Michigan Genealogy – Free Michigan Genealogy

Michigan Genealogy. This state page of our website provides direct links to free Michigan genealogy databases and historical titles and information found on Michigan Genealogy, whether they exist on our site, or across the web.

Michigan Biographies

Michigan Cemetery Records

Michigan Census Records

Michigan Church Records

Michigan Genealogy

City of Valparaiso Michigan

United States Genealogy

United States GenWeb Project

Alcona, Alger, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Barry, Bay, Benzie, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clare, Clinton, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Eaton, Emmet, Genesee, Gladwin, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Houghton, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Iosco, Iron, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Keweenaw, Lake, Lapeer, Leelanau, Lenawee, Livingston, Luce, Mackinac, Macomb, Manistee, Marquette, Mason, Mecosta, Menominee, Midland, Missaukee, Monroe, Montcalm, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland, Oceana, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Saint Clair, Saint Joseph, Sanilac, Schoolcraft, Shiawassee, Tuscola, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne, and Wexford.

American History and Genealogy Project

Allegan, Berrien, Eaton, Ionia, Isabella, Oakland, Saginaw, Tuscola, Wexford.

Regional Michigan Websites:

Michigan History

  • American Ancestors of Michigan Governors
  • Charles Alonzo Horton Letter, Great Lakes Disaster, 1913
  • Charlevoix County
    • 1901 Charlevoix County MI Plat Book
    • Charlevoix High School Yearbooks, Charlevoix Michigan
      These are Charlevoix high school yearbooks for Charlevoix, Charlevoix County, Michigan. If your ancestor attended high school during the years of 1924, 1945-2008 then the following yearbooks may have a photograph of them. This is part of a collection of free yearbooks being scanned and placed online by the cooperation between the Charlevoix Public Library, Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library, and a local company, Village Graphics, who performed the digitization.
  • The History of Detroit and Michigan
    The manuscript featured here is a comprehensive study into the first 200 years of Detroit and Michigan history. Source: The History of Detroit and Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopaedia of the Past.
  • History of Livingston County, Michigan
    Biographies, illustrations, towns, and the history of Livingston County, Michigan.
  • A History of Saginaw County, Michigan
    “History of Saginaw County, Michigan; together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens.”
  • A Short History of Michilimakinak
    No more colorful settlement existed in the Middle West than the mission and fort at the Straits of Mackinac, for the French early realized its importance and directed their westward explorations from this base. The concentration point for the fur trade of the Middle West, Mackinac held an important place for many years, both during the British and American regimes.
  • The Migration of Voyageurs from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene in 1828
    The story of the transfer of the British garrison from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene in 1828 and the migration of voyageurs connected with the post has never been told in print. In the following notes Mr. Osborne has endeavored to gather this story from the lips of the few survivors who migrated at that time. Descendants of French-Canadians largely predominated in this movement, but we also get glimpses of what a strange and heterogeneous people once gathered around Mackinaw and Drummond Island, especially about the time of the coalition of the two fur companies in 1821. The migrant voyageurs settled principally near Penetanguishene, in the township of Tiny, Simcoe County. Offshoots of the band settled at Old Fort Ste. Marie, at Fesserton and Coldwater, and another south of Lake Simcoe, near Pefferlaw, York County. These notes will form a useful supplement to Joseph Taase’s “Les Canadiens de l’Ouest.”
  • W.A. Craker Diaries

Michigan Land Records

  • U.S., Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1820-1908
    3,907 land management tract books containing official records of the land status and transactions involving surveyed public lands arranged by state and then by township and range. These books indicate who obtained the land, and include a physical description of the tract and where the land is located. The type of transaction is also recorded such as cash entry, credit entry, homesteads, patents (deeds) granted by the Federal Government, and other conveyances of title such as Indian allotments, internal improvement grants (to states), military bounty land warrants, private land claims, railroad grants, school grants, and swamp grants. Additional items of information included in the tract books are as follows: number of acres, date of sale, purchase price, land office, entry number, final Certificate of Purchase number, and notes on relinquishments and conversions.
  • Arizona Land Patents online. Index.

