SCVGS News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Willis Miller was nominated for the Federation of Genealogical Societies Distinguished Service Award in 2001, he was described as “a historical and genealogical treasure who set out to preserve the history of the people and places of the Hudson area and of St. Croix County and has done a magnificent job.”

Following graduation from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota in 1940 with a degree in history, Willis began working at the Hudson Star-Observer newspaper. Soon after he established the Hudson Area Biographical Index (HABI), a comprehensive listing of names and information on more than 50,000 Hudsonites. The index covers the Hudson Star-Times from 1890 to 1905 and the Hudson Star-Observer from 1909 through 2005, as well as some earlier and nearby newspapers.

Willis became editor of the Star-Observer in 1952, and was the publisher from 1958 to 1984, when he partially retired. He has written more than a dozen books, mostly about Hudson and its history. He was instrumental in the formation of the St. Croix County Historical Society in 1947, aided in the establishment of the Hudson Library History Room, and was a charter member of the St. Croix Valley Genealogical Society.

SCVGS members spent four years entering the biographical data into a database that is now available on a CD. Requires Windows XP or greater. Cost is $29.95 plus $3.00 for shipping. 

 

Orders to:        SCVGS HABI CD

                                    P.O. Box 396

                                    River Falls WI  54022