We are pleased to announce the launch of our official LinkedIn page. This new platform offers another means to stay informed about our ongoing efforts to honor and dignify those once interred at the Milwaukee County Grounds cemeteries.
Historical view of a Milwaukee County institutional ward. Our efforts today honor those whose lives were shaped—and often ended—within these walls.
Our work—preserving memory, restoring dignity and supporting descendants—rests not only on historical and genealogical research, but also on building enduring relationships within the broader community. LinkedIn provides a space where we can share our organizational updates, engage with like-minded institutions and invite new volunteers and supporters to join our mission.
What to Expect on LinkedIn
Re-posts of our blog articles, highlighting ongoing efforts to preserve memory and restore dignity
A dignified presence for those wishing to follow our work from a professional or institutional standpoint
Occasional updates of organizational significance
We invite you to follow us on LinkedIn and share the page with others who may be interested in the historical, genealogical, and civic aspects of our work.
As always, our website remains the central resource for blog posts, background information, and opportunities to become involved. For more interactive discussion and community engagement, we welcome you to join our Facebook group.
We remain deeply grateful to each of you who walks with us in this mission to remember, honor and restore.
On Memorial Day, we pause to remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. For most, remembrance may take the form of a flag placed on a grave, a moment of silence, or a family story passed down. But for many veterans who died in poverty or without family, especially those buried at the Milwaukee County Almshouse and Poor Farm Cemetery, their sacrifices have long gone unrecognized—until now.
At the Descendant Community, our researchers are devoted to restoring dignity to those veterans whose names and stories were nearly lost to history. These men answered the call of duty but were later buried without honor, often in unmarked graves at a county institution that served society’s most vulnerable.
Our team spends countless hours poring over ledgers, state and federal census sheets, and various military records. We comb through church registries, city directories, and death and birth certificates—each name a puzzle piece leading us closer to resurrecting the legacy of a forgotten soldier.
But this is just the beginning. For each identified serviceman, we do more than confirm a record of duty—we try to rebuild a life. We trace family trees, hoping to find living descendants and offer them the gift of connection. More than once, these discoveries have brought tears to our eyes and to those who never knew they were linked to a piece of this country’s history.
Join Us
This Memorial Day, we ask you to do more than remember. We ask you to reflect. To recognize that some heroes died in obscurity, and to support efforts that restore their names, their dignity, and their stories.
Join us. Honor them. Help us continue the work.
Whether through volunteering, donating or simply sharing this mission, your support makes a difference. Donations help us access genealogical databases and purchase pension files—resources vital to documenting service and applying for Veterans Administration headstones. These are the tools that help bring long-forgotten soldiers back into the light of memory.
Let us remember them not only in death, but in the way we live, the way we serve others, and the way we choose to tell the full story of our nation’s past.
The appeal questioned whether the approved plan was the best option and alleged that certain less expensive alternatives were not properly considered; the court found, however, that the petitioners failed to provide sufficient legal support or to act within the prescribed timeframe.
We look forward to working with the Wisconsin Historical Society, the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum to carry out the reburials. Froedtert Hospital remains responsible for the costs, and any further delays—regardless of their source—will only increase the financial burden. The Descendant Community remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the ancestors are treated with dignity and respect.
Clarification Regarding Ancestry and Allegations of Misrepresentation
Although the court’s decision was based on procedural grounds, the order references certain assertions that merit clarification:
Ancestry of the 831 Ancestors The order states that virtually all 831 ancestors are of Native American descent. Not only do the individual identities of the ancestors remain unknown, their ancestry is not definitively established, as the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM) did not perform formal ancestry estimations. Instead, assumptions based on historical records suggest primarily European origins, some African ancestry, and only a few Native American individuals associated with the site.
Alleged Misrepresentation of Alternatives The order also references a claim that the Descendant Community’s proposal to the Wisconsin Historical Society misrepresented alternatives by omitting a less expensive plan. This assertion is unfounded. The reburial plan was developed through extensive research, consultation, and careful consideration of all viable alternatives known to the Descendant Community at the time. The proposal reflects a comprehensive and respectful approach, balancing dignity, feasibility, and cost.
Contrary to such claims, the Descendant Community did not omit any bona fide, viable alternatives from its submission. Any suggestion otherwise is misleading and does not accurately represent the thoroughness or intent of our proposal.
We emphasize that all human remains, regardless of ancestry, merit respectful and dignified treatment—the foundation of our efforts and proposals.
Join Us in Honoring Our Ancestors
2023 memorial service
The work of respectfully reburying the 831 ancestors is a responsibility that requires community support and involvement. We welcome volunteers who wish to assist with genealogical research, community outreach, and educational efforts. Training and guidance are provided to ensure meaningful and respectful participation.
Financial contributions also play a critical role in covering costs related to the reburial process and ongoing care. Your donations help ensure that the ancestors are honored with the dignity and respect they deserve.
If you wish to support this important work, please contact us or visit our website to learn more about volunteering opportunities and how to make a donation.
Together, we can honor the past and build a legacy of respect and remembrance for generations to come.