Michigan Military Records

  • Military Records
  • Michigan Forts
    List of colonial forts, trading posts, named camps, redoubts, reservations, general hospitals, national cemeteries, etc., established or erected in the United States from its earliest settlement to 1902.
  • Revolutionary War Records
    • Revolutionary War Pension Records
    • 1840 Pensioners Census
      The information contained in this 1840 Pensioners Census database is a compilation of the data on the Revolutionary War pensioners gathered from the 1840 census returns. The information is organized by place – state, county, then township. It also lists the name and age of the veteran, and the name of the head of household with whom the pensioner resided on the census date.
  • War of 1812
  • Civil War Records
    • Civil War Pensions Index Cards
      Each card gives the soldier’s name, unit, the application number, the certificate number and the state from which the soldier served. In some cases, the soldier’s rank, terms of service, date of death and place of death are given. The index cards refer to pension applications of veterans who served in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917. The majority of the records pertain to Civil War veterans, but they also include veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, Indian wars, and World War I.
    • Civil War Soldiers in the 1894 Michigan State Census
      Otherwise known as the 1894 Michigan Veterans Census. This document lists the names by ward, township, and county of United States Soldiers of the Civil War Residing in Michigan, June 1, 1894. The information was extracted from the 1894 Michigan State Census. Since the 1890 federal census was destroyed in a fire, researchers can use this list of names as an additional tool beyond the census, to document their ancestors whereabouts during the 1890’s. There are approximately 50,000 names provided.
    • History of the 7th Michigan Cavalry
      The 7th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Cavalry was an cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was a part of the famed Michigan Brigade, commanded for a time by Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer.
    • Thirteenth Michigan Infantry
  • World War 1 Records
  • World War II Records
    • World War 2 Casualties – Army, Air Force
    • Michigan World War II Navy – Marines Casualty List
    • Korean War Casualty List
      The National Archives and Records Administration prepared these Korean War casualty lists by creating extracts from the military casualty data files in the Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Record Group 330). The lists are based on the “home of record – state” data provided by the serviceman or woman upon last entrance into military service. “Home of record” does not necessarily refer to the place of birth, residence of next of kin, place of longest residence, or other common uses of the term “hometown.”
    • Vietnam War Casualty List
      The National Archives and Records Administration prepared these Vietnam War casualty lists by creating extracts from the military casualty data files in the Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Record Group 330). The lists are based on the “home of record – state” data provided by the serviceman or woman upon last entrance into military service. “Home of record” does not necessarily refer to the place of birth, residence of next of kin, place of longest residence, or other common uses of the term “hometown.”
  • Allegan County

Michigan Native American Records

Michigan Historical Newspapers

Michigan Vital Records

  • Michigan Vital Records
  • Registers of the Parish of Michilimackinac
    The records from the register at Michilimackinac are here provided as they were translated by Edward O. Brown back in 1889. His translation came from a transcript of the original, which latter is kept in the parish church of Ste. Anne, at Mackinac. Annotated throughout are Mr. Brown’s biographical knowledge of the events of Michilimackinac and the people within. Don’t pass over the footnotes for the record, you may find a biographical reference hidden there!
  • Michigan Birth Records 1867-1902
    Name index and images of Michigan statewide birth registration entries. Clerks of each County Court recorded births that were reported by parents, doctors and midwives beginning in 1867. This information was then sent to the secretary of the state. From 1867 to 1879, about 15% to 20% of the births were recorded; from 1880-1902, coverage increased to about 60% to 70%
  • Michigan Death Records 1867-1897
    Name index and images of Michigan statewide death registration entries. From 1867 to 1897 the township supervisor or city assessor or supervisor annually canvassed their area and recorded the deaths that took place the year preceding the first Monday in April. The supervisor or assessor returned the results to the county clerk within 30 days of completing the canvass. Each year the county clerk forwarded the records to Secretary of State. The Secretary of State had the records bound in books, one for each year, and made an annual report to the Governor. Registration was initially very incomplete. Some counties did not report any deaths during the first three years of this statute. This law remained in effect until 1897 when the state required a death certificate be issued. It is believed that approximately half of the deaths were missed in the time period from 1867 until 1897.
  • Michigan Death Records, 1897-1920
  • Michigan Death Records, 1921-1952
  • Michigan Marriages 1868-1925
    Name index and images of marriages recorded in the State of Michigan between 1868 and 1925. In some instances, marriages were celebrated and recorded in a county different from the county where the marriage license was issued. An 1805 law required registration of marriages with the clerk of the local district court. In 1867 an additional law required the counties to send copies of the records to the Office of the State Registrar. A very high percentage of marriages that took place in Michigan were recorded by civil authorities.
  • Michigan Divorce Records from 1897-1952
    Michigan began requiring divorce records to be recorded on a county level in 1897, however, some counties began recording them as early as 1892.There are two sets of information for this database. The first, comprises images, and an index to those images, of Michigan divorce records for the years of 1897-1938; the second contains only an index of records from 1939-1952. In total, however, you have access to divorce records issued in Michigan for the years 1897-1952, and a few earlier then that.
  • Van Buren County

