Depends what you are looking for. This is one of a series done on prominent individuals in Wisconsin Counties written in the 1880's. Most are men of wealth but there are a few short pieces on women (unmarried in education mostly). Many of these people were born "out east" and came to WI as young men. Some had family money to invest in large amounts of land for real estate or massive farming efforts. Educated, many started as managers in various businesses such as banks and lumber companies. From there they usually started their own businesses and grew to success. Many went on to politics after making a comfortable business income. It often has references to places of birth and Civil War Enlistment and Battles. If the family was notable "out east" then it gives parents and male siblings of accomplishment, wives and marriages are often mentioned briefly as are daughters and a bit more on sons of prominence. I have found the biographies interesting from a land and industrial developement standpoint (factories, canals, cities, politics) but not particularly useful to genealogical efforts. Rita Hi listers! The following book is up for auction at e-Bay. "BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF WAUPACA, PORTAGE, WOOD, MARATHON, LINCOLN, ONEIDA, VILAS, LANGDALE and SHAWANO COUNTIES, WISCONSIN- (1895)- Huge 10 pound book ! Thick cover (leather)is loose but still attached. Back cover separated from the book. Text is complete, tight and in good condition. A candidate for being rebound, but hey, a great source! Current bid: $61.00 Is anybody familiar with this book? Is it worth going much higher for? I'm very tempted! Happy Hunting! Marsha Wilcox mwilcox@lnd.com Wilcox Web Design -- http://start.at/WilcoxWebDesign USGenWeb County Coordinator for: Lake Co., IL -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~illake/ Listowner for ILLAKE-L, tracing your roots in Lake Co., IL (Temp CC) Iron Co., WI -- http://www.rootsweb.com/~wiiron/ Home Page -- http://mall.lnd.com/wilcox/ My Genealogy Page: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mawilcox/index.htm SpamHunt! -- http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/1616/