Muskegon County, Michigan Genealogy
Guide to Muskegon 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 the Muskegon River. The county is located in the west-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Muskegon County Courthouse
990 Terrace St.
Muskegon, MI 49442
Phone: 616-724-6221
Muskegon County Website
County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, divorce and court records from 1859.
Probate Court has probate records.
Register of Deeds has land records. [3]
Muskegon 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 |
| 1859 | 1859 | 1859 | 1959 | 1839 | 1867 | 1820 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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1874 A fire in 1874, destroying a quarter of the business district and 200 homes. 1887 A fire destroying many buildings on Pine Street at Webster. 1891 known as the Pine Street fire, destroyed 17 city blocks and 250 buildings including the original court house. For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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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]
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| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Additional Information
Muskegon County is located on the western side of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and borders Lake Michigan. Muskegon County was originally inhabited by the Ottawa Indians. The first visitors to the area now known as Muskegon County were the fur traders and missionaries in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The trading posts came and went during this period but regard is given to Jean Baptiste Recollett's trading post that was opened near the mouth of Bear Lake in 1812. Louis Baddeau bought a trading post in 1834 which is the present site of the Indian Cemetery on Morris Ave. Mr. Baddeau is generally given the distinction of being the first permanent white settler in the area. Muskegon's name comes from the Chippewa word - Muskego - meaning "river with marshes".
The fur trading era, 1810 thru the late 1830's, was followed by a booming lumbering era from the late 1830's until 1900. The first sawmill construction, built by Benjamin H. Wheelock, began in 1837 on Muskegon Lake with operations commencing in 1838 and by the 1870s 26 mills were in operation .
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- A short sketch of the life and services of Jonathan Walker: the man with a branded hand with a poem by John G, Muskegon, Mich., Chronicle Steam Printing House, 1879.
- Portrait and biographical record of Muskegon and Ottawa Counties Michigan containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co. 1893
- The industries of the city of Muskegon, with historical, descriptive, and biographical sketches of its business and business men in 1880.
- White Lake reminiscences compiled by the Ladies Aid Society of the Congregational Church, Whitehall, Michigan, ED. J. Smith Printer 1898
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
- A Civic and Industrial Survey of the Muskegon Area and Western Michigan Compiled/Published byGreater Muskegon Chamber of Commerce. Dana Printing Co., 1930?
- Muskegon County log marks / by Lewis Torrent. 1956 Great Lakes Model Shipbuilders' Guild, Inc.
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
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
Dutch Reformed Church
- De Eerste Christelijke Gereformeerde Gemeente, 1867-1917, Muskegon, Michigan. Published: Grand Rapids, Mich., The Cargill co., 1917 at babel.hathitrust.org. Free
First Congregational
- History of First Congregational Church, Muskegon, Michigan, compiled by James W. Verduin, 1959 at babel.hathitrust.org. Free
First Reformed
- Souvenir history of the First Reformed Church of Muskegon, Diamond Anniversary 1859-1934 at babel.hathitrust.org. Free
Lutheran
- Records of the Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Muskegon, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- 1859-1931 Chancery Calendar, 1859-1931(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1859-1937 Chancery Case Files, 1859-1937(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust Digital Library — images
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]
- Beacon Cremation and Funeral Service in Whitehall.
- Clock Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Muskegon.
- Divinity Funeral Home and Chapel, Inc. in Muskegon Heights.
- Ever Rest Funeral Home and Cremation Chapel in Muskegon.
- Fountain Funeral Home in Muskegon.
- Shoreline Memorial Services in Muskegon and Whitehall.
- Sytsema Funeral and Cremation Services in Muskegon, Norton Shores and Ravenna.
- Toombs by Crystal Funeral Services in Muskegon Heights.
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 Muskegon 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 Muskegon 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.
- A Civic and Industrial Survey of the Muskegon Area and Western Michigan Compiled/Published byGreater Muskegon Chamber of Commerce. Dana Printing Co., 1930?