Michigan Yearbooks

New Michigan Genealogy

A Tribal History of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians

Long before European settlers arrived on Turtle Island – encompassing present-day Canada, North America, and South America – the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, or Ottawa people, had already established their presence in Michigan. The Odawa were nomadic, journeying from the Upper Peninsula and the northern tip of Michigan to its southern region, seeking warmer climes in winter. Springtime saw the Odawa return to their native territories to harvest maple syrup, fish, and plant crops. When not busy with agriculture or daily tasks, they foraged for fruits, herbs, medicinal plants, and other food resources that could be dried…

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Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) is a federally recognized Native American tribe situated in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Primarily composed of members of the Anishinaabe people, specifically the Ojibwa (also known as Chippewa), the KBIC has a rich history that’s woven into the broader narrative of Native American existence in the Great Lakes region. This article delves into the detailed history of this vibrant community, tracing its roots, its struggles, and its achievements.
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Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians

This comprehensive history delves into the origins, struggle, and current status of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Starting from their ancient Anishinaabeg roots in the Great Lakes region, it chronicles their interactions with European settlers, loss of traditional ways, and efforts for federal recognition. The article also recounts the tribe’s transformation from a community with meager resources into a significant economic entity, spanning across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It is a testament to the tribe’s resilience, highlighting their continued growth and importance in today’s socio-economic landscape.
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Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrants

This article helps you access the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrants for free. Following two simple steps, one to search, and the other to browse the actual microfilms, you can quickly find your ancestors Revolutionary War pension record, or Bounty-Land record and download the images. During 1800-1900 the United States issued more than 80,000 pensions and bounty-land-warrants to soldiers of the Revolutionary War, their spouse, or their children. Was your ancestor one of them?
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Descendants of John and Mary Howes of Montgomery County, Maryland

John Howes of Montgomery County, Maryland, was born ” … after 1740, m[arried] Mary_____, and d[ied] between November, 1808 and March 1809. He is buried in Laytonsville, Maryland with his mother, his brother James and daughter Sarah. About a year after his death his widow, Mary, went to Bucks County, Kentucky.”–P. 8. Descendants and relatives lived in Maryland, Kentucky, New York, Michigan, Ohio, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Washington, D. C., Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, California, Maine, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.
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Descendants of Matthew Watson of Leicester, Massachusetts

Matthew Watson (d. 1720), of English lineage, married Mary Orr in 1695, and in 1718 the family immigrated from Ireland to Boston, Massachusetts and settled in Leicester, Massachusetts. Descendants and relatives lived in New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nebraska, Rhode Island, California, Nevada, Michigan and elsewhere. Includes Watson, Armington, Bemis, Denny, Draper, Kent, Washburn, Bailey, Barnard, Belcher, Bent, Biscoe, Bolles, Breckenridge, Bright, Browning, Bryant, Bullock, Burrage, Dennis, Fisher, Foster, Green, Hayward, Hobbs, Hodgkins, Holman, Howard, Jenks, Jones, Kellogg, Kitchell, Knight, Lazelle, Livermore, Loring, Mason, Maynard, Munger, Patrick, Prouty, Remington, Reed, Rice, Richardson, Rogers, Sadler, Sibley, Snow, Sprague,…
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The family of Nelson Drake

The family of Nelson Drake; back to 1630, New York and Michigan pioneers, with genealogy supplement. Surnames: Allen, Barre, Bickford, Boyer, Bravender, Brosius, Brown, Christmas, Corner, Coey, Cozzi, Davis, Day, Diener, Drake, Dust, Engleberg, Fishel, Fookes, Gorton, Groce, Hawkins, Hewes, Hill, Hilton, Hirsch, Huddlestun, Kaiser, Kellogg, Langfield, Lear, Martinchak, McClellan, Point, Rae, Rayner, Ritter, Roehm, Rossi, Shilander, Smith, Soule, Stingley, Tucker, Ward, Wauvle, West, White, Wickham, and Wright.
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United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955

3,907 land management tract books containing official records of the land status and transactions involving surveyed public lands arranged by state and then by township and range. These books indicate who obtained the land, and include a physical description of the tract and where the land is located. The type of transaction is also recorded such as cash entry, credit entry, homesteads, patents (deeds) granted by the Federal Government, and other conveyances of title such as Indian allotments, internal improvement grants (to states), military bounty land warrants, private land claims, railroad grants, school grants, and swamp grants. Additional items of…
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Hough Family of New Bedford, Massachusetts

The progenitor in New England of those bearing the family name of Hough was William Hough, son of Edward Hough, of Westchester, in Cheshire, England. This William Hough was known as a house carpenter at Gloucester, Mass., along just prior to the middle of the seventeenth century. He lived at Trynall Cove, where and on Biskie island, opposite, he had land. It is not known that his father came to New England, but it is believed by those who have written of the family that Ann Hough, who died at Gloucester in 1672, aged eighty-five years, was Edward’s widow and…
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