Formation of the Association

The Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association (WRDA) was formed June 4, 1918 at a meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There were twenty-four Wisconsin register of deeds in attendance:

J. J. Schmidtt – Kenosha
George Holland – Oshkosh
Edwin Koellmer – Sheboygan
E. M. Worden - Ladysmith
A. G. Koch – Appleton
William Ahlhauser – Port Washington
A. P. Baumann - Chilton
Edward Meuller – Milwaukee
H. A. Friedeman – Antigo
Ludwig Gilbertson – Black River Falls
Frank A. Keeler – Shell Lake
Morris Hansen – Whitehall

Nelson Bonner – Juneau
George Runkel – Wausau
Gus Eggert – Manitowoc
Frank H. Smith – Green Bay
C. D. Blassingham – Barron
Jno. P. Barry – Racine
F. P. Smiley – Janesville
G. T. Anderson – Waukesha
F. E. Corson - Monroe
Carl Andre – Kewaunee
F. G. Holmes – Elkhorn
Fred Ainsworth – Shawano

At this first historic meeting the members present established the following:

The name of the Association shall be known as the Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association. All Register of Deeds of the State of Wisconsin shall be eligible to membership and all ex-registers may be honorary members, not subject to assessment. The officers shall consist of a President, four Vice-Presidents, Secretary & Treasurer, an executive committee of three members, a judiciary committee of five members and a Board of Trustees. The office of the Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same person.

A fee of five dollars shall be paid by each member of the Association bi-annually. The Secretary shall receive a salary of $25 per year, the Treasurer shall receive a salary of $1 per year and shall furnish a surety bond of $500 at the expense of the Association.

Edward Mueller from Milwaukee was elected President, Frank H. Smith from Green Bay was elected Secretary and Treasurer. 1st Vice-President, C. D. Blassingham, Barron; 2nd Vice-President, A. E. Thompson, 3rd Vice-President, J.F. Schmitt Jr., 4th Vice-President, A. P. Lindsley; Ed Koellmer, F. P. Smiley and Bonner Nelson were elected as Trustees.

Frank H. Smith of Brown County introduced a resolution to standardize the "many forms of which in nowise change the character of the documents, and whereas it has become necessary that these legal blanks of conveyance be of a uniformity to facilitate the work, and to create a greater efficiency in the office of the Register of Deeds". This resolution was adopted and a committee was formed to work with the Real Estate Board of Milwaukee to formulate a set of legal blanks of conveyance that would be adopted by the Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association.

A now famous resolution was read and adopted: "That whereas the term of Registers of Deeds and other County officers at the present time is for two years and it is the sense of this meeting that the public would be better served by making the term of office for a longer period. They set out to petition the Wisconsin Legislature for a six-year term.

See Governor Ever's Proclamation for our 102 Anniversary (Click image below)