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, click here to visit http://ocnews.co.oconto.wi.us.

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

Census Records on Microfilm

State Census: 1855, 1875, 1895, 1905
Federal Census: 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920
Veterans Census: 1890

U.S. Army Infantry Muster Rolls on Microfilm

1864 – 1865 A – K 1869 – 1870 A – O 1876 – 1879 Fourth Infantry

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