Local History & Genealogy

Farnsworth Public Library has a wealth of primary documents, local historical information, a microfilm reader, and access to newspapers going back over 100 years.  

Note: The Library does not have birth, marriage or death certificates, and our microfilm reader does not have printing capabilities.

Digitize Oconto County Newspapers is a collaborative effort to digitize  all the Oconto County newspapers.  To view this searchable database or find out more information about the digitization effort, go to http://ocnews.co.oconto.wi.us.  
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​Newspapers on Microfilm

  • ​​Pioneer: June 1859 – October 27, 1865
  • Lumberman: August 16, 1864 – December 29, 1917, not all issues
  • Oconto County Enterprise: September 15, 1898 –1918, not all issues
  • Oconto County Reporter: 1871 – December 1994 
  • [Have paper copies 1995 to present]
  • Oconto Falls Herald: January 6, 1899 – March 19, 1912
  • Union Farmer Herald: March 28, 1912 – April 28, 1916
  • Farmer Herald: May 5, 1916 – May 21, 1920
  • Oconto Falls Herald: May 28, 1920 – December 27, 1951
  • Oconto County Times Herald: January 3, 1952 – Dec. 25, 1952
  • Gillett Times: January 6, 1927 – 1951, not Aug. – Dec 1930 & 1942
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Census Records on Microfilm

  • State Census: 1855, 1875, 1895, 1905
  • Federal Census: 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920
  • Veterans Census: 1890
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U.S. Army Infantry Muster Rolls on Microfilm

  • 1864 – 1865 A – K 1869 – 1870 A – O 1876 – 1879 Fourth Infantry
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Oconto High School Yearbooks: OcO Oconto High School Yearbooks

  • 1910 – 2011 (missing years 1911, 1913-1921, 1934, and 1992)


City Directories

  • City of Oconto, Oconto Falls, Gillett, Lena, Suring, Abrams Business and Residential – 1914
  • City of Oconto Residential – 1962, 1975, 1976-77, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989,
  • 1991-92, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999
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Oconto – Oconto Falls – Abrams Telephone Directories

  • 1928, 1929, 1940, 1948, 1949, 1951 – 1960
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​Oconto County Plat Books

  • 1905, 1912, 1938, 1958, 1967, 1978, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1997, 1992, 2001
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Maps

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More Online Resources

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Oconto County Reporter Obituary Listings