I recently went to the Wisconsin Historical Society and located the history of Walworth County, this volume was published in 1912 through a query I was able to find my maternal great-great Grandfather. At the time of publication my relative was alive and living in Lake Geneva, WI.
In your own search it is always good to check county records. My discovery informed me of new leads, such as, my maternal Great-great grandpa was born in Crailsheim , Württemberg , Germany in 1850. I learned his parents died when he was 6 and 8 yrs old. He lived with an aunt and came to America in 1870 landing in New York and worked for gardeners and dairymen on Long Island before going to Chicago in 1871. He came to WI after the Chicago fire and stayed in Walworth County for remainder of life owning a 200 acre farm. So exciting but also confirms other info I have previously collected.