Ingham County, Michigan Genealogy

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Guide to Ingham County, Michigan ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Mason
Organized: June 4 1838
Parent County(s): Washtenaw, Shiawassee[1]
Neighboring Counties
ClintonEatonJacksonLivingstonShiawasseeWashtenaw
See County Maps
Courthouse
Michigan, Ingham County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Michigan, Ingham County Locator Map.png

County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

The county was named for Samuel D. Ingham. The county is located in the central area of the state.[2]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Ingham County Courthouse
315 South Jefferson Street
Mason, MI 48854
Phone: 517-676-7201
Ingham County Website

County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage records from 1838, divorce and court records from 1839.
Probate Court has probate records
Town and City Clerks have burial records. [3]

Ingham County, Michigan Record Dates[edit | edit source]

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[4]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1867 1838 1867 1839 1835 1835 1820
*Statewide registration started in 1867 for births and deaths. General compliance by 1915.

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

Populated Places[edit | edit source]

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]

Cities
Villages
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places
Townships


History Timeline[edit | edit source]

Resources[edit | edit source]

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries of Ingham County, Michigan online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Michigan Cemeteries for more information

Census Records[edit | edit source]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1840 2,498
1850 8,631 245.5%
1860 17,435 102.0%
1870 25,268 44.9%
1880 33,676 33.3%
1890 37,666 11.8%
1900 39,818 5.7%
1910 53,310 33.9%
1920 81,554 53.0%
1930 116,587 43.0%
1940 130,616 12.0%
1950 172,941 32.4%
1960 211,296 22.2%
1970 261,039 23.5%
1980 275,520 5.5%
1990 281,912 2.3%
2000 279,320 −0.9%
2010 280,895 0.6%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".


State Census

Church Records[edit | edit source]

Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Michigan denominations, view the Michigan Church Records wiki page.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

There are many ways to locate the different denominations in Lansing MI. The following are three online sites that list some of the popular churches in Lansing:


List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Directories[edit | edit source]

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

African-American

  • Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society
    c/o Burton Historical Collection, DPL
    5201 Woodward Avenue
    Detroit, MI 48202-4007
    Website
Publication is Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society News published twice a year. Located in Wayne County. MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council.
  • Lansing Area African American Genealogical Society
    PO Box 22203
    Lansing, MI 48909-2203
    Website
Publication is Newsletter published quarterly. Member of Michigan Genealogical Council

Cornish

  • Keweenaw Houghton Cornish Society of the Copper Country
    Cornish Connection Of Lower Michigan
    8494 Wesley Drive
    Flushing, MI 48433
    Website

Dutch

  • Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College
    PO Box 9000
    Holland, MI 49422-9000
    Phone: 616-395-7000
    Website

Finnish

  • Finnish American Heritage Center
    435 Quincy Street
    Hancock, MI 49930
    Phone: 906-487-7549
    Website

Flemish

  • Genealogical Society of Flemish Americans
    18740 East 13 Mile Road
    Roseville, MI 48066
    Website Facebook

French-Canadian (includes Acadian, Cajun and Metis)

  • French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan
    PO Box 1900
    Royal Oak, MI 48068-1900
    Website Facebook
Publication is Michigan's Habitat Heritage published quarterly. Located in Oakland County, MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council

Irish

  • Irish Genealogical Society of Michigan
    c/o Gaelic League/Irish American Club
    2068 Michigan Avenue
    Detroit, MI 48216-1303
    Website Facebook
Publication is Irish Tree published nine times a year. Located in Wayne County, MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council
  • Wayne County Irish Society
    31975 Cowan
    Westland, MI 48185
    website

Italian

  • Americans Of Italian Origin Society
    18336 Lister East
    Detroit, MI 48021
    Website

Jewish

  • Jewish Genealogical Society of Michigan
    PO Box 251693
    West Bloomfield, MI 48325-1693
    Website Facebook
Publication is Generations published quarterly. Located in Oakland County, MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council

Polish

  • Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan
    c/o Burton Collection
    5201 Woodward Avenue
    Detroit, MI 48202-4007
    Website Facebook
Publication is The Polish Eaglet published three times a year. Located in Wayne County, MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council
  • Polish Heritage Society
    PO Box 1844
    Grand Rapids, MI 49501
    Website

