Title: Galena (Ill.). Treasurer: Galena Block Book Tax Records
Inclusive Dates: 1836-1924

Creator:

• Galena (Ill.). Treasurer

Call Number: Platteville Micro 29; Micro 834

Quantity: 16 reels of microfilm (35mm)

Repository:

Housed at the Southwest Wisconsin Room and Area Research Center, Ullsvik Hall, University of Wisconsin-Platteville; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Platteville Southwest Wisconsin Room / Platteville Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Tax rolls, assessment rolls, tax sales records, and miscellaneous financial records. Tax rolls, 1850-1886, include lot locations, ownership, valuation, and assessments for real and personal property; assessment rolls, 1837-1876, include lot descriptions, ownership, tax assessments, and valuation; tax sales records, 1836, 1852-1870, include information on property sold for nonpayment of taxes; and miscellaneous records, including cemetery lot sales and interment records, 1860-1871, with information concerning name, age, date of death, and cause of death; and city disbursements, 1891-1897, and treasurer's fiscal report, 1923-1924.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-micr0834

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Galena, Illinois, located in the northwest corner of the state, was the first population center of the Illinois-Wisconsin lead mining region. Originally known as La Pointe, the city was laid out in 1826 and incorporated in 1835. Situated on the Galena River which empties into the Mississippi, it was a major port for mineral shipments in the 1840s and 1850s.

The Galena Block Books are City of Galena tax records which have been microfilmed by the Karmann Library, University of Wisconsin-Platteville as part of an effort to collect and copy records from the mining district of southwestern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. The data recorded comes in four forms: assessment rolls, tax rolls, tax sales records, and miscellaneous records. The original records exist in 69 bound volumes which are in the custody of the Galena Public Library.

Numerous problems will confront any user of this film. Filming quality varies greatly due to the deteriorated physical condition of many of the original records and to inappropriate light settings during the filming process. The order of the volumes is roughly chronological with frequent exceptions due primarily to the original record keepers entering later records into books, used years earlier for other purposes. The labelling of the volumes is also confusing as the terms “Block Book,” “Record Book,” “Tax Book,” “Real Estate Record Book,” and others are applied without clearly distinguishing what the titles mean.

This register is aimed at helping the user overcome some of the above problems. It consists of three parts: a scope and content note which provides a narrative explanation of the descriptive categories, a reel list summarizing each volume in the order filmed, and a chart indicating types of records available for each year.

Of the 69 volumes in this collection, 32 are classified as Tax Rolls. These records generally note the location of lots, ownership, valuation, tax assessments for such items as school support, street lighting, and general municipal services. Some of the tax rolls, particularly for the years 1867-1876, deal with the assessment and collection of taxes imposed because of a U.S. Circuit Court ruling against the City of Galena in 1867. Most of the volumes include the tax records on both real and personal property.

Assessment Rolls consist of 29 volumes that detail the tax assessment on property in Galena. Generally, these volumes provide information such as ownership of described lots, assessment for taxes, and valuation of property. Some volumes contain only the valuation of the property with the formula used for tax assessment found in the front cover of the volume. Only sporadically are assessments for personal property included. Assessment rolls differ from tax rolls in that they do not record tax payments.

Four volumes are Tax Sales Records which include information on property sold due to nonpayment of taxes. Information found in these volumes includes a description of the property, name of the original owner, amount of unpaid taxes, costs, sale price, and name of the new owner. Sometimes warrants for the sale are included.

The remaining four volumes in this collection are grouped as Miscellaneous Records. These volumes include the city treasurer's fiscal report for 1923-1924, a record of city disbursements and receipts from 1891 to 1897, and cemetery lot sale and interment records. This last volume might be of particular interest to the genealogist as well as those interested in the history of medicine and disease since the records include name, age, date of death, cause, and remarks.

The title in the contents list below is the wording which appears on the microfilm targets, followed in parentheses by the category Tax Roll, Assessment Roll, Tax Sales Record, or Miscellaneous. Additional information on the contents at that location is indicated in the scope note when appropriate.

