What We Knew Then and What We Know Now: How New Archival Research Has Changed Our Understanding of the Milwaukee County Institution Grounds Cemetery Population

Summary

During the initial Milwaukee County Poor Farm Cemetery investigation, the most significant documentary source was the Register of Burials at the Milwaukee County Poor Farm Cemetery, believed to account for all burials between 1882 and 1974.  Preliminary research based on the Register of Burials, Milwaukee County Death certificates, and the spatial analysis of grave goods recovered from excavations conducted in 1991 and 1992 resulted in the tentative identification of 190 individuals.  We now know that the Register is not a complete list of all burials on the Milwaukee County Institution grounds.  Using new data compiled from a comprehensive search of county death certificates as well as coroner’s inquests, a more inclusive and detailed demographic profile has been constructed. Comparing the two profiles along multiple variables of interest including age and sex, marital status, immigration and residence will highlight the importance of multiple documentary sources. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Bookends: What We’ve Learned in the Twenty-two Years Separating Archaeological Excavations of the Milwaukee County Poor Farm Cemetery   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2017

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 282