episcopal Church and Mission in Green Bay, 1825-1841
    • The First Wisconsin Cavalry at the Capture of Jefferson Davis
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 15 - Free
    • Some Wisconsin Indian Conveyances, 1793-1836
    • Sketch of Cutting Marsh
    • Documents Relating to the Stockbridge Mission, 1825-1848
    • Reminiscences of Life in Territorial Wisconsin
    • A Methodist Circuit Rider's Horseback Tour from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin, 1835
    • Diary of one of the Original Colonists of New Glarurus, 1845
    • Pioneering in the Wisconsin Lead Region
    • Surveying in Wisconsin, in 1837
    • Report of the Quality and Condition of Wisconsin Territory, 1831
    • Narrative of Louis B. Porlier
    • Osawgenong - A Sac Tradition
    • Narrative of Alexis Clermont
    • Narrative of Peter J. Vieau
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 16 - Free
    • The French Regime in Wisconsin 1634-1717
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 17 - Free
    • The French Regime in Wisconsin 1727-1743
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 18 - Free
    • The French Regime in Wisconsin 1743-1760
    • The British Regime in Wisconsin 1760-1800
    • The Mackinac Register of Marriages 1725-1821
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 19 - Free
    • Mackinac Register of Baptisms and Interments, 1695-1821
    • A Wisconsin Fur-Trader's Journal, 1804-1805
    • The Fur Trade on the Upper Lakes, 1778-1815
    • The Fur Trade in Wisconsin, 1815-1817
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 20 - Free
    • The Fur Trade in Wisconsin, 1812-1825
    • A Wisconsin Fur Trader's Journal, 1803-1804
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 22 - Free
    • The Journals of Captain Meriwether Lewis and Sergeant John Ordway kept on the expedition of western exploration, 1803-1806
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 25 - Free
    • Letters of Edwin Bottomley, 1842-1850
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 26 - Free
    • The Movement for Statehood, 1845-1846
  • Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 28 - Free
    • The Struggle Over Ratification, 1846-1847
  • Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 50 - Free
    • General Harrison Carroll Hobart
    • The Booth War in Ripon
    • Reminiscences of the Early Northwest
    • The Wisconsin Phalanx, at Ceresco
  • Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 51 - Free
    • Co-operative Communities in Wisconsin
    • Early Wisconsin Imprints
  • Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 55 - Free
    • The Fox Indians during the French Regime
    • Reminiscences of a Pioneer in the Rock River Country
    • Phases of the Economic History of Wisconsin, 1860-1870
    • Annals of the early Protestant Churches at Superior
    • The Invention of the Roller Flour Mill
    • The Polish People of Portage County
    • Wisconsin's Emblems and Sobriquet
  • Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume 68 - Free
    • The Rump Council
    • Wisconsin's Farm Loan Law, 1849-1863

 

The manuscripts listed above concentrate on a series of events in the early heritage of Wisconsin:
  1. Native American Heritage of Wisconsin
  2. French Occupation of Wisconsin
  3. Early Missionaries in Wisconsin
  4. British Occupation of Wisconsin
  5. American Occupation of Wisconsin
  6. Indian Trade in Wisconsin
  7. Fur Trade in Wisconsin
  8. Immigration to Wisconsin
  9. Constitutional Development of the Wisconsin Government

For the historian the early documents may shed light on what would otherwise be a difficult to find ancestor, since little written record is left for this era. I repeatedly found references from early inhabitants of resident lists for the communities early established around trading posts and missionaries.