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Portage Newspapers Obituaries Index FAQ

(*) Probate (F) funeral date The reel numbers refer to the reel numbering system at the Portage library. The reels are also available at the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison using a different numbering system. We have tried to include names from death notices, obituaries and probate legal notices. In the early days there were no obituaries but merely a death notice. Not all deaths are listed in the newspaper so we include the date of the first probate notice only when there is no death notice. This obituary indexing is a project of the local Portage based Genealogy Researchers group with the help from others in the community. This list is meant as an index but we have included other information as well. The early papers are very hard to read. For example the number three could be the number eight. We have tried to copy names as printed even when we think they are spelled wrong. The name of the paper changes, starting with the River Times [c1850-1853], the Independent [c1855-1857], the Wisconsin State Register [c1861-1886] and finally the Portage Weekly (Daily) Register [c1886-present]. Thank you to Anna Mae and the Genealogy Researchers group for sharing this information! Go To Index   Q: I found someone! How do I get a copy of the obituary? A:(1): If you are lucky enough to live in or near Portage or in Southern Wisconsin, you can go to the Portage Library and look up the obituary, using the reel number given. Or you can check with your local library and (if they have a film viewer) ask if the reel can be loaned to your library by the Portage library. (2): If you are living out here in the rest of the world, like me, you need to use an interlibrary loan from the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison. This is done through your local library or a library near you that has a film viewer. You need to supply the date or dates you are interested in and tell them you want the film reels of the Portage, Wisconsin newspaper(s) for those dates. The reel numbers listed on this site are for the Portage Library only -- the Historical Society has entirely different numbers. Your local library will place the order. There will probably be fees involved. The newspapers are: River Times [c1850-1853], the Independent [c1855-1857], the Wisconsin State Register [c1861-1886] and finally the Portage Daily Register (Democrat) [c1886-present]. Please be aware: the earliest obituaries (pre-1890) were often very short death notices. Q: I found someone, but it is a probate notice. How do I get the probate records? A: Contact Register of Probate, County Courthouse, 400 DeWitt St., Portage, WI 53901 (608) 742-9636. Count your blessings! Probate case files are often filled with interesting information on the person and his or her heirs as well as bills from cemeteries, funeral homes, etc. that will help you locate where the person was buried. Q: Why can't I find an individual? A: It could be a number of reasons: (1) Unlike today, in the 1800s not everyone had an obituary or even a death notice published in the newspaper. (2) The person you are looking for may have resided in Columbia County, but not in Portage. If you know at least the year of death you should check other newspapers being published in the county (see old newspapers of Columbia County). Film reels of the old newspapers can be obtained by your local library through interlibrary loan. Also check with bordering counties, especially if who you are looking for resided in a border area such as Randolph, Columbus, Lodi, West Point or Kilbourn (check our township map for ideas). Q: What do I do next? A: Armed with a date of death you can: (1) Check with the Register of Deeds for a Death Certificate. The earliest death certificates in Columbia County are dated 1877. For earlier death certificates check with the State of Wisconsin. There are other sources for this information as well, such as Ancestry and the Family History Library. (2) Check with the Register of Probate for "Papers related to the estate of..." There may be a will or other administration papers. The very young or very old rarely had wills or probate files (they didn't have property). (3) Check local church records. Many churches in Columbia County that were founded in the 1800s are still active today. (4) For some people, the little death notice in the paper may be the only record of their life. Cherish it and preserve it.

Copyright Notice: All files on this site are copyrighted by their creator and/or contributor. They may be linked to but may not be reproduced on another site without specific permission from Tina Vickery [tsvickery@adelphia.net] and/or their contributor. Although public information is not in and of itself copyrightable, the format in which they are presented, the notes and comments, etc., are. It is however, quite permissable to print or save the files to a personal computer for personal use ONLY. My very special thanks to Holly Timm for the creation of the WIGenWeb Columbia County graphic. The use of the Penny Postcard in the title graphic is used with permission of the Penny Post Cards a USGenWeb Archives Web Site.