October 20, 1998 - Debbie Barrett

While transcribing the 1880 Federal Census record for Spring Lake Township, I came across an entry for a Johnson Scrichfield and family living about 4 doors down from my gr.gr.grandmother, Arminda (Scrutchfield) Wilson and her family.  They were also listed in the Oak Ridge Cemetery which I found during my transcription of it. Arminda's eldest daughter, Mary Ellen Yates was my gr.grandmother and I had had an extremely difficult time tracing this family.  Mary Ellen's father had died very young in Illinois, place unknown and Arminda, after spending a few years in Wisconsin had moved to Bourbon County, KS where there was no record of her death or burial.  Mary Ellen herself had died in 1902 leaving no death certificate or obituary. So, going on the premise that two people with such an unusual last name, living so close together, born in the same state, had to have something in common, I began researching Johnson and his family.

With Johnson's death date from the cemetery transcription, I was able to obtain his and his wife's death certificates from the University of WI-River Falls Area Research Center which listed his father.  Through use of the internet, I found his marriage record from 1850 which told me which county this family was residing in in Illinois.  From there I went to the Crawford County, IL USGenWeb page and a woman by the name of Sue Jones was able to help me locate the marriage license of Arminda and Rhuny and the probate record of her father's estate listing her as a minor child at the beginning of the probate process and as Mrs. Rhuny Yates by the close.  Consequently, I finally made progress on a line I was beginning to give up on.

February 11, 1999 - Jim Bridgens

I wanted to write to thank you for the wonderful website! I've been searching the web for information on my gggrandfather's (Bethuel Hadsell of Diamond Bluff) Civil War service for more than a year. Your site provided everything, I think, there is to know about his regiment. He was with the Wisconsin 50th, which entered the war late and never was in battle. Consequently, not much has been written. What you provided was very nice!

February 18, 1999 - Gail Von Bargen

I just linked to Nick Schommer's genealogy page--he had billed "Pierce Co. Surnames". I just found a common ancestor--although he will get more from me going back (have time and place data and a missing surname for the wife of Patrick Meehan & Ann Flood, early Irish immigrant ancestors) I will get some descendant information of a collateral line--their son, William's. Their daughter, Catherine Isabelle Meehan, was my gr.gr.grandmother. I emailed him and earmarked his site.

April 5, 1999 - Ken Leib

Had success with dates under Union Township, Free Home Cemetery for Plate/Plath family. Johann Plath (family is Plate but he used Plath in WI) Plate in NYC when he was married (twice) and was Taufzeugen for my gf child. His second wife, Gertrude Busch was also Taufzeugen as was Gertrude's sister, Katherine. I received a gift of 72 then unknown photos (est. 1850-1900) which I am unraveling. Many are family of Johan, 58, taken in NYC even though he went to Pierce Co., WI in July 1876. He married first wife, Mett Tomfohr in NYC 1872, went to Wi 1876, wife died 8/1872, came to NYC married 2/1883 in NYC and then returned to Pierce County. Sequence leaves many family mysteries. Thanks for the cemetery site.

December 8, 1999 - Greg Lampman

I wanted to thank you for the fine job you did by inserting the Lampman children's death info for the Maiden Rock Cemetery for me.  Because of that one kind gesture, I received a "hunch email" from a descendant of the Lafferty's that lived in Pierce Co.  I as able to receive some data that I probably would never have found on the Lafferty/Shedd/Lampman connections.  More important, I was able to send this gentleman all of my data, that opened new worlds for him.  Thanks so much again.

December 16, 1999 - Jackie Root

I finally found my grandfather's brother, and I am sure that he will tell his brother and sister about me.  I started out with only knowing my grandfather's mother's name, which was Velma Josephine Hooker and taht he was from Wisconsin.  I remember him having some old pencils that said Appleton, Wisconsin.  I asked my mother what she knew and she said he had mentioned Ellsworth, Wisconsin.  Grandpa didn't talk about his family much, so until last year I didn't even know his dad's name.  My mother found a delayed brith certificate for my grandpa.  It said that he dad's name was James Edward Powers and that he was born in Ellsworth, Wisconsin and I already knew his birthday.  I then posted queries on GenForum, did a lot of surfing and found the Pierce County page, but did not find anything at first.  I went to the LDS library and ordered a soundex for POWER's and found grandpa and his dad on the 1920 soundex for Pierce County.  I then knew about when my grand-grandfather was born and what state.  I then went from that and posted a query on the Pierce County page and asked a volunteer for help.  This person did a lookup for me and found information on James Powers and his 3 marriages and 5 children.  There was also some other information which I still cannot connect to my family.  With the information that I learned from that volunteer, I posted updates to my query which included my great-grandfather's parents names and the town he was born.  I went to the GenForum chat room a lot and several people tried to help.  I found out from that information taht the volunteer found for me that there were 3 siblings of my grandfather's that could still be alive, so I concentrated on that, looked in the yellow pages and everywhere around Ellsworth area for these people.  I even posted a query on a lost and fond ancestors page, a couple people contacted me and said they would help.  A lady sent me a message that said she had a program that she could locate people by the names and birth dates, so I have her what I had and she found on brother, David Powers, the name was exact and so was the birth date, so I called my mother and she sent a letter right out.  I had already sent out 9 letters and got 3 back, but no connection.  Today that man called my mom, and he is indeed grandpa's brother!!!!  Thanks so much for the site.

August 29, 2000 - Roger Hamilton

All I can say is THANK YOU !. After searching endlessly for HAMILTON ties and links, I finally discovered your web site while unknowingly searching for anything "Hamilton" associated with the simple term "Spring Lake, WI."  Your cemetery inscription information proved great value in and confirmed much needed details on one "Mariah Williams Kimlin (born Ireland, died Spring Lake 1883 -- married to William L. Hamilton of Rubicon) - she rests in Rock Elm Poplar Hill Cemetery under the name "Maria Hamilton".

My thanks again, to The Rock Elm Poplar Hill Cemetery Association and to this site for providing me with some starting points I was never able to find elsewhere.

April 10, 2001 - Judy Cornelison Ludden

After finding a land patent in Pierce County for my ggg-grandfather Aaron
Cornelison, I began to dig further into the Pierce County website.  I found
much information, including biographical data, two photos of ancestors which
I had never seen previously, several cousins I now correspond with
regularly, and a census record from 1850 which will enable me to obtain my
Pioneer Certificate from the Wisconsin State Historical / Genealogical
Society.

Perhaps more importantly, I have visited the grave of my ggg-grandparents
and the hamlet of Trimbelle where they spent so many years.  Thank you!  It
means so much to me.

June 22, 2001 - Karl Brekke

I was seventy-five percent sure that I had located my grandfather's sister living in Pierce County based on a search of the Wisconsin 1905 census. I had a name, Mrs. N.O. Nelson and a town, Ellsworth, to go on. In searching your site under cemeteries, Our Savior' Lutheran Cemetery, I found her , Dorthea, her husband Nils O Nelson, but best of all, it not only included birth dates and death dates but the additional information that she was the
daughter of Nils and True Brekke, my grandfathers parents! With this information I can locate her obituary and possibly learn more about her children. I am trying to locate her present day descendants. In gratitude I have signed up to purchase the 1900 Pierce county census so that you will hopefully be able to obtain one and make it avail be to others.