Descendants of Wisconsin residents now have the power to look up their ancestors on the Web: The state historical society launched a free online index to pre-1907 births, deaths and marriages at <www.wisconsinhistory.org/vitalrecords>. The database, built from a 1970s-era microfiche index and 27,000 delayed birth records, catalogs a million Wisconsin births, a million marriages and 400,000 deaths from the mid-1800s through 1907.
Search the index on just a last name, or add a first name, county, specific event date or just a year. If you know the exact date, you can search on it plus a first name. Or, when information is really sparse, browse by a county and event year. Once you find your ancestor, a quick click lets you order a $15 copy of the record.
From the October 2006 issue of Family Tree Magazine.
