Vernon County, Wisconsin
Genealogy, History & Facts

County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links

Vernon County, Wisconsin Facts

When was Vernon County, WI Created?
Vernon County was created on March 1, 1851 from Crawford County (originally named Bad Ax County until March 22, 1862 ).

What is the County Seat of Vernon County, WI?
The County Seat is located in Viroqua and the county government website is www.vernoncounty.org

What counties are adjacent to Vernon County, WI?
Bordering Counties are La Crosse County (north western), Monroe County, Juneau County, Sauk County, Richland County, Crawford County, Allamakee County, Iowa, Houston County, Minnesota.

Vernon County, WI Vital Records

Where can find Vernon County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Vernon County vital records can be found at the Wisconsin Office of Vital Records has copies of Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Records reported since 1907. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Wisconsin for current fees and application process..

You can search online for Vernon County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Wisconsin Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
• Social Security Death Index
• USGenweb Archives Wisconsin Marriage Project
• Earliest Registration Dates by County
• Pre-1907 Birth Index
• Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926
• Wisconsin, Divorce Index, 1965-1984
• Wisconsin Marriage Index 1852-1907
• Wisconsin Marriage Index (selected entries pre-1907)
• Wisconsin, Marriage Index, 1973-1997
• Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930
• Pre-1892 Wisconsin Brides and/or Grooms from Maine State Archives Cards
• Wisconsin, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1968
• Pre-1907 Death Index
• 1959-1979 Death Index
• 1979-1984 Death Index

Vernon County, WI Census Records

What Vernon County, WI census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Vernon County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940.

Vernon Co. Mortality Schedules can be obtained for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Vernon Co. Industry and Agriculture can be found for 1860, 1870 and 1880. Vernon Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. One can find free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research.

There are Wisconsin State censuses from 1895 and 1905. Also the Wisconsin Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index for 1820-1890. You can find free down-loadable and also printable census forms to help you with your research. See Also Wisconsin Census Records Research Guide

• Search The U.S. Federal Census Collection
• Vernon County, WI Census Records Links

Vernon County, WI Courthouse and Government Records

Vernon County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Vernon County Courthouse?
The below facts shows exactly what death, marriage, birth, property, wills, and court records are typically in Vernon County.The date listed for each category of record is usually the earliest registration filed. The earliest date does not indicate that there are numerous records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually registered.

See Also Wisconsin Courthouse Records Research Guide.

• Vernon County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 400 Court House Square, Viroqua, WI 54665; Phone: 608.637.5381
• Vernon County Register of Deeds
  • Phone: 608-637-5371
  • Birth Records: 1863
  • Marriage Records: 1855
  • Death Records: 1878
  • Land Records: 1851
• Vernon County Register in Probate Office
  • Phone: 608-637-5347
  • Probate Records: 1850
• Vernon County Clerk of Court Office
  • Phone: (608) 637-5340
  • Court Records: 1853
• Public Records of the Consolidated Court Automation Programs provides access to certain public records of the circuit courts of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin, Probate Estate Files, 1848-1935
• U.S., Indexed Early Land Ownership and Township Plats, 1785-1898
• BLM Land Records

Vernon County, WI Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Vernon County, WI?
A list of Vernon County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Wisconsin Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.

• Area Research Center – University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, Murphy Library Resource Center, La Crosse, WI 5460l; Phone: 608/785-8511
• Hillsboro Area Genealogical Society, Hillsboro, WI 54634
•  Hillsboro Area Historical Society, PO Box 9, Route 2, Hillsboro, WI 54634; Phone: 608-489-3322
•  Log Cabin Heritage Society, 714 Abbey Ln, Viroqua, WI 54665; Phone: 608-637-7109
•  Vernon County Historical Society, PO Box 444, Viroqua, WI 54665; Phone: 608-637-7396
•  Westby Area Historical Society, PO Box 42, Westby, WI 54667; Phone: 608-634-4101
• Wisconsin Area Research Center Network
• State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706-1488
• Wisconsin State Genealogical Society, PO Box 5106, Madison, WI 53705
• Wisconsin Genealogy Index (wisconsinhistory.org) Search for pre-1907 Vital Records, as well as for 150,000 Wisconsin Name Index (WNI) records, including biographical sketches, obituaries, and newspaper articles published before 2000.

Where can I connect with other Vernon County, WI Researchers through message boards and forums?

• Wisconsin State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Vernon County, Wisconsin Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Vernon County
• Vernon County, Wisconsin Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)

What other genealogical resources are available in Vernon County, WI?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Vernon County. Many of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some have to have a cost. This is just a listing which has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site above another.

Vernon Co. WI Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Wisconsin Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Wisconsin historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Wisconsin (1837 – 1992) (genealogybank.com)
• Vernon County, Wisconsin Books (amazon.com)
• Vernon County Wisconsin Genealogy Books (books.google.com)
• Search Wisconsin Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Vernon Co. WI Church & Cemeteries

• Wisconsin Church & Cemetery Research Guide
• Vernon Co., Wisconsin Graves (findagrave.com)
• Vernon County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Vernon Co., Wisconsin Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Vernon Co., Wisconsin Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Vernon County, Wisconsin Church Books (amazon.com)

Vernon Co. WI Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
• Historical Image Collections (wisconsinhistory.org)
• Local History & Biography Articles (wisconsinhistory.org) thousands of historical newspaper articles on Wisconsin people and communities
• The Wisconsin Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

Vernon Co. WI General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Wisconsin
• Vernon County, Wisconsin Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Vernon County, Wisconsin Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Vernon Co. WI Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Vernon County, Wisconsin (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Wisconsin – Counties – Vernon (cyndislist.com)
• Vernon County Wisconsin (genealogytrails.com)
• Vernon Co. WIGenweb (theusgenweb.org)
• Vernon County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Vernon Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Vernon Co. WI Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Wisconsin Links and Information
• Vernon Co. D.O.T. Road and Highway Maps (dot.wisconsin.gov)
• Wisconsin Public Land Survey Records: Original Field Notes & Plat Maps for Vernon County
• 1895 Vernon County Map (livgenmi.com)

Vernon Co. WI Military Records

• Wisconsin Military Records Research Guide
• Wisconsin Military Records (fold3.com) gives you easy access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Wisconsin both women and men which served. Just the thing for Vernon County genealogists, researchers, historians and much more.