Acquisition Information

Originals loaned for microfilming by the Galena Public Library, Galena, Ill., 1978.

Processing Information

Processed by Karen Baumann and Vivian Laflamme, October 1, 1980.

Reel   1 Assigned Vol. No.   1	“Record Book, 1836” (Tax Sales Record) Scope and Content Note: Original survey and resurvey; land sale records.
Reel   1 Assigned Vol. No.   2	“1860-1871” (Miscellaneous Records) Scope and Content Note: Cemetery and interment records noting date, age, disease.
Reel   1 Assigned Vol. No.   3	“Record Book, 1836” (Tax Sales Record) Scope and Content Note: Land and tax sale records. Severe deterioration.
Reel   1 Assigned Vol. No.   4	“Tax Book, 1838” (Assessment Roll)
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   5	“Tax Book, 1850” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Tax roll of real and personal property. Water damaged.
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   6	“Tax Book, 1851” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Real and personal property.
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   7	“Record Book, 1852” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Includes school tax records.
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   8	“City Treasurer's Fiscal Report May 1923 to May 1, 1924” (Miscellaneous Records) Scope and Content Note: Disorganized. Includes water works funds, municipal disbursements, and balance on hand.
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   9	“Tax Book, 1852-1870” (Tax Sales Records)
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   10	“Tax Book, 1853” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Includes sidewalk levies.
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   11	“Tax Book, 1854” (Assessment Roll)
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   12	“Tax Book, 1855” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Heavy water damage.
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   13	“West Galena Tax Book, 1855” (Assessment Roll)
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   14	“Assessor's Rolls, 1856” (Tax Roll)
Reel   2 Assigned Vol. No.   15	“Assessor's Book, 1858” (Tax Roll)
Reel   3 Assigned Vol. No.   16	“Tax Book, 1859” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Some pages difficult to read.
Reel   3 Assigned Vol. No.   17	“Galena Block Book, 1859” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: Includes table of contents.
Reel   3 Assigned Vol. No.   18	“Block Books, 1860” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: Contains an insert for the first through fifth wards. Some is unreadable.
Reel   3 Assigned Vol. No.   19	“Real Estate Record Book, 1860” (Tax Roll and Miscellaneous Records) Scope and Content Note: Includes sidewalk and lamp taxes. Also includes orders for sale for back taxes and a listing of the stockholders in the Minnesota Packet Company.
Reel   4 Assigned Vol. No.   20	“Galena Block Books, 1861” (Assessment Rolls) Scope and Content Note: Include Upper and East Galena.
Reel   4 Assigned Vol. No.   21	“Real Estate, 1861” (Tax Roll and Miscellaneous Records) Scope and Content Note: Includes a list of shareholders in the Galena, Dubuque, Duluth and Minnesota Packet Company.
Reel   4-5 Assigned Vol. No.   22	“Real Estate, 1862” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Includes railroad alterations.
Reel   5 Assigned Vol. No.   23	“Galena Block Book, 1862” (Tax Roll)
Reel   5 Assigned Vol. No.   24	“Real Estate, 1863” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Some pages difficult to read.
Reel   5 Assigned Vol. No.   25	“Tax Book, 1863” (Tax Roll and Tax Sales Record) Scope and Content Note: Includes tax sales records for 1864-1866.
Reel   5 Assigned Vol. No.   26	“Block Books, 1864” (Assessment Rolls)
Reel   6 Assigned Vol. No.   27	“Real Estate, 1864” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Some pages hard to read.
Reel   6 Assigned Vol. No.   28	“Galena Block Book, 1865” (Assessment Roll)
Reel   6 Assigned Vol. No.   29	“Real Estate, 1865” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Hard to read.
Reel   6 Assigned Vol. No.   30	“Galena Block Books, 1866” (Assessment Rolls)
Reel   7 Assigned Vol. No.   31	“Real Estate, 1866” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: With corrected valuation.
Reel   7 Assigned Vol. No.   32	“Real Estate, 1867” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Includes war tax.