Scottish

Anishnawbe (Chippewa / Ojibwe, Ottawa / Odawa, Potawatomi Indians)

  • Nokomis Learning Center
    5153 Marsh Road
    Okemos, MI 48864
    Phone: 517-349-5777
    Website Facebook

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

BALLARD - The Appleton Ballard Family of Lansing, Michigan

COOK - A history of the American and puritanical family of Sutliff or Sutliffe ... By Samuel Milton Sutliff

FELT - The Felt Genealogy?: A Record of the Descendants of George Felt of Casco Bay

FIELD - Field Genealogy: Being the Record of All the Field Family in ..., Volume 1, By Frederick Clifton Pierce

FOSTER - Foster genealogy, Part 1. By Frederick Clifton Pierce

GILMORE - Genealogy - Family of Dolly Edna Gilmore

GUILE - The Genealogy and History of the Guild, Guile and Gile Family, By Charles Burleigh

HAMMOND - Wadhams genealogy, proceded by a sketch of the Wadham family in England, By Mrs. Harriet Weeks (Wadhams) Stevens

HERRMAN / HERMANN - Ingham County MI Pioneer Families

HOLMES - KERR family.RTF. The Historical Society of Greater Lansing on Facebook

KENT - History and Genealogy of the Kent Family: Descendants of Richard Kent ..., By Edward Irving Dale, Edward Everett Kent

KERR - KERR family.RTF. The Historical Society of Greater Lansing on Facebook

LORANGER - French Detroit on Facebook

MURRAY - Genealogy Report: Descendants of John H. Murray

NORTHRUP - Genealogy of Josiah Munroe, Revolutionary Soldier, who Died in the Service ..., By Guilford Smith Northrup

OLIN - A Complete Record of the John Olin Family: The First of that Name who Came ..., By Chauncey C. Olin

OVERMYER - Overmyer History and Genealogy, from 1680 to 1905, By Barnhart B. Overmyer, John C. Overmyer

PINCKNEY - PINCKNEY family.RTF. The Historical Society of Greater Lansing on Facebook

RAY The Genealogy of the Lamborn Family: With Extracts from History, Biographies ...

RODMAN - Genealogy of the Rodman Family, 1620 to 1886, By Charles Henry Jones

SHERMAN - The Brewster genealogy, 1566-1907: a record of the ..., Volume 2, Part 1, edited by Emma C. Brewster Jones

TERRY - Terry residents of Onondaga
Lynette's Family History Page...

TURNER - Descendants of Michael Turner of MA

TUTTLE - Tuttle, Tuttle and Tuttle: Ingham County’s First Family of Law

WARNER - Genealogy of the Families of John Rockwell, of Stamford, Connecticut 1641

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See Michigan Land and Property for additional information about early Michigan land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the Ingham County courthouse and where records are currently housed.

Online Land Indexes and Records


Local Histories[edit | edit source]

Local histories are available for Ingham County. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Michigan Local Histories.

  • Pioneer History of Ingham County
  • FamilySearch Digital Library Portrait and Biographical Album of Ingham and Livingston Counties, Michigan
  • FamilySearch Digital Library History of Ingham and Eaton Counties
  • archive Archive History of Ingham County 1880
  • quod.lib An account of Ingham County from its organization 1924
  • quod.lib Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan, by Albert E. Cowles, historically. Together with biographical sketches of many of its leading and prominent citizens and illustrious dead, 1905
  • Archive Standard atlas of Ingham County, Michigan : including a plat book of the villages, cities and townships of the county...farmers directory, reference business directory...1895
  • FamilySearch Digital Library Pioneer History of Ingham County, v.1, comp by Mrs. Franc L. Adams
  • GoogleBooks A History of the Haslett-Lake Lansing Area, Meridian Township, Ingham County, Michigan
  • WorldCat Stories of Lansing, Michigan Families: Shopkeepers, Soldiers, Statesmen, and One Naked Lady.
This is a 160 page book (8 ½ by 11 inches) written by Mid-Michigan Genealogical Society members in 2009 for Lansing's 150th celebration. The book features chapters on the ancestors of Lansing families (i.e. , Buck, Belen, Dungey, Priggooris, Sparrow, Turner and more, over 900 names are indexed; included are sources and photos).

