Title: Oneida County (Wis.). Land Inspectors: Timber Cruiser Record Books
Inclusive Dates: 1885-1889

Creator:

• Oneida County (Wis.). Land Inspectors

Call Number: Oneida Series 38

Quantity: 1.6 c.f. (28 volumes in 4 archives boxes)

Repository:

Housed at the Area Research Center, History Center and Archives, Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center; 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.

Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center / Ashland Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Record books created by land inspectors who examined timber stands to estimate the quality, type, and volume of lumber a forest area would yield. In addition, cruisers noted topographical features, the general landscape, and details about the forest. Maps show the boundaries of the lots and topographical features. The records cover townships located in present day Oneida and Vilas counties, Wisconsin.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-onei0038

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Record books created by land inspectors who appraised timber stands. This was done by walking or “cruising” through a forest and estimating the volume of saw timber the stand would produce and noting other details.

The volumes divide each town into 36 sections. Each section is then further divided into quarters and sub units of quarters. The volumes give a general description of each section and a more detailed description for each lot. Each section includes a map showing the boundaries of the lots and topographical features. The descriptions may list topographical features, man-made features, condition, and amount and types of trees. Most volumes also include an inspector's affidavit listing name, date, and town and range inspected. The volumes are listed by county, then by town-range. The list below also indicates the year and the land inspector.

These volumes were completed between 1885-1889 by individuals appointed as land inspectors by the County Board of Supervisors. The records cover towns located in present day Oneida and Vilas counties. However, when these records were created the towns were still in Oneida County. Vilas County separated from Oneida County in 1893.

Timber cruising books may have been used to make land management decisions. The staff at the Oneida County Forestry Department was surprised at the significant quantity of cutover and burned land already in evidence when these records were created. They had believed that there was much more virgin timber still in existence at that time.

By county and thereunder by town and range.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Rick Roman of the Oneida County Forestry Department (Vol. 1-25) and John Margitan and Craig Black, Minocqua, Wis. (Vol. 26-27).

Processing Information

This series was processed by Virginia Fritzsch with Sarah Roberts, 2002.

	Oneida County
Box   1 Volume   1	36-6E, year unknown, A. A. Webber
Box   1 Volume   2	37-4E, 1887, Alexander M. McDonald
Box   1 Volume   3	37-6E, 1885, A. A. Webber
Box   1 Volume   4	37-7E, 1887, Abraham Van Zile
Box   1 Volume   5	37-10E, 1888, W. C. Baily
Box   1 Volume   6	38-8E north half, 1887, T. E. Collins
Box   1 Volume   7	38-8E, unknown, W. Creen
Box   1 Volume   8	39-4E, 1887, Tobe B. Murray
Box   2 Volume   9	39-5E, 1887, Tobe B. Murray
Box   2 Volume   10	39-6E, 1887, Thomas Spence
Box   2 Volume   11	39-9E, 1887, George S. Stewart
	Vilas County
Box   2 Volume   12	40-6E, 1887, Finn Lawler
Box   2 Volume   13	40-8E, 1887, G. H. Thompson
Box   2 Volume   14	40-9E, 1887, David Cochran
Box   3 Volume   22	40-10, 1887, F. C. Tambling, Charles Perry, and Lyman Cook
Box   2 Volume   15	41-8E, year unknown, C. E. Toby
Box   2 Volume   16	41-10E, 1887, Frank C. Tambling
Box   2 Volume   17	42-5E, 1887, Finn Lawler
Box   3 Volume   18	42-6E, 1887, W. A. Bradford
Box   3 Volume   19	42-7E, 1887, T. E. Collins
Box   3 Volume   20	42-8E, 1887, D. Sullivan
Box   3 Volume   21	43-4E, 1887, Edward Bearce
Box   3 Volume   22	43-5E, 1887, Edward Bearce
Box   3 Volume   23	43-6E, 1887, E. M. Clark
Box   3 Volume   24	43-7E, 1887, George Merrill
Box   3 Volume   25	43-8E, 1887, D. Araham
Box   4 Volume   26	43-10E, 1887, C. L. Perry
Box   4 Volume   27	44-4E, 1887, Ed Croaker and , 1889, Cal Balliett
Box   4 Volume   28	44-6E, 1887, E. M. Clark