Reel   7 Assigned Vol. No.   33	“Assessment Rolls, 1867” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: Assessment for special tax due to judgment against Galena.
Reel   7-8 Assigned Vol. No.   34	“Special Tax, 1867” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: For judgment tax.
Reel   8 Assigned Vol. No.   35	“Block Books, 1867” (Assessment Roll)
Reel   8 Assigned Vol. No.   36	“Real Estate, 1868” (Tax Roll)
Reel   8 Assigned Vol. No.   37	“Block Books, 1868” (Assessment Rolls) Scope and Content Note: In poor condition.
Reel   8-9 Assigned Vol. No.   38	“Real Estate, 1868” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: For judgment tax.
Reel   9 Assigned Vol. No.   39	“Real Estate, 1869” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Some pages water-stained.
Reel   9 Assigned Vol. No.   40	“Galena Block Books, 1869” (Assessment Rolls) Scope and Content Note: Water-stained.
Reel   9 Assigned Vol. No.   41	“Special Tax, 1869” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Includes list of municipal bond purchasers.
Reel   10 Assigned Vol. No.   42	“Special Tax, 1870” (Tax Roll)
Reel   10 Assigned Vol. No.   43	“Galena Block Books, 1870” (Assessment Rolls) Scope and Content Note: Dark and water-stained.
Reel   10-11 Assigned Vol. No.   44	“Real Estate, 1870” (Tax Roll)
Reel   11 Assigned Vol. No.   45	“Real Estate, 1871” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: For judgment tax.
Reel   11 Assigned Vol. No.   46	“Real Estate, 1871” (Tax Rolls)
Reel   11 Assigned Vol. No.   47	“Galena Block Books, 1871” (Assessment Rolls)
Reel   11 Assigned Vol. No.   48	“Galena Block Books, 1872” (Assessment Rolls)
Reel   11 Assigned Vol. No.   49	“Real Estate, 1872” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: For judgment tax.
Reel   12 Assigned Vol. No.   50	“Galena Block Books, 1872” (Assessment Rolls)
Reel   12 Assigned Vol. No.   51	“Real Estate, 1872” (Tax Rolls)
Reel   12 Assigned Vol. No.   52	“Galena Block Books, 1873” (Assessment Rolls)
Reel   12 Assigned Vol. No.   53	“City Tax, 1873” (Tax Roll)
Reel   12-13 Assigned Vol. No.   54	“Bond Tax, 1873” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: Assessment for city bond to pay judgment against Galena. Some pages unreadable.
Reel   13 Assigned Vol. No.   55	“Bond Tax, 1874” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: Assessment “for special taxes to pay principal and special taxes to pay interest and costs, of a judgment in favor of Henry Amy, (in pursuance of an order of the United States Court)....”
Reel   13 Assigned Vol. No.   56	“Galena Block Book, 1874” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: Difficult to read.
Reel   13 Assigned Vol. No.   57	“City Tax, 1874” (Tax Rolls) Scope and Content Note: Unreadable through the “N's.”
Reel   13-14 Assigned Vol. No.   58	“Galena Block Books, 1875” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: Hard to read in spots.
Reel   14 Assigned Vol. No.   59	“Bond Tax, 1875” (Assessment Roll)
Reel   14 Assigned Vol. No.   60	“City Tax, 1875” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Includes list of insurance companies.
Reel   14-15 Assigned Vol. No.   61	“Galena Block Books, 1874, 1876” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: 200 pages missing.
Reel   15 Assigned Vol. No.   62	“Bond Tax, 1876” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: Assessments to pay judgment tax. Hard to read.
Reel   15 Assigned Vol. No.   63	“Galena Block Books, 1876” (Assessment Roll and Tax Sales Records) Scope and Content Note: Some pages difficult to read.
Reel   15 Assigned Vol. No.   64	“City Tax, 1876” (Tax Roll)
Reel   15 Assigned Vol. No.   65	“Lots Sold for Taxes, 1855” (Tax Sale Records)
Reel   15-16 Assigned Vol. No.   66	“Record Book, 1870-1877” (Miscellaneous Records) Scope and Content Note: An indexed miscellaneous volume including municipal operating cost records and receipts for licenses.
Reel   16 Assigned Vol. No.   67	“Taxes for 1886” (Tax Roll) Scope and Content Note: Arranged alphabetically with undefined x and o markings. Bad physical condition.
Reel   16 Assigned Vol. No.   68	“Record Book, 1891-1897” (Miscellaneous Records) Scope and Content Note: Ledger of receipts and disbursements.
Reel   16 Assigned Vol. No.   69	“Galena Block Book, undated” (Assessment Roll) Scope and Content Note: In poor physical condition.