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Clinton CountyShiawassee CountyEaton CountyLivingston CountyJackson CountyMI INGHAM.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration[edit | edit source]

Military Records[edit | edit source]

War of 1812

  • MISociety Michigan Daughters of the War of 1812

Civil War

Civil War service men from Ingham County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Ingham County.

- 12th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Company G


Spanish American War

World War I

World War II

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

Other Records[edit | edit source]

Voting Records[edit | edit source]

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

In most counties in Michigan, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate packets, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

School Records[edit | edit source]

Social Security Records[edit | edit source]

Tax Records[edit | edit source]

Michigan tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the Wiki page, Michigan Taxation.

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

  • Birth Records and Death Records from 1867 can be obtained from the Michigan Department of Community Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.
  • Marriage Records from 1867 and Divorce Records from 1897 can be obtained from the County Clerk.
  • State vital records started in 1867, however marriage records started at the county level earlier. Check both.
  • genealogytrails Ingham County Mi Vital Records

Birth[edit | edit source]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Death[edit | edit source]

Divorce[edit | edit source]

Research Facilities[edit | edit source]

Archives[edit | edit source]

Listed below are archives in Ingham County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.

Catholic Diocese of Lansing Archives
326 W Ionia St
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone:517-342-2540
Website

University Archives and Historical Collections
Michigan State University, Conrad Hall
943 Conrad Rd, Rm 101
East Lansing, MI 48824-1327
Phone: 517-355-2330
Email: archives@msu.edu
Website
Facebook

FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries[edit | edit source]

Listed below are libraries in Ingham County. For state-wide library facilities, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.

Library of Michigan
702 W Kalamazoo St
Lansing, MI 48915
Phone: 517-335-1477
Email: librarian@michigan.gov
Website
Facebook

Capital Area District Libraries
401 S Capitol Ave
Lansing, Michigan 48933
Phone: 517-367-6350
Website
Facebook

Capital Area District Libraries operates 13 branches and a mobile library throughout Ingham county. They have a large Genealogy section.

Museums[edit | edit source]

Michigan History Center
702 W Kalamazoo St
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: 517-335-2573
Email: mhcinfo@michigan.gov
Website
Facebook

Michigan State University Museum
409 W Circle Dr
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: 517-884-6897
Email: museum@msu.edu
Website
Facebook

Michigan Women Forward
105 W Allegan St, #10
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: 517-763-2397
Email: info@michiganwomen.org
Website
Facebook

R.E. Olds Transportation Museum
240 Museum Dr
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: 517-372-0529
Email: autos@reoldsmuseum.org
Website
Facebook

Turner Dodge House
100 E North St
Lansing, MI 48906
Phone: 517-483-4220
Email: Barbara.Loyer@lansingmi.gov
Website
Facebook

Societies[edit | edit source]

Listed below are societies in Ingham County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Michigan Societies.

Daughters of the American Revolution
Lansing Chapter
Phone: 517-349-9823
Email: lansingchapterdar@gmail.com
Website
Facebook

Friends of Historic Meridian
Okemos, Michigan 48864
Phone: 517-347-7300
Email: meridianhistoricalvillage@gmail.com
Facebook

Historical Society of Greater Lansing
PO Box 12095
Lansing, MI 48901
Phone: 517-282-0671
Email: info@lansinghistory.org
Website
Facebook

Ingham County Genealogical Society
PO Box 85
Mason, MI 48854
Email:webmaster@icgsweb.org
Website
Facebook

Leslie Area Historical Society
107 E Bellevue St
PO Box 275
Leslie, Michigan 49251
Phone: 517-712-5459
Email: info@lesliehistorical.org
Website
Facebook

Mason Area Historical Society
200 E Oak St
PO Box 44
Mason, MI 48854
517-676-5974
Email:masonmuseum1865@gmail.com
Website
Facebook

Mid-Michigan Genealogical Society
PO Box 16033
Lansing, MI 48910-6033
Phone: 517-332-2932
Website
Facebook

Stockbridge Area Genealogical/Historical Society
125 S Clinton St
Stockbridge, MI 49285
Email: stockbridgeareaghs@hotmail.com
Facebook

Websites[edit | edit source]

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Research Guides[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  2. Wikipedia contributors, "Ingham County, Michigan" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia
  3. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  4. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. Wikipedia contributors, "Ingham County, Michigan," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia, accessed 01 October 2019.