Michigan Church Records: Difference between revisions

Ancestry.com, FindMyPast.com, and MyHeritage.com can be searched free of charge at your local family history center or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Online databases are incomplete. This can lead to two common errors:

Near matches: Researchers might mistakenly accept an entry very similar to their ancestor, thinking it is the only one available. Only use information that matches your ancestor in date, place, relationships, and other details.
Stopping research: Researchers might assume the database proves church records do not exist. Actually the record is still out there, just not in this incomplete collection of records. Keep searching!

U.S., French Catholic Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1695-1954, ($), index
Michigan, Church Records, 1819-1991 at FamilySearch — index

Look for digital copies of church records listed in the FamilySearch Catalog.[edit | edit source]

Family History Library
Salt Lake City, Utah

The Family History Library (FHL) has a substantial collection of original church records and transcripts on microfilm for churches in the United States.
Online church records can be listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the state, county, or town.
If you find a record that has not yet been digitized, see How do I request that a microfilm be digitized?
Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a Family History Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations.
To find records:

a. Click on the records of United States, Michigan.

b. Click on Places within United States, Michigan and a list of counties will appear.

c. Click on your county if it appears.

d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.

e. Click on Places within United States, Michigan [COUNTY] and a list of towns will appear.

f. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.

g. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.

h. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record.

. The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.

Consult available finding aids.[edit | edit source]

These aids generally provide lists of records that are known to exist and information on their location.

Correspond with or visit the actual churches.[edit | edit source]

Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.

Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
Each denomination page offers an online address directory of local churches for that denomination.

Check the church records collections in archives and libraries.[edit | edit source]

Some church records have been deposited for preservation in government archives or in libraries. Watch for links to digitized, online records offered by the archives. Some archives provide research services for a fee. For others, if you cannot visit in person, you might hire a researcher.

Here you will find archive information unique to the state. Many more archives are kept by denomination. For denominational archives, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Baptist[edit | edit source]

Kalamazoo College
Upjohn Library
1200 Academy Street
Kalamazoo, MI 49006
Phone: (616) 337-7153
Fax: (616) 337-7143

Christian Reformed Church in North America[edit | edit source]

Calvin College
Heritage Hall
1855 Knollcrest Circle SE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546-4402
Phone: 616.526.6313
fax: 616.526.7689
crcarchives@calvin.edu

Jewish[edit | edit source]

Michigan Jewish History

Lutheran[edit | edit source]

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA Archives)
8765 West Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60631-4198
Phone: (312) 380-2818
Fax: (312)-380-2977
E-mail Address: archives@elca.org
(Note: Please include a mailing address when using the E-mail address.)

The records of Evangelical Lutheran churches in the United States that have been disbanded are located at the ELCA Archives in Chicago. If a church is still active, they will be able to help you locate their records.

The ELCA Archives has records of many congregations and those on microfilm can be borrowed for a small fee. A list of church records in its collection is given in:

ALC Archives. ALC Congregations on Microfilm. Dubuque, Iowa: The Archives, [197-?]. FHL fiche 6330690–93.Arranged by state and city of congregation. Fiche 6330690 includes Michigan. The ALC Archives are now part of the ELCA Archives.

Methodist[edit | edit source]

Shipman Library
Adrian College
110 South Madison Street
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 265-5161
Fax: (517) 264-3331

Roman Catholic[edit | edit source]

Archdiocese of Detroit
1234 Washington Boulevard
Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: (313) 237-5800
Fax: (313) 237-4642

The Archdiocese includes the counties of: Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair and Wayne.^[2]

Diocese of Gaylord
611 W. North Street
Gaylord, MI 49735
Phone: (989) 732-5147

The diocese includes the counties of: Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Iosco, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon and Wexford.^[2]

Diocese of Grand Rapids
660 Burton Street S.E.
Grand Rapids. MI 4950
Phone: (616) 243-0491
Fax: (616) 243-4910

The diocese includes the counties of: Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola and Ottawa.^[2]

Diocese of Kalamazoo
215 N. Westnedge Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Phone: (269) 349-8714

The diocese includes the counties of: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren.^[2]

Diocese of Lansing
300 West Ottawa
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: (517) 342-2440
Fax: (517) 343-2515

The diocese includes the counties of: Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Shiawassee and Washtenaw.^[2]

Diocese of Marquette
444 South Fourth Street
P.O. Box 550
Marquette, MI 49855
Phone: (906) 225-1141
Fax: (906) 225-0437

The diocese includes the counties of: Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft.^[2]

Diocese of Saginaw
5800 Weiss Street
Saginaw, MI 48603-2799
Phone: (517) 799-7910
Fax: (517) 797-6670

The diocese includes the counties of: Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola.^[2]

The Drouin Collection

Early U.S. French Catholic Church Records, 1695-1954 ($) (Ancestry). This database only contains the French Catholic parish records from the United States in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Pennsylvania. It is the U.S. part of the U.S. and French-Canadian Drouin Collection. For more details see "The Drouin Collection: Six Databases"

The types of records include baptisms, marriages, and burials as well as confirmations, dispensations, censuses, statements of readmission to the church, and so on. They are written mainly in French, as well as English, Latin, and Italian.

Emphasis on Swedish Settlement[edit | edit source]

Churches in Michigan

Correspond with genealogical or historical societies.[edit | edit source]

Some church records have been given to historical societies. Also, historical societies may be able to tell you where the records are being held. To find a society near you, consult these lists:

Society Hill List of STATE Societies

Carefully compare any record you find to known facts about the ancestor[edit | edit source]

You will possibly find many different people with the same name as your ancestor, especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the grandparents or aunts and uncles. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor as possible:

name, including middle name and maiden name
names of all spouses, including middle and maiden name
exact or closely estimated dates of birth, marriage, and death
names and approximate birthdates of children
all known places of residence
occupations
military service details

Carefully evaluate the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a "near match". If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, Evaluate the Evidence.

References[edit | edit source]

↑ Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1972). FHL Book 973 K2ah.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 Map of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the United States of America, Office of Catholic Schools Diocese of Columbus, accessed 3 Nov 2010.

[1] Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1972). FHL Book 973 K2ah.

[rome-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 Map of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the United States of America, Office of Catholic Schools Diocese of Columbus, accessed 3 Nov 2010.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 162: / Line 162: @@
 *[https://www.augustana.edu/swenson/collections/churchrecords Churches in Michigan]<br>
+===Correspond with genealogical or historical societies.===
+Some church records have been given to historical societies. Also, historical societies may be able to tell you where the records are being held. To find a society near you, consult these lists:
+*[http://www.daddezio.com/society/hill/index.html '''Society Hill List of STATE Societies''']<br>
+==Carefully compare any record you find to known facts about the ancestor==
+You will possibly find many different people with the '''same name as your ancestor,''' especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the '''grandparents or aunts and uncles'''. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor '''as possible''':
+*'''name''', including '''middle name and maiden name'''
+*names of all '''spouses''', including middle and maiden name
+*exact or closely estimated '''dates of birth, marriage, and death'''
+*names and approximate birthdates of '''children'''
+*all known places of '''residence'''
+*'''occupations'''
+*'''military''' service details
+<br>
+[[File:Dark_thin_font_green_pin_Version_4.png|50px]]'''Carefully evaluate''' the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a '''"near match"'''. If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, [[Evaluate the Evidence|'''Evaluate the Evidence'''.]]
 ===References===