Three listings for volumes which cover several years follow at the end of the chronological listings below.

Year	Tax Rolls	Assessment Rolls	Tax Sales Records	Miscellaneous
1836			Reel 1, Vol. 1 and 3
1837		Reel 1, Vol. 4
1850	Reel 2, Vol. 5
1851	Reel 2, Vol. 6
1852	Reel 2, Vol. 7
1853	Reel 2, Vol. 10
1854		Reel 2, Vol. 11
1855	Reel 2, Vol. 12	Reel 2, Vol. 13	Reel 15, Vol. 65
1856	Reel 2, Vol. 14
1858	Reel 2, Vol. 15
1859	Reel 3, Vol. 16	Reel 3, Vol. 17
1860	Reel 3, Vol. 19	Reel 3, Vol. 18	Reel 3, Vol. 19	Reel 3, Vol. 19 (Stockholder's List)
1861	Reel 4, Vol. 21	Reel 4, Vol. 20		Reel 4, Vol. 21 (Stockholders List)
1862	Reel 4-5, Vol. 22; Reel 5, Vol. 23
1863	Reel 5, Vol. 24 and 25
1864	Reel 6, Vol. 27	Reel 5, Vol. 26	Reel 5, Vol. 25
1865	Reel 6, Vol. 29	Reel 6, Vol. 28	Reel 5, Vol. 25
1866	Reel 7, Vol. 31	Reel 6, Vol. 30	Reel 5, Vol. 25
1867	Reel 7, Vol. 32; Reel 7-8, Vol. 34	Reel 7, Vol. 33; Reel 8, Vol. 35
1868	Reel 8, Vol. 36; Reel 8-9, Vol. 38	Reel 8, Vol. 37
1869	Reel 9, Vol. 39 and 41	Reel 9, Vol. 40
1870	Reel 10, Vol. 42; Reel 10-11, Vol. 44	Reel 10, Vol. 43
1871	Reel 11, Vol. 46	Reel 11, Vol. 45 and 47
1872	Reel 12, Vol. 51	Reel 11, Vol. 48 and 49; Reel 12, Vol. 50
1873	Reel 12, Vol. 53	Reel 12, Vol. 52; Reel 12-13, Vol. 54
1874	Reel 13, Vol. 57	Reel 13, Vol. 55 and 56; Reel 14-15, Vol. 61
1875	Reel 14, Vol. 60	Reel 13-14, Vol. 58; Reel 14, Vol. 59
1876	Reel 15, Vol. 64	Reel 15, Vol. 62 and 63; Reel 14-15, Vol. 61	Reel 15, Vol. 63
1886	Reel 16, Vol. 67
1891-1897				Reel 16, Vol. 68 (Receipts and Disbursements)
1923-1924				Reel 2, Vol. 8 (Fiscal Report)
undated		Reel 16, Vol. 69
1852-1870			Reel 2, Vol. 9
1860-1871				Reel 1, Vol. 2 (Cemetery Records)
1870-1877				Reel 15-16, Vol. 66