Monroe County Plat Book Index (1860-1983)
This database is an index of names found on many of Monroe County’s plat books, including: 1877, 1897, 1915, 1924, 1940-1941, 1948, 1953, 1959, 1965, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1980, and 1983. An index to an 1860 Town of Sparta area plat map is also included in this index. The Plat Book Index lists who owned land in Monroe County and where that land was located. 1877 is the earliest full county plat book.
Plat Book Map Copying Service:
The Monroe County Local History Room will provide copies of township maps from the Plat Books for a nominal fee ($5.00 per listing). Township maps show who owned land, as well as the location of churches, cemeteries, schools, roads, railroads, villages, and geographical features. Simply find your person in the index and click on “Get Copy of Map” to add that item to the Shopping Cart.
Monroe County Agricultural Schedule Index (1860-1880)
This database is an index of names and accompanying information listed on agricultural schedules from the 1860, 1870, and 1880 US Federal Censuses for Monroe County. Agricultural schedule information may be useful in determining the size, specialty, and valuation of an ancestor’s farm. Not all of the information recorded on the agricultural schedule is listed in the index. Additional information on the record may include: cash, implement, and farm values; amount and types of livestock, crops, and produce grown and sold; amount paid for hired labor; and breakdown of improved, unimproved, and wooded acreage. The 1880 Agricultural Schedule in particular includes a very detailed listing of farm statistics for an individual with 100 potential columns of information that could be recorded.
These indexes were transcribed off microfilm from the original, handwritten census agricultural schedules. Much of the handwriting was difficult to read or illegible, but every effort was taken to transcribe accurately. However, there will be inevitable errors. Sometimes the Census Taker seemed to have spelled out last names phonetically as he heard them. Be sure to consider multiple spelling variations for the surname in which you are interested (eg. Miller, Miler, Mueller, Meller, etc.). Illegible names are identified with a question mark "(?)" in part or in whole.
Agricultural Schedule Copy Service:
The Monroe County Local History Room will provide a copy of the agricultural census schedule record page listing the information of a given individual for a nominal fee ($5.00 per record). Simply click on “Get Copy of Record” and the name of the person for whom you are requesting an agricultural record will be added to the “shopping cart.”
Sparta and Tomah Property Resident Index (1897-1960)
This database is an index of the names of property residents and their addresses listed in Sparta and Tomah telephone books and city directories (1897-1960, non-inclusive). The index is predominantly only for the cities of Sparta and Tomah. A few entries may be included for other villages and unincorporated areas of Monroe County, but rarely is an address included for those listings.
Oftentimes only the head of household is listed as the property resident. Also, please note that in 1941 the address numbers in downtown Sparta changed, so an individual’s house number may be slightly different after 1941 than previously. This index can also be searched by address to locate the names of previous residents.
At this time, this index is strictly for reference. There are no records to order copies of. If you would like a copy of a particular telephone book or city directory page, please stop into the Monroe County Local History Room & Museum (200 W. Main St., Sparta, WI 54656) during open hours (Tuesday-Saturday, 9-4) or email us at History@co.monroe.wi.us.