- Annual of the Muskegon County Pioneer and Historical Society for the year 1887. Muskegon, Michigan, by Henry H. Holt., Muskegon County Pioneer and Historical Society. Published 1888
- Headlight Flashes Along the Grand Trunk Railway System : Muskegon, Michigan Chicago, Ill. : Chicago Railroad Pub. Co., 1897 - Includes biographical sketches.
- History of Muskegon County, Michigan: with illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Chicago: H.R. Page & Co. 1882.
- An Account of Muskegon County. Edited by James Smith. 1924? Published by National Historical Association, Inc. Online at: Hathitrust; Univ of Michigan (Michigan County Histories and Atlases Digitization Project).
- Memorials of the Grand River Valley. Chicago : Franklin Everett, The Chicago legal news company, 1878.
- Muskegon and its resources. Sketches of Muskegon county; its soil, climate and agricultural producations-city of Muskegon; its material growth and resources, manufacturing and commercial interests, its scenery, and advantages as a place of residence and business, supplemented with short sketches of leading business houses and firms. Issued under the auspices of the Muskegon Board of Trade. W.M. Harford, editor. Published: Muskegon, Mich., Harford & Latimer, publishers, 1884
- Romance of Muskegon, Michigan 1937, Centennial Year / by The Muskegon Chronicle
- The advantages and surroundings of Muskegon, Published: Muskegon, Mich., 1892
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
- County atlas of Muskegon, Michigan - 1877 - from recent and actual surveys and records under the superintendence of F.W. Beers. Published by F. W. Beers & Co., New York - 1877. Also archive.org
- Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Muskegon - Library of Congress years vary between 1882-1950
- Standard Atlas of Muskegon County, Michigan : Including a Plat Book of the Villages, Cities and Townships of the County. (1900) Compiled & Published by Geo. A. Ogle & Co. Chicago 1900. Also archive.org
- 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
- 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
- Muskegon County found on images 205-243, FS Library Film # 7941303
- Muskegon County found on images 547-561, FS Library Film # 8621309
- 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
- Civil War, Graves registration records : Muskegon County, Michigan. From Civil War Centennial Observance Commission. Committee on Civil War Graves Registration. No index, but images have been digitized. Contains alphabetical listing: Name, Company, Regiment/State, Death Date, Cemetery, County, Lot, and Grave or section
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]
- Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University
- Montague Observer (1889-1977), White Lake Beacon (1983-2001), White Laker (1972), White Laker Observer (1976-1981), Whitehall Forum (1964-1972) provided by White Lake Community Library
- 1800s-Current Michigan, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Muskegon Chronicle, Muskegon, Michigan - Newspaper Archives (1869 - 1922) provided by GenealogyBank.com ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1820-2006 Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voting Records[edit | edit source]
- 1850-Onward Michigan Voter Registrations at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
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 ($) — index & images
- 1797-1973 Michigan Probate Records 1797-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- 1859-1929 Probate Records, 1859-1900; Index, 1859-1929(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1859-1929 Probate Records, 1862-1917; Index, 1859-1929(*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1859-1937 Chancery Case Files, 1859-1937(*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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 $
- 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 Muskegon 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
- Grand Rapids Public Library - an affiliate library
- Hackley Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Muskegon County. For state-wide library facilities, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Lakeshore Museum Center
430 West Clay Ave
Muskegon, MI 49440
Phone: 231-722-0278
Website
- There are 6 different museums to visit.
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Muskegon County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Michigan Societies.
Montague Museum Historical Association
8717 Meade St
Montague, MI 49437
Mailing Address: Montague City Hall
8778 Ferry St
Montague, MI 49437
Website
Muskegon County Genealogical Society
316 Webster Ave
Muskegon, MI 49440
Email: 1972mcgs@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Muskegon County Historical Society
173 E Apple Ave
Muskegon, MI 49442
Phone: 231-724-6271
Email: fairchildma@co.muskegon.mi.us
Western Michigan Genealogical Society
c/o Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library St NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3268
Email: wmgs@wmgs.org
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
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- Muskegon 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.
- Muskegon 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, "Muskegon 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, "Muskegon County, Michigan," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia accessed 06 November 2019.