(This page's most recent update is
July 2024)
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Institutional records are another class of collections that should be part of one’s genealogy research repertoire. Although most of your ancestors may not have spent time in an institution, I’ll bet that almost every family tree has several that have. So they are worth your effort to research.
Here are a few good primers for searching institutional records:
- FamilySearch – Institution and School Records
- Finding Your Ancestors in Poor House or Poor Farm Records
- Researching Ancestors in Asylums
What kind of institutions and types of records can we discover?
- Poorhouse
- Poor Farm
- Orphanage
- Orphan Train
- Mental Hospital
- Workhouse
- Almshouse
- Institutional School
- Sanitarium
- Asylums
- Correctional institutions
Acquiring records from each of these types of institutions may be difficult because of privacy concerns, but they are worth the effort.
Below you will find free online institutional records you can use to help you discover more about your relatives who have spent time in an institution.
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Wisconsin Free Online Institutional Records
- Adams County, Farm Cemetery
- Barron County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Barron Township, Barron County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Brown County, Potters Field Cemetery AKA County Home Cemetery
- Chippewa County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Chippewa County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Clark County, Clark County Insane Asylum, 1930 Index of Inmates
- Clark County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Columbia County, County Home Cemetery
- Crawford County, County Farm Cemetery
- Dane County, County Hospital/Asylum Deaths
- Dane County, Dane County Hospital and Home Cemetery
- Dane County, Insane Asylum Patients
- Dane County, Insane Asylum Patients and Administrators
- Dane County, Mendota State Hospital Cemetery
- Dodge County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Dodge County, State Prison at Waupun – Life Members in Prison as of Oct. 1, 1870
- Dodge County, State Prison at Waupun – Prison Record of Receipts Oct. 1, 1869 to Oct. 1, 1870.
- Dodge County, State Prison at Waupun – Prisoners Discharged from Oct. 1, 1869 to Oct. 1, 1870
- Dodge County, Wisconsin State Prison Cemetery
- Douglas County, Douglas County Jail 1930 Index of Prisoners
- Douglas County, Parkland Cemetery AKA Asylum Cemetery or Poor Farm Cemetery
- Eau Claire County, Asylum Cemetery
- Fon du Lac County, Taycheedah Womens Prison Cemetery
- Fond du Lac County, Asylum and Poor House Cemetery
- Grant County, Grant County Cemetery or County Farm Cemetery
- Green County, Farm Cemetery
- Iowa County, Asylum Cemetery
- Jackson County, County Farm Cemetery
- Juneau County, Pleasant Acres Cemetery AKA Poor Farm Cemetery
- La Crosse County, La Crosse County Insane Asylum 1930 Index of Inmates
- La Crosse County, Orphanage Index
- Lafayette County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Manitowoc County, Asylum Inmates, A-K
- Manitowoc County, Asylum Inmates, L-Z
- Manitowoc County, Orphanage Inmates, 1900
- Marinette County, Pineview Cemetery
- Milwaukee County, Almshouse and Poor Farm Cemetery
- Milwaukee County, Asylum Cemetery
- Monroe County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Monroe County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Outagamie County, Outagamie County Cemetery AKA Outagamie County Insane Asylum Cemetery
- Pierce County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Polk County, Polk County Home Cemetery
- Portage County, Portage County Cemetery AKA Portage County Poor Farm Cemetery
- Richland County, Richland County Home Cemetery
- Rock County, Farm Cemetery
- Rock County, Poor Farm AKA Alms Cemetery
- Rock County, Poor Farm Cemetery
- Shawano County, Shawano County Home Cemetery
- Trempealeau County, Asylum Cemetery
- Vernon County, Poor Farm and Asylum Cemetery
- Vernon County, Poor Farm and Asylum Cemetery
- Washington County, Washington County Hospital Cemetery AKA Samaritan Home Cemetery
- Waukesha County, Poorfarm Cemetery
- Waupaca County, Poorhouse Cemetery
- Winnebago County, Winnebago Mental Health Institute Cemetery
- Wisconsin, Orphan Train Riders
- Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Prison, 1930 Index of Prisoners (A – H)
- Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Prison, 1930 Index of Prisoners (I – Z)
- Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Reformatory, 1930 Index of Prisoners, Surnames A – K
- Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Reformatory, 1930 Index of Prisoners, Surnames K – Z
- Wisconsin, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, Prisoners, Insane, In Hospitals, 1917-1918
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!