Monroe County, Michigan Genealogy
Guide to Monroe County, Michigan ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for James Monroe. The county is located in the southeast area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Monroe County Courthouse
106 E 1st Street
Monroe, MI 48161
Phone: 888-354-5500
Monroe County Website
County Clerk has birth records from 1874, marriage records from 1818, death records from 1867, divorce and court records to 1945.
Probate Court has probate records.
Register of Deeds has land records. [3]
Monroe 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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1874 | 1818 | 1867 | 1945 | 1806 | 1817 | 1820 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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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]
- Monroe County MI Bible Records at Michigan USGenWeb Archives
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- Listing of Cemeteries by Township, City or Village by Monroe County Library System
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 3,187 | — |
| 1840 | 9,922 | 211.3% |
| 1850 | 14,698 | 48.1% |
| 1860 | 21,593 | 46.9% |
| 1870 | 27,483 | 27.3% |
| 1880 | 33,624 | 22.3% |
| 1890 | 32,337 | −3.8% |
| 1900 | 32,754 | 1.3% |
| 1910 | 32,917 | 0.5% |
| 1920 | 37,115 | 12.8% |
| 1930 | 52,485 | 41.4% |
| 1940 | 58,620 | 11.7% |
| 1950 | 75,666 | 29.1% |
| 1960 | 101,120 | 33.6% |
| 1970 | 118,479 | 17.2% |
| 1980 | 134,659 | 13.7% |
| 1990 | 133,600 | −0.8% |
| 2000 | 145,945 | 9.2% |
| 2010 | 152,021 | 4.2% |
| Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_County,_Michigan#Demographics "Wikipedia.org".] | ||
State Census
- 1850-1880 Michigan Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1894 - Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
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.
- 1819-1991 Michigan, Church Records, 1819-1991 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- The Monroe County Library System has microfilm of county church records running back to the 18th century. They are housed at the Ellis Library & Reference Center.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Catholic
| Name | Town | Baptism | Death | Marriage | Confirmation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Charles | Newport | 1852-1901 | 1853-1984 | 1853-1900 |
1870-1878 |
| St. John the Baptist | Monroe | 1873-1901 | 1918-1984 | 1873-1901 | |
| St. Joseph | Erie | 1825-1900 | 1841-1984 | 1827-1858, 1858-1900 (1856-1885 missing) | |
| St. Joseph | Maybee | 1890-1902 | 1890-1984 | 1890-1984 | 1894-1911 |
| St. Mary | Monroe | 1794-1830, 1882-1907 | 1795-1941, 1942-1984 | 1794-1908 | |
| St. Michael | Monroe | 1852-1900 | 1852-1984 | 1852-1900 | 1852-1898 |
| St. Patrick | Carleton | 1859-1909 | 1859-1984 | 1859-1878 | 1874-1890 |
Protestant
| Name | Place | Microfilm Years |
|---|---|---|
| 1st United Presbyterian Church | Petersburg | 1856-1913 |
| Immanuel Lutheran Church | Ida | 1879-1949 |
| Maybee Congregational Church | Maybee | 1880-1950 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church of Petersburg | Deerfield | 1883-1900 |
| Prince of Peace Lutheran Church | Ida | 1860-1913 |
| St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church | Dundee | 1860-1949 |
| St. Michael Lutheran Church | Ottawa Lake | 1872-1937 |
| St. Paul's Lutheran Church | Maybee | 1859-1928 |
| St. Paul's Lutheran Church | Monroe | 1897-1940 |
| St. Paul's United Methodist Church | Monroe | 1841-1900 |
| Trinity Episcopal Church | Monroe | 1831-1924 |
| Trinity Lutheran Church | Monroe | 1843-1907 |
| Trinity Lutheran Church | Monroe | 1843-1911 |
| Zion Lutheran Church | Ottawa Lake | 1861-1935 |
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1805-1860 Court Records, 1805-1860(*); Circuit, County and Mayor's Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust Digital Library — images
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- 1929-1966 Michigan, Crew Lists for various ports, 1929-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Barcarella Funeral Home, Inc. in Monroe.
- Bobcean Funeral Home in Carleton and Flat Rock.
- Capaul Funeral Home in Ida.
- Martenson Family Of Funeral Homes, Inc. in Maybee and Monroe.
- Merkle Funeral Service and Floral Expressions in Dundee, Erie and Monroe.
- Michigan Memorial Funeral Home, Inc. in Flat Rock.
- Ochalek Stark Funeral Service in Milan.
- Pawlak Funeral Home in Temperance.
- Rupp Funeral Home, Inc. in Monroe.
- Urbanski's Bedford Funeral Chapel in Temperance.
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
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 Monroe County courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Monroe 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.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)
- 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
Civil War service men from Monroe 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 Monroe County.
- - 17th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Companies C and I
- 1861-1865 Record of Service of the Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865 at Michiganology — images, multiple volumes organized alphabetically by surname
- 1876-1945 Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1876-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1894 - Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
- Michigan, Civil War Centennial Observance Commission, Committee on Civil War Grave Registration, Burial Records at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
War of 1812
World War I
- 1917-1919 Michigan, Census of World War I Veterans with Card Index, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1837-1993 Michigan, Eastern and Western Districts, Naturalization Records, 1837-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Bygones of Monroe: Glimpses of Life in Monroe County History Taken from Area Newspapers.
- Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University
- 1800s-Current Michigan, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1820-2006 Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1821-2012 Monroe County Obituary Index Ancestry $
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voting Records[edit | edit source]
- 1850-Onward Michigan Voter Registrations at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- Laurant Durocher Account Book Index, an active citizen in the founding of Frenchtown, later known as Monroe, Michigan.
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Michigan, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate packets, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1784-1980 Michigan, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1784-1980 at Ancestry.com ($) — index & images
- 1797-1973 Michigan Probate Records 1797-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- 1800-1878 Probate Estate Files, ca. 1800-1878(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
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.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1867-1902 Michigan Births, 1867-1902 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1917 Michigan, County Births, 1867-1917 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1585-1945 Michigan, United States Marriages at Findmypast $
- 1820-1937 Michigan, County Marriages Index, 1820-1937 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1820-1940 Michigan, County Marriages, 1820-1940 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1828-Onward Michigan Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1868-1925 Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1880 Michigan Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1897 Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1867-1952 Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- 1897-1952 Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index & images, organized by county and then last name.
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1897-1952 Michigan, Divorce Records, 1897-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Monroe County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
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
- Adrian District Library - an affiliate library
- Bedford Township Branch Library - an affiliate library
- Manchester District Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Monroe County. For state-wide library facilities, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
Monroe County Library System
Mary K. Daume Library Service Center
3700 S Custer Rd
840 S Roessler St
Monroe, MI 48161
Phone: 734-241-5277
Website
Facebook
Museums[edit | edit source]
Monroe County Historical Museum System
126 S Monroe St
Monroe, MI 48161
Phone: 734-240-7780
Email: history@monroemi.org
Website
Facebook
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Monroe County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Michigan Societies.
Daughters of the American Revolution
Nancy DeGraff Toll Chapter
Email: msnrncns@aol.com
Website
Genealogical Society of Monroe County, Michigan
PO Box 1428
Monroe, MI 48161-6428
Email: gsmcmi@gsmcmi.org
Website
Facebook
Monroe County Historical Society
22 W Second St
Monroe, MI 48161
Phone: 734-682-5165
Email: info@cfmonroe.org
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
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- Monroe County, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
- Monroe County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Monroe County, Michigan" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Monroe County, Michigan," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia accessed 05 November